Since opening doors this past March, Liberty Public Market in Point Loma has propelled San Diego’s culinary reputation forward and has attracted a national spotlight as the city’s first successful food hall. With 27 debut local artisans and purveyors currently operating within the market, overarching hospitality collective Blue Bridge Hospitality announces four new incoming tenants, utilizing the remaining empty spaces on-site. These spaces were intentionally left unrented prior to the market’s launch, in order to gauge what would complement the existing lineup of vendors inside the bustling food hall. A gourmet candy store, Lolli San Diego Sweets, and Venissimo’s new panini shop, Attic Salt, just recently opened doors. Coming this Fall, Hillcrest’s Pho 5th Avenue will see brand expansion into Liberty Public Market and will be joined by a renowned artisan deli, Roast, out of Canada’s Victoria Public Market. Candy shop
Specialty candy shop Lolli San Diego Sweets features self-serve candy bins that entice customers with fruity sweet and sour gummies, salt water taffies and a selection of handcrafted English toffee, nutty brittle, and pecan pralines. For the chocolate lovers, the shop stocks a wide variety of chocolate bars and truffles, all made from locally based chocolatiers. Refined sandwiches As the sister concept to famed gourmet cheese mongers, Venissimo Cheese, Attic Salt brings a sophisticated aesthetic to the typical neighborhood sandwich shop. Named after an old British phrase meaning “refined wit,” the deluxe deli incorporates upscale ingredients that venture far beyond the typical BLT. With each sandwich ringing up for only $10, patrons can enjoy two slices of signature toasted focaccia filled with a variety of cured meats, artisan cheeses, house-prepared gourmet toppings, with a final flourish of black sea salt. Artisan deli A Canadian transplant from the Victoria Public Market, Roast offers a stellar lineup of artisan sandwiches, each aptly named after the naturally raised protein within. Roast’s menu is divided into three parts: Meatballs, Rotisserie, and Roasts, each of which is complemented with rotating side dishes that include salads, vegetables, grains or potatoes. The no-fuss menu illustrates Roast’s reliance on exceptional ingredients to craft simple and delicious fare. Spirit shop Next door to Roast, beverage director Greg Majors is curating a specialty shop devoted to small batch, artisan spirits as well as unique bitters and cocktail modifiers. While the shop will be primarily focused on local and domestic distilleries, there will be a dedicated focus on tequilas and mezcals from Mexico, Irish and Scotch whiskeys, alongside a selection of speciality European liquors. Highlights from the shop include: Sonoma’s Uncle Val’s Handcrafted Gin, Seattle-based Oola’s Distillery’s Winter Wheat Vodka, Angostura’s Aged Rum from Trinidad & Tobago, and locally distilled Malahat Spiced Rum and Ballast Point Spirits. Vietnamese fare
Bringing the authentic flavors of Vietnam to Liberty Public Market, Pho 5th Avenue prepares to serve the famous rice noodle soup at its recently announced second location. Famous for its Filet Mignon Pho, Pho 5th Avenue serves its signature noodle soup with various cuts of protein, ranging from rare beef to lean brisket. Alongside its namesake, Pho boasts a vast menu of traditional Vietnamese street foods including, Bahn Mi, Vermicelli Noodles, steamed rice, stir-fried dishes, and a selection of Fifth Avenue Specials. Set in a 1920s-era naval base commissary in San Diego’s burgeoning Liberty Station neighborhood, Liberty Public Market brings nearly 30 local artisans and retailers to one open 25,000-square-foot-space. Blue Bridge Hospitality, the driving force behind this ambitious endeavor, worked to preserve the building’s historical Spanish Revival-Style architecture with over 30 permanent and unique stalls offering a mix of ready-made foods and storefronts including a produce merchant, an old-school butcher shop, a fishmonger for in-house dining and retail, as well as a vast selection of worldly eclectic cuisines, and locally-focused artisans and retailers. Executive chef Tim Kolanko helms the in-house restaurant Mess Hall, a market-to-menu full service eatery that sources its daily changing menu directly from the market’s artisans next door. Opposite of Mess Hall, Bottlecraft’s 1,000-square-foot space centers around a 24-tap tasting bar, while Liberty Public Market’s in-house wine shop, Grape Smuggler, serves as a destination for industry professionals, wine lovers and enthusiasts alike, with nearly 5,000 bottles of rare and interesting varietals handpicked by industry heavyweight Greg Majors. Liberty Public Market is located at 2820 Historic Decatur Rd inside Liberty Station, and open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Hours for specific vendors may vary. A complete list of vendors, including their specific hours of operation, and more information can be found at www.libertypublicmarket.com.
