SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Almost five years after a fire forced the shuttering of a beloved South Park beer bar, a collective of new businesses have officially opened their doors in its former home.
The businesses now living in the former Hamilton’s Tavern building, which has been renamed the “South Park Commons,” each held a surprise soft opening to the public on Wednesday and are now fully open for business.
The commons consists of a German-style neighborhood pub, Bock; its companion kitchen centered on Germanic street food, Biersal; and the newest locations of other institutions in the local foodie circles, Pop Pie Co. and Stella Jean’s Ice Cream.
As Axios San Diego reported, the soft opening Wednesday livened up the nearly block-long building on 30th Street that used to be one of the city’s most acclaimed craft beer bars, quickly drawing out dozens in the hours after it was announced on social media earlier that day.
Hamilton’s Tavern had sat dormant since November 2020, when an early morning kitchen fire ripped through the watering hole and the neighboring South Park Brewing.
In late 2021, it was announced Bottlecraft, one of San Diego’s craft beer leaders, would take the charge on bringing a new beer-centric concept to the storied space. Eater San Diego reported about six months later that Pop Pie Co. and Stella Jean’s would also be joining the fold.
The new bar Bock maintains the same moody, neighborhood atmosphere as its predecessor, and shares some of its staples like a wide selection of tap beers, pool tables and shuffleboard.
The bar will also serve as the brick-and-mortar location for Biersal, a popular food truck led by chef Matt Schooner known for its German cuisine — from Landjäger and bratwurst to a German-inspired burger and a chicken schnitzel sandwich.
As for Pop Pie Co. and Stella Jean’s, the two restaurants are sharing the next-door space, meaning patrons can grab both a sweet treat and a savory bite in one swoop.
Bock is open Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m., and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. Pop Pie Co. and Stella Jean’s are open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
