East Village's Salad Style Transplanting Concept Into Bigger Space

Before Tender Greens, True Food Kitchen and the just-launched Lemonade planted their flags on San Diego shores, there was Salad Style. Founded over ten years ago first as a booth at the Hillcrest Farmer's Market and then as small storefront in the East Village by Scott Thomas and former business partner MaryJo Testa, Salad Style was one of the first eateries in the area to focus on offering quick-service gourmet salads made with local and organic produce; the menu has since expanded to include soup, bruschetta, pizza and more.

As fast-causal salad-based concepts boom in our current marketplace, Salad Style is gearing up to grow in San Diego and beyond. At the end of August, Thomas, a trained chef who cooked at the once-beloved Laurel Restaurant in Bankers Hill and also owns Little Italy's Enoteca Style, will shutter his F Street shop and move Salad Style into 611 B Street in downtown's office building-heavy Core District; many operators have been interested in the landmark 2,400-square-foot space, which housed La Gran Tapa for over 30 years and shares a block with Donut Bar.

Thomas tells Eater that he'll reopen in mid-September after a significant remodel, which will include a 15 to 20 seat sidewalk patio and 50 seats inside at a mix of tables bar seats that will ring an open kitchen with an order counter plus salad and pizza stations. For now, the menu and hours will remain the same, but Thomas plans to eventually increase menu options and add dinner service. All of this is in preparation for expansion; expect Salad Style's next location to land in North County.