Alicia Cox, founder and CEO of PRJKT Restaurant Group, has redefined beachfront dining alongCalifornia’s vibrant coastline. While her innovation and drive have led her to open multiplenotable SoCal restaurants, and even release her own wine label, she has found her niche increating elevated seaside dining experiences. In 2016, Alicia and her team revitalized all four ofBolsa Chica State Beach’s concessions with SeaLegs at the Beach, SeaSalt Burger, Beach CityProvisions and Pacific Kitchen. They have since become a tourist, dining and entertainment hubfor Southern California. SeaLegs at the Beach is now a go-to destination for live music, comedy,and dining right on the sand. After this endeavor, she then expanded the SeaLegs concept intoone of Los Angeles International Airport’s busiest terminals. In early 2021, she signed a first-of-its-kind, 10-year agreement with the California State Park System for new beach concessionsalong a 3-mile stretch of Huntington State Beach. With three of four concessions open, thesuccess she’s seen at the Huntington Beach House, SandBox Beach Essentials and most recentlyopened Sahara Sandbar & Pizza.
Huntington Beach House is a dining destination right on the beach with 13 dine-in fire pits and a 120-foot seated counter overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Not only is it an ideal venue for private corporate events, weddings and baby showers, but it is also the best spot on the beach to watch one of Southern California’s cornerstone events, the Pacific Airshow Huntington Beach. Half a mile up PCH, Alicia runs the Sand Box Beach Essentials, which offers beach goers access to groundbreaking lifestyle recreation vending machines, where surfboards and bikes including electric can be rented, and firewood is available to be purchased with the tap of the Brevvie app. The first-of-its-kind options for beachgoers! Most recently opened last year and named after Alicia’s daughter Sahara, Sahara Sandbar & Pizza welcomes beachgoers and their families to an Insta-worthy octagon tunnel grand entrance and palm trees all decked out in LED lights. Since opening, Sahara’s Sandbar & Pizza now has a full liquor license and launched an enhanced food and drink menu, featuring modern day beach style Italian fare and unique cocktails. New menu items include Strombolis, Calzones, Meatballs on a Stick and made-to-order milkshakes. A key giveback component for this location is that for every pizza purchased at Sahara Sandbar, $1 goes toward Families Forward, an Orange County-based nonprofit helping families at risk of or experiencing homelessness. In its inaugural year, the partnership raised nearly $4,000 for the nearly 40-year organization.
This year, Alicia has been focused on growing and expanding the many events and offerings at her seven concessions currently open and in operation. She has worked around the clock to implement specialty menus with made-to-order dishes, exciting music and Insta-worthy photo opportunities which pair perfectly with the phenomenal Pacific Beach views each concession is known for. This year she also released her own pocket-sized, bi-yearly publication, Endless Summer, which includes details for all things happening throughout Huntington Beach, as well as her concessions. Available at all Prjkt Restaurant Group locations, Alicia is the editor-in-chief and leads the charge with securing talent to interview and spotlight. She’s also in the process of publishing a cookbook of her most famous recipes from her restaurants over the years. A unique component to this cookbook will be a corresponding YouTube channel, with each recipe having a QR code listed that will link to an interactive video of Alicia cooking that menu item. Additionally, she is in the process of finishing her final Huntington State Beach concession, California Fork & Spoon, which will be a love letter to California and its beloved state parks. The final concession in her vast portfolio is set to open early next year.
