By Joan Wojcik | East Village News

With the increase in apartments and condominiums in East Village, there is also a rise in demand for neighborhood eateries.

Caffe Primo, which means “coffee first,” is the newest such eatery in the neighborhood.

Located at 1330 Market St. on the ground level of the 13th and Market apartment complex, the modest café opened approximately five months ago.

Though Caffe Primo is relatively unknown to most San Diegians, it has a long history in Los Angeles, first opening in 2004 as a small gelateria.

The small café’s gelato and coffee became extremely popular with the Hollywood crowd, with Oprah, Bruce Willis, Kevin Costner, Jodie Foster, Daniel Craig, Renee Zellweger, and Tim McGraw joining the long list of celebrities who have visited Caffe Primo.

Before opening its latest store in San Diego, its other locations included West Hollywood on Sunset, Downtown on La Flower, and one in Anaheim, with additional stores planned.

As you walk into the East Village Caffe Primo, you will find the décor has an industrial feel with concrete floors, high loft-style ceilings, and wood and metal tables and chairs, which lends a feel of casual dining. They also feature free WiFi.

In the middle of the room is a small bar area serving craft beers as well as domestic and foreign wines. The kitchen is a large open concept, which allows patrons to watch the food preparations.

The menu at Caffe Primo offers breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner to serve the growing number of residents in the neighboring apartment complexes. The cuisine is eclectic with an emphasis on typical Italian cuisine such as individual pizzas, pastas, and panini, but they also serve rice bowls, hamburgers, sandwiches, salads, and standard breakfast fare, which is served all day.

Caffe Primo is noted for its house-roasted coffees — which have received several recognitions — European-style atmosphere, and famous gelato and sorbetto, which are not yet on the menu at the San Diego location. Caffe Primo joins the other new eateries that have recently opened in East Village; Bottega Americano, Stella Public House, and Halcyon Coffee Bar.

Welcome Caffe Primo to East Village!

To learn more, visit iloveprimo.com, or call Johnny, the manager at 619-798-3488.

Social announcement:

Ms. Kimberly Morris, 12th grade math teacher at e3 Civic High School, located in the Downtown Central Library, is asking East Village residents to complete a student-created survey for a class project asking residents’ opinion regarding life in East Village. To participate in the survey, visit tinyurl.com/zrckb2r.

—Joan Wojcik is the president of the East Village Residents Group. Contact her at [email protected]. Learn more about the EVRG at evrgsd.org.