By Anthony King | SDUN Reporter
With the efforts of several recent restaurant developers, Goldfinch Street in Mission Hills could become a new dining hot spot in Uptown, rivaling destinations in other neighborhoods. Announced Oct. 21, owners of The Patio on Lamont Street signed a lease to open a second location of their popular restaurant in Mission Hills.
The Patio on Goldfinch will open its doors at 4020 Goldfinch St. in spring 2014. Renovations on the building, which currently sits vacant as an unfinished commercial site, will begin soon and once open, the 3,900-square-foot space is expected to seat approximately 200 guests.
Restaurant owner Gina Champion-Cain, along with property owner Jeff Silberman of Carleton Management, said The Patio on Goldfinch will bring an “exciting new edition to Mission Hill’s emerging culinary and cultural scene,” with an eye to help develop the next up-and-coming dining neighborhood.
“[Our] vision … is to create the next entertainment and dining hot spot, similar to what 30th Street in North Park and Fifth Avenue in Hillcrest have become,” they said in a press release announcing the Mission Hills location.
Opened November 2012, The Patio on Lamont Street has grown to be one of Pacific Beach’s premier destinations for “creative farm-to-table dishes,” representatives said in the release. The restaurant concept also includes craft-cocktails and a pet-friendly area.
The Patio on Goldfinch will feature similar menu items as the owners’ Pacific Beach restaurant, including dishes that use local, seasonal ingredients. There will also be a cheese cave, complete with a cheese expert on hand, and an outdoor patio open to pets that will include a fireplace and retractable roof.
The company’s Executive Chef John Medall will oversee the small plate and seafood menu, and Lucas Reeve, assistant general manager at the Lamont Street location, will take over as general manager once the Mission Hills restaurant opens, Champion-Cain said.
In addition to their “unique twist” on the neighborhood’s growing food and drink culture, representatives said they are designing a space with an “urban chic ambiance” based in sustainability.
Lahaina Architects will take the lead on the design, using recycled and “upcycled” materials. ArcLight Cinemas will oversee the building’s LEED certification, with help from Sustainability Matters. Based in Mission Valley, Lahaina Architects designed the original Patio concept in Pacific Beach.
The Patio on Goldfinch will join Meshuggah Shack, Lefty’s Chicago Pizzeria, Brooklyn Girl Eatery and Special Delivery San Diego as dining destinations on the 4000 block of Goldfinch Street. The Gathering Bar and Grill, located on the same block at the intersection of Goldfinch and Washington streets, was recently purchased by sibling restaurateurs John and Jill Ealy. The Ealys will be opening their new concept, Harley Gray Kitchen & Bar, in the near future as well.
