The Port of San Diego is amping up its waterfront dining scene by partnering with The Rustic for a new restaurant and bar venture at the historic San Diego Rowing Club, in a move that nods to expanding entertainment options near San Diego Convention Center and the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park; The Rustic, a concept by Free Range Holdings, LLC, known for its live music and "Jam & Toast" brunches, marks its California debut with this location, as per a recent press release from the Port of San Diego.
Embracing the site’s storied past, the Port Commissioners have approved an Option to Lease Agreement with the dining brand, which aims to blend an authentic San Diego vibe with its reputation for communal dining and acoustic tunes, while offering a full-service restaurant with both indoor and outdoor seating along with a dock and dine feature, this site on the Embarcadero is shaping up to bring a fresh dynamic to the city's waterfront; Kyle Noonan, co-founder and co-CEO of Free Range Holdings, LLC told the Port of San Diego, "We’re proud to bring The Rustic to San Diego in a way that celebrates the city’s creative heartbeat."
But open doors will have to wait, as The Rustic must first clear a series of preconditions, including securing project financing, obtaining all necessary construction and project permits, presenting a construction contract, and churning out a parking study and management plan; these steps are intended to ensure everything from operational smoothness to construction alignment before the lease can kick off for the restaurant, which will see a 15-year term with options to extend, as outlined by the Port of San Diego's announcement.
Interestingly, harmony on the waterfront also means syncing up with tunes from the neighboring San Diego Symphony, as The Rustic will get on the same page with the Symphony's schedule to avoid audio interference during performances; they're capped at 12 ticketed events per year and must dance to the tune of local noise ordinances, this collaborative effort underlines a Scheduling Agreement to maintain a conflict-free environment as reported by the press release from the Port of San Diego.
