Finca, An Upcoming Spot for Tapas & Wine, to Land in North Park in Summer 2023
If you’re craving Spanish tapas with a Californian spin, then a new outpost — dubbed Finca — that will serve just that is set to open in North Park in the summer.
Finca is the latest project from Dan Valerino and Joe Bower, two hospitality veterans who met while working at the acclaimed restaurant Juniper & Ivy, according to Eater San Diego. The endeavor is set to open in San Diego’s hip North Park neighborhood, which is just north of cultural hotspot Balboa Park.
Through their Bottle Boon company, the duo is building Finca from the ground up. It’ll be located in a 3,000-square-foot, 90-seat space designed specifically to be relaxing and comfortable. Along with an open kitchen, there will be both communal and counter seating available in the airy and breezy gathering spot.
You don’t go to a tapas bar just for the environment, however. Finca will also double as a retail shop selling wines sourced from Spain alongside California wines produced using Spanish grapes.
Valerino is also a certified sommelier and plans on hosting wine education classes at Finca. Additionally, he wants the tapas bar to offer affordable wines free of markups and a wine club with benefits for members.
In other words, Finca may soon become a favorite spot when you’re asked where to go for the best wine tasting in San Diego. For those who don’t like wine, the bar will also feature sangria, vermouth, and a full cocktail lineup.
Of course, tapas means food, and there will also be a curated menu of shareable plates inspired by California ingredients and flavors. Expect options like charred eggplant dip with homemade potato chips, surf and turf toast, and pastas bravas with poblano and jalapeño peppers.
If you don’t want to wait until summer to try out Valerino’s and Bower’s vision, you can check out their current Green Acre Campus Pointe project in Torrey Pines, which is a short nine-minute drive from The Shops at La Jolla Village.
Banner image courtesy of bottleboon.com
Mike Peterson is a writer, editor, and strategist based in San Diego. When he’s not writing and editing the La Jolla news, you can often find him practicing yoga, rock climbing, or exploring the outdoors with his wife and dog.
