Spanish-Inspired Finca Brings California Tapas and Vermouth to North Park
Finca North Park, a new Spanish-inspired restaurant taking its name from the Spanish word referring to a ranch or estate, has opened its doors on a property that once served as a citrus farm, and aims to become an establishment for the community.
Located on Grim Avenue at the corner of North Park Way, directly across from the neighborhood’s beloved Tribute Pizza, Finca is helmed by partners Dan Valerino and Chef Joe Bower along with seasoned restaurateur Ricardo Dondisch.
Valerino and Bower first connected during their time at Juniper & Ivy where Valerino served as general manager and Bower as sous chef, immediately drawn to their shared outlook on the hospitality industry.
The Heart of Finca
The roughly 3,000-square foot Finca is anchored by an open kitchen and wraparound illuminated 14-seat bar that welcomes guests as they enter while a bottle shop offers a well-curated wine selection to be enjoyed on-premise or to-go.
With expansive ceilings offset by floor-to-ceiling windows, the industrial space is reflective of the surrounding urban environment infused with warmth incorporated through a color palette of burnt orange and amber hues, aqua and a variety of golden and wood accents.
Eye-catching art by Patrick Bower (Chef Joe Bower’s brother) and Gabriela Dondisch (Partner Ricardo Dondisch’s wife) adorns the walls and the setting is completed by vintage servingware including ice buckets, plates and glasses scattered throughout.
Outside on the restaurant’s 16 patio seats, you can linger and enjoy the vibrant energy of the surrounding North Park neighborhood.
In the kitchen with Chef Bower
In the kitchen, Chef Bower delivers an innovative selection of market-driven California tapas at an accessible price point intended to complement Spain’s drinking culture with the following menu highlights:
- Nashville Peanuts with chicken salt, chicken skin, and spicy oil
- Patatas Bravas with California pepper, jalapeño cream, garden herbs, and roasted garlic cloves
- Pork Belly & Cocoa Nibs with grilled banana and sourdough
- Surf and Turf Toast with carpaccio of beef, shrimp sausage, horseradish, and lemon aioli
- Fried Quail with morita-chile sesame glaze, root vegetables, and black garlic bread pudding
- Grilled Sunchokes with Gochujang sauce, parmesan and chives
- Fried Chicken & Caviar with crème fraîche dressing and ranch herbs
Beverage Brilliance
To accompany Bower’s culinary offerings, guests can enjoy a robust but thoughtfully considered beverage program with more than a dozen wine by the glass options, sangria (served in a porrón), vermouth, sherry, beer and cider.
Vermouth, including an offering made in-house, serves as a cornerstone of the beverage menu, with an emphasis on encouraging you to explore the aromatized fortified wine.
Highlights of the low-ABV beverage program include:
- Sherry and Tonic with Finca house agave tonic and manzanilla sherry
- Compost Tea with Earl Tea and bergamot aperitif, bitter citrus aperitif, and vermouth blanco
- Andalucia All Nighter, a lower alcohol iteration of the espresso martini with Pedro Ximénez, espresso, and arbequina olive brine
Meanwhile, non-alcoholic options include House Tonic and Citrus, a housemade tonic with local citrus and botanicals. With a sole emphasis on Spanish and Californian wines, Valerino’s by-the-glass list will be offered in three- and six-ounce pours.
Retail bottle shop featuring lesser-known wines
Integral to the Finca experience is the restaurant’s retail bottle selection, which starts with nearly 100 different options and is expected to nearly double in the first several months.
Curated by Valerino, a sommelier and leading voice in the organic, biodynamic, sustainable wine movement, the bottle shop will house a well-thought-out wine selection that’s fully aligned with the restaurant’s culinary ethos. Wine can be taken to go or enjoyed at the restaurant with a $15 corkage fee.
True to its commitment to access to wine education and bringing lesser-known Spanish and Californian wines to the forefront, Finca will also offer frequent wine tastings and a wine club with incentives including no corkage fee and priority purchasing on new arrivals.
See you there!
Finca is located at 3066 North Park Way, San Diego, CA 92104.
The restaurant is open from 5 PM to 10 PM on weeknights and from 5 PM to 11 PM on weekends, while the bottle shop opens at noon. More information can be found here and on Instagram.
See you there, San Diego!
