Street Food Comes To The San Diego Public Market

The San Diego Public Market is steadily building towards their goal of creating a year-round marketplace with shops for farms, food artisans, chefs and restaurants. Tenant proposals are coming in and the market hopes to begin construction soon and launch the permanent stalls by mid-2013.

They hosted a successful debut Taste of the Market event earlier this month, and have just shared their plans for a family-friendly food fest that'll fill the 22,000 square foot space with some of San Diego's best street food.

Sunday, March 24 at 6 p.m., is their first annual Street Food Market. Event co-chairs, chefs Melissa Mayer and Andrew Spurgin, tell Eater that they're planning on bringing the outside in; attendees — they're hoping for 500 — will be able to stroll through scenes set to invoke city life (bike clubs, park benches, streetlights and fire hydrants) and experience the sights and smells of an authentic street food market.

To that end, the organizers are inviting some of their Barrio Logan neighbors to the party, including Las Cuatro Milpas, a tamale stand, tortilla makers and a churro cart. Joining them will be stalls representing cuisines from every corner of the globe, some chef'ed by San Diego and Baja's finest. Among those confirmed to participate are Javier Plascencia (Mision 19), Jason Knibb (NINE-TEN), Matt Gordon (Urban Solace), MIHO Gastrotruck's Stand and Deliver, Carnitas' Snack Snack, Antonio Friscia (Gaijin Noodle & Sake House) and Viva Pops; the plan is to enlist at least 40 chefs and restaurants from San Diego and Baja.

Romesco's Bulevar Descarga, who took third place at last month's Battle of the Chef Bands will provide live music, and net proceeds from the event will go towards the development of the Market Kitchen education and micro business programs, and the Front Burner Fund .

A 5 to 6 p.m. Chefs' Reception with hosted bar, including agua frescas, cocktails, craft beer and wine, is included in the $85 VIP ticket price; general admission tickets are $55, and $65 after March 16.
· San Diego Public Market [Official Site]
· All San Diego Public Market Coverage on Eater [~ESD~]