North County is getting its first natural wine bar this year. Jeremy Simpson and Kirsten Potenza will open the next iteration of their Little Victory natural wine business in Carlsbad in the fall.
Simpson, who worked as the beverage director at Jeune et Jolie and Campfire from 2021 to 2022, says expanding from their retail-only shop in Encinitas to a natural wine bar has been part of the pair’s vision since they launched their brand in September 2022. “It happened a little bit faster than we expected,” Potenza adds, laughing.
According to Simpson, they hope to appeal both to natural wine lovers and those not quite familiar with the style by creating an easy, approachable space where guests can ask questions and explore different sips. Little Victory will also offer small plates that emphasize local ingredients and shareable items, like cheese, charcuterie, pickled goods, salads, and tinned fish. They don’t yet have a chef lined up, but they will announce as soon as one is confirmed.
“It’s going to be sort of Copenhagen- [and] Paris-inspired natural wine bar as far as aesthetics and small plates go,” Simpson explains, adding that Potenza is designing the space to echo the vibes of the retail store, which will remain open.
The wines, too, will have “the same focus we have at the shop—totally natural, organic, biodynamically farmed farms, with minimal intervention throughout, [from] some really, really small producers,” he continues. He estimates they’ll have 50 or 60 wines on hand at the bar, ranging from skin contact orange wines to pét-nats and more. “All the fun stuff,” he laughs. “ We’re gonna just try to emphasize wines that are just a little different.”
Little Victory will also share the 1,100 square foot space with Always Hungry Grocery + Goods, a small batch and locally supplied curated grocery store by Katie Jayne Sprenkle. “Being able to walk in and get specialty, locally sourced grocery items and goods, and then peeking through to the other side and enjoying a glass of natural wine that you can’t find most places … is pretty unique,” Potenza says.
Little Victory Wine Bar and Always Hungry Grocery + Goods will open in early September 2024 at 505 Oak Avenue, Suite B in Carlsbad. The wine bar’s initial operating hours will be Wednesday through Sunday, from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., with weekend brunch hours added later.
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
New Restaurant Vincenzo Opens Tomorrow in Little Italy
Cheese lovers, rejoice! Italian restaurant Vincenzo opens Wednesday, April 17, in Little Italy in the former Farmer’s Table location (550 West Date Street, Suite A). Vincenzo’s cheese wheel bar offers a curated selection of six different cheese wheels that guests can choose from to pair with one of six types of housemade pasta. Say the word, and the chef will whip up a creamy, cheesy plate of ooey-gooey goodness made to order. Get your iPhones ready, because this sounds like a food Instagrammer’s heaven.
Beth’s Bites
Vistal, the seafood-centric restaurant inside the Smart Safe-certified InterContinental San Diego, is partnering with The Fishmonger’s Tommy Gomes, Positively Groundfish, and Chula Seafood to launch a new initiative to showcase more local fish on their menu. Expect to see sustainable species like red widow rockfish (sometimes called bank perch), vermillion rockfish, and California sheephead, as well as new cocktails inspired by the San Diego Bay.
On April 21, Buona Forchetta‘s nonprofit, BF For A Cause, will host the South Park Spring Fest to raise funds for Golden Hill UTK-8. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Meraki (1648 30th Street) and includes music, pizza, gelato, and plenty of activities for kids. Tickets are available here or at the door.
Starting tomorrow, you can finally go to Marisi for lunch! The La Jolla Italian spot will be open for midday meals Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The drinks menu features the usual suspects in both full-strength and NA formulations (depending on how responsible you’re feeling in the middle of the day).
Pure Project is the sole San Diego brewery selected to partner with Patagonia Provisions to brew an organic lager using Kernza grain. Kernza is a regenerative organic grain known for its ability to improve soil structure and thrive with minimal watering. Check out the new release on draft at any of Pure Project’s five taprooms across the county.
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