Hob Nob Hill owner Tania Warchol (By Alex Kacha)
Restaurant, Bankers Hill
Somewhere Over the Rainbow…an Iconic Diner in Bankers Hill Turns 80
By Frank Sabatini Jr.
It’s been a destination restaurant for everyone under the sun: lawyers, artists, medical practitioners, blue-collar workers, and even some of the little people who were cast in the Wizard of Oz movie. More recently, a great niece of Judy Garland, who played Dorothy in the film, popped into the restaurant to admire a giant mural of the movie’s four main characters that was installed during a remodel three years ago.
As we discovered, Hob Nob Hill is loaded with history, not to mention the kind of good old-fashion American fare that seems to be gradually disappearing from our culinary landscape.
Owner Tania Warchol purchased the restaurant in 1993 from Kansas transplant Harold Hoersch, who opened the business in 1944 with his wife, Dorothy. They originally named it Juniper Cafe before changing it to Melody Grill, and then Dorothy’s Oven. It was rebranded as Hob Nob Hill around 1970.
Warchol was the preferred buyer over other bidders at the time because of a specific commitment she made to the previous owners. That, along with other anecdotes about the restaurant’s past, present and future—and its link to The Wizard of Oz—were revealed in our conversation with this experienced restaurateur.
Downtown Condo Guys: Were you in the restaurant industry before taking over Hob Nob Hill in the early 90s?
Warchol: Yes. I had owned a little 800-square-foot coffee shop called George’s at University Avenue and 43rd Street. I also owned Kountry Kafe in Poway. Neither exists anymore. From there I bought a cafe in Encinitas, and after that me and my ex husband plus another couple opened up the Broken Yolk after it had closed for a while. Then the four of us bought Hob Nob Hill. But it just wasn’t working as a partnership, so I ended up taking Hob Nob Hill and they took the Broken Yolk.
Downtown Condo Guys: What was your first order of business once you took over Hob Nob Hill?
Warchol: The original owner, Harold Hoersch, held a meeting with all of his employees who were becoming our employees. He explained to them why he chose me to operate the restaurant as its new owner. It was because I said that I wouldn’t change a thing. It was the answer he wanted to hear. The other prospective buyers wanted to change the venue into a steakhouse.
So I kept everything the same. It wasn’t until a year or two later that we updated the menu with the addition of some lighter meal options.
Downtown Condo Guys: What are some of the longest standing dishes on the menu today?
Warchol: Our turkey dinner is probably the oldest. We roast about 10 turkeys every week. Each weighs nearly 22 pounds. It’s literally a Thanksgiving dinner offered daily with stuffing, mashed potatoes, a vegetable, plus soup or salad. Also the Reuben sandwich. It’s one of our classics because we cure the corned beef onsite. Our lemon-pecan pie and our coffee cake have also been on the menu since day one of the restaurant.
We have the original recipes typed on paper for dishes such as chicken tetrazzini, stuffed bell peppers, chutney, and salad dressings. A lot of the cooks who were still here when I bought the restaurant stayed on and they knew how to make everything. Over the years they would train the next person and the next person. Right now we’re putting all of the recipe cards onto discs.
Downtown Condo Guys: What did the interior of Hob Nob Hill look like when you purchased it in 1993?
Warchol: Everything was pink, including the dresses worn by the waitresses. In the big dining room there were two windmill types of light fixtures. And separating the dining room from the booth area were oak slats. There was also a big, outdated wood and glass wine cabinet, which is now where our full bar is.
Downtown Condo Guys: You obviously had to remodel the place over the years. Tell us about the most recent renovations that occurred in 2020.
Warchol: In the kitchen we added a 60-inch flat top grill, plus a charcoal grill that we use for burgers, ham steaks, pork chops and skirt steaks. In the dining room we took out all of the carpet and replaced it with tile. We put in all new vinyl booths, all new granite tables, brand new chairs, and new lighting.
We also have a big pop of color from a Wizard of Oz mural that was installed along the back wall of our main dining room. The mural is actually four huge pieces of wallpaper that we ordered from a specialty company called Magic Murals.
For the exterior, we installed a new type of laser signage that looks like neon—and we went from beige to white. And also have a back door that leads directly into the dining room. The door is used for late-night customers now that we have extended our hours. (7:00a to midnight Sunday through Thursday; and 7:00a to 2:00a Fridays and Saturdays.)
Downtown Condo Guys: Why a Wizard of Oz theme?
Warchol: The writer of the Wizard of Oz (Frank Baum) lived in Coronado, which gives it a local angle. Plus, I’ve always loved the movie. And years ago, some of the midgets from the movie would come in when they were visiting San Diego.
Downtown Condo Guys: Did the publicity you received several years ago from the Food Network result in a sales boost for Hob Nob Hill?
Warchol: Oh yes. We had Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives come here in 2008. Host Guy Fieri zeroed in on our house-cured corned beef and our chicken and dumplings. We had people coming in from all over the U.S. because they saw that show, which still plays in reruns. We know when they play because we will always get a rush for the chicken and dumplings.
Downtown Condo Guys: What are some of the service amenities you offer that date back to the old days?
Warchol: We use chilled salad forks and plates for our salads, and warm spoons for our soups. For parties of four or more, most of our meals are served from hand-held trays. We used to serve our cranberry relish in hollowed out oranges. But since Covid it’s not as sanitary.
Downtown Condo Guys: What are some of the newest dishes on the menu?
Warchol: Cincinnati chili, meatloaf, and flame-grilled skirt steak served with demi-glace. We’re also making all kinds of new desserts now.
Downtown Condo Guys: How would you describe your clientele?
Warchol: Our customers are great. They’ve been very loyal and it’s been a blast watching them bring in their kids and grandkids and seeing them all grow up.
Downtown Condo Guys: What have you done this year to celebrate Hob Nob’s 80th anniversary?
Warchol: Nothing yet. We would like to plan a party sometime in October. Right now we’re dropping a lot of anniversary merchandise such as specialty T-shirts and coffee mugs.
Downtown Condo Guys: What have been your greatest challenges and rewards in running the restaurant?
Warchol: The challenges are putting out fires every day, such as covering work shifts and having to get new this and new that all the time. Everyone wants a piece of you. My greatest reward is watching it all come together. The rewards are always there at the end of the day because Hob Nob Hill is one of the greatest. We’re a San Diego landmark and I plan on keeping it going.
