I don’t know if North Park is the best neighborhood for coffee in San Diego per se, but it certainly is the most prolific. (Despite how many great shops are now there, I still miss the very specific vibes at Claire de Lune.) However, saturation is not stopping the Moniker Group from entering the area when they launch Moniker General Outpost at 3140 University Avenue.
The shop, which will be part coffee shop and part retail space, sits on the ground floor of the new mixed-use building, The Waldorf, on the corner of Iowa Street and University Avenue. Ryan Sisson, Moniker’s CEO, says that despite the plethora of existing coffee shops closer to 30th Street, he views the eastern end of University as up-and-coming. “We’re kind of on the fringe, but there are still a lot of neighbors over there,” he explains.
Plus, the opportunity to completely redesign a 2,000-square-foot space with outdoor seating in a bustling neighborhood doesn’t come around that often. Sisson initially launched Moniker General with Nathan Cadieux, who now owns Purpose, the real estate development company behind The Waldorf. The chance to collaborate on the space was too good to pass up, and Sisson says if Moniker’s investment in the building proves successful, it could be the start of a bigger expansion plan for the business.
As a smaller “outpost” of Moniker General in Liberty Station, they will offer the same coffee and food menus and a curated selection of Moniker-designed and approved retail items like gifts, home goods, and home-based coffee equipment. There won’t be a bar element, but the other retail suite will eventually be home to a high-end Mexican restaurant from Chantelle and Crystal Godinez, the sisters behind Sunday Breakfast Society in Chula Vista. But at the heart of the project, Sisson says Moniker’s ultimate goal is to add to North Park’s already stellar reputation as a destination for coffee connoisseurs.
“There are a lot of people who enjoy good coffee experiences in that part of town, and we want to be a part of that,” he says. “We just want to be that community hub, where you come and feel comfortable and welcome and greeted with a smile… that’s what we’re here for.”
Moniker General Outpost is scheduled to soft open in December 2024, with a grand opening in January 2025.
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
San Diego Celebrates the Feast of Seven Fishes
Despite the Emmys’ inexplicable insistence that the FX show, The Bear is a comedy, at least one episode firmly rejects that notion. I’m talking about “Fishes,” Season 2, episode 6, depicts the traditional Italian-American Christmas Eve celebration where the host serves at least seven different types of seafood. Fans of the show will remember that it didn’t go so well for the fictional family. Still, San Diegans are in luck—several restaurants are hosting their versions this year, including Mabel’s Gone Fishing (on December 23) and Cori (December 18-23). Want to brave making the feast yourself? Check your local fish market, like The Fish Shop’s locations or Nico’s Fish Market’s new spot in Pacific Beach, to peruse their fresh selection. I hope it ends better for you than for Jamie Lee Curtis.
Bread & Cie’s 30th Anniversary Weekend Celebration
Bread & Cie was one of the first to realize that designer gluten is the cornerstone of a life well-lived. It’s got a hell of a story, founded in 1994 by Charles Kauffman—who wrote and directed b-movies, including the disturbingly iconic cult classic, Mother’s Day. This weekend, December 14-15, Charles and his generations of breadren (sorry) celebrate their 30th anniversary at their Hillcrest location. They’ll have a baguette eating competition on Saturday, a Bread & Pie confessional booth where people can share memories, and 50 percent of proceeds will be donated to the Voices of Our City Choir.
Lou Lou’s Jungle Room
Beth’s Bites
- What would the end of 2024 be without one more blow? After eight years in business, Rouleur Brewing announced they are closing their doors on New Year’s Eve. Best of luck to Rawley Macias and the rest of the Rouleur team.
- In better news, Pizzeria El Jefe has officially opened at 560 Broadway in Chula Vista, serving Mexican-inspired pizzas that I have to imagine will taste significantly better than the alternative. (Although, I’m game for a side-by-side tasting. For science.)
- As someone raised in Virginia with plenty of family still there, no holiday is complete without at least one Virginia ham. For a more local option, I suggest stopping by Iowa Meat Farms for one of their double-smoked hams, which are sure to be less salt, but still delicious in their own right.
- I’ve always been an early riser and rarely a night owl, which means 364 nights out of the year, I’m in bed at or before 10 p.m. However, I (occasionally) stay out past twilight, and NYE at Lou Lou’s Jungle Room does sound pretty enticing. Will my circadian rhythm cooperate? Only time will tell.
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