Fernside Bar and Restaurant Wants to Be a Good Neighbor to South Park

The tight-knit community of South Park is gaining a new all-day dining spot that wants to be the welcoming, family-friendly restaurant and bar that neighborhood residents both want and need. Fernside will anchor a busy corner, where it replaces the South Park Abbey, and its core ownership is comprised of three industry veterans with ties to the surrounding area.

Owner-operator Adam Cook also founded the popular Bluefoot Bar & Lounge in North Park, while general manager-operating partner Shane Gerde launched the North Park UnderBelly with Consortium Holdings and helped open Cutwater Spirits, where he worked with Fernside bar manager-operating partner Christian Siglin, one of San Diego’s top cocktail talents and an alum of Noble Experiment, Sycamore Den, Craft & Commerce, and Bankers Hill Bar + Restaurant; both Gerde and Siglin live within a mile of the South Park eatery.

The team is in the process of fully renovating its circa-1940s building, which will now open up to dog-friendly patios on both Fern and Grape streets. Inside, a dedicated dining area will look over the main bar space, which will include communal seating and a 12-top bar.

When it opens this summer, likely operating from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., Fernside will offer late-night dining as well as brunch on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Its menu, which Gerde says will be priced to encourage frequent dining, will include burgers, sandwiches, salads, and wings as well as snacks, shareable plates, and full-sized entrees. Siglin is crafting a menu that will reflect every category of spirits and range from recreations of classic dive-bar drinks to cocktails on draft and daytime brunch sippers. Though the bar will certainly be capable of making anything, it’ll also feature well drinks and a variety of beer, from macro to craft.