Flaming Cheese, Sweet/Savory Crepes & Smoothies Set to Join Liberty Public Market Line-Up

The thriving Liberty Public Market’s ever-evolving food landscape recently saw its Mess Hall restaurant relaunched into a casual eatery with a quick-service pizza component and a wine and tapas bar, and now Blue Bridge Hospitality has shared word about three new additions to its culinary marketplace; two vendors will be sharing the former Grape Smuggler space at the northeast corner of the market while another will take the place of Attic Salt, the shuttered sandwich shop originally launched by Venissimo Cheese.

An offshoot of an existing local restaurant, Saganaki by Meze is a new concept from the group which owns Meze Greek Fusion in the Gaslamp. Named for the traditional Greek appetizer, Saganaki will offer a menu of sweet and savory versions of the fried cheese dish, including pan-seared Kasseri cheese flamed in Metaxa Greek Brandy, plus other favorites from the Meze menu ranging from Mediterranean-style falafel wraps to gyro tacos and Greek yogurt dishes. Saganaki’s first spot should open by April/May and Meze’s Raymond Davoudi tells Eater that the group plans to eventually open more locations in San Diego.

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Saganaki by Meze will sharing the original Grape Smuggler space with Smoothie Rider, a farm-to-cup food trailer whose first storefront will serve its seasonally-rotating menu of customizable smoothies made with fresh local produce. Opening in mid-April, Smoothie Rider will expand their food offerings to include overnight oats in homemade almond milk served with fresh fruit, Greek yogurt parfait bowls, fruit fondue, and housemade halva. They will also sell the same produce used in the smoothies, showcasing their Southern California-based farm partners. Owner/chef Oren Koreh tells Eater that Smoothie Rider will continue to run its two food trailers while looking for more brick and mortar locations.

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And due to open early next month is Olala Crepes, which replaces Attic Salt. A veteran vendor at four local farmer’s markets, Olala will cook up savory and sweet crepes for lunch, snack or dinner; made from organic buckwheat flour imported from Brittany, France, the crepe options will range from chicken with pesto to salted caramel and Nutella with banana and strawberry. And expect even more expansion from the creperie — owner Samuel Icyk tells Eater that he wants to open additional stores within the next few months.