Mexican Food, Ice Cream, and More Entering the East Village

A nearly-completed, mixed-use development in the East Village will bring multiple new restaurants and food-related businesses to the neighborhood. Scheduled to be completed this fall, Park 12 is located right across the street from Petco Park and will be made up of one 37-story high-rise and three mid-rise buildings. Operated by Greystar Real Estate Partners, LLC., it has 45,000-square-feet of ground floor space that will accommodate 17 retail venues around a public plaza at 10th and Park; it’s designed to hold five full-fledged restaurants, with more room for other food and beverage options.

The first wave of retail tenants has been announced and includes popular Mexican spot Carmelita’s, which was founded in 1962 and named by the Orange County Register as one of the 20 best full-service Mexican restaurants in the region. Adding the East Village to its existing locations in Rancho Santa Margarita, Laguna Beach, and Sacramento, Carmelita’s serves a menu that includes shrimp-stuffed chile rellenos, chicken mole enchiladas, and pork chile verde as well as cilantro-cucumber and pineapple-jalapeno margaritas. The third generation family restaurant is scheduled to open here March 2019.

Also coming to Park 12 is another outpost of Creamistry, which specializes in made-to-order ice cream frozen with liquid nitrogen. The interactive shop, where customers can customize their ice cream with 60 different flavors and toppings, currently operates locations in Clairemont Mesa, Carmel Valley, National City, San Marcos, and Temecula; it’s slated to launch February 2019 in the East Village.

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Michael Burton of the Urban Strategies Group, who represents Park 12 in leasing the commercial spaces, told Eater that more tenant announcements will be coming soon, and shared “We are thrilled to be a part of this landmark project and to have the opportunity to bring great tenants like these to the neighborhood. The East Village has shown significant growth over the years and developments like Park 12, and the tenants they attract, will have a large impact on continuing that momentum.”