“ This is where Park Commons differs ever so slightly . we ourselves are creating and operating all of the different concepts , so we have total control over the quality . ”
— ARTURO KASSEL , MANAGING PARTNER AND CEO AT WHISKNLADLE HOSPITALITY
PARK COMMONS Another food hall that ’ s newer to the scene is the 10,000-square-foot Park Commons , opened in 2019 by the minds behind Gravity Heights , a massive ( and beautiful ) brewpub , restaurant and event space with outdoor beer garden in San Diego ’ s Sorrento Valley , and full-service restaurant Catania Coastal Italian in La Jolla .
“ Like our most recent venture , Gravity Heights , we wanted to push ourselves to do something that was outside of our comfort zone ,” Kassel says . “ With Gravity Heights less than a mile away , we knew we needed to do something that would complement it rather than compete head-to-head . This seemed like a good way to do both .”
Park Commons is located inside the Alexandria Tech Center , surrounded by parks and other amenities including a new patio with lounge seating . This puts the food hall adjacent to a swath of green space that ’ s ideal for diners to enjoy the views or take their food outdoors for a picnic .
With spacious open dining areas , Park Commons was designed to maximize natural light and encourage diners to enjoy San Diego ’ s natural beauty and ideal weather . All of the food stalls maintain a focus on fresh food , which is easy to maintain since all of the stalls are operated by Whisknladle Hospitality .
“ This is where Park Commons differs ever so slightly ,” Kassel says . “ Most food hall operators primarily play the role of landlord . They master-lease a space and then sublease to the individual operators . In our case , we ourselves are creating and operating all of the different concepts , so we have total control over the quality .”
Vendors include Slow Poke , focused on poke made with fresh , local ingredients ; Best Dressed for salads and sandwiches ; Fricken Burgers , specializing in burgers and fried chicken sandwiches ; and Allspice , serving traditional Middle Eastern fare with a twist .
“ If I had to pick one of our stalls , it would be the Pop Up ,” Kassel says when asked about his recommendations . “ We designed one stall to be ever-changing , so we can keep things fresh and play around with different cuisines .”
The same can be said for San Diego ’ s food scene , which continues to reinvent itself . While the operators of these local food halls agree that the concept is nothing new , they continue to push the boundaries of the old food court experience with gorgeous designs and innovative offerings — so there will never be a shortage of new culinary experiences nearby . g
THIS PAGE PHOTOS BY : DIANA ROSE PHOTOGRAPHY
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