In July, Burgeon Beer Co. announced it had signed on the dotted line for a site to house its third satellite location, a taproom in Vista at the newly constructed Paseo Artist Village. Over the past six months that project has taken shape, and now has an interior-design motif in keeping with the Carlsbad-based company’s forestial identity, an on-brand title and a target date for its grand opening. The former is Burgeon at the Grove and the latter is Saturday, February 3.
“The name pays homage to Vista’s unique climate, which is ideal for fruit and tree growth and also the reason why you see so many nurseries in Vista,” says co-founder Matthew Zirpolo. “We like to have each location’s theme tie into a form of growth, AKA, burgeoning.”
It’s a fitting thematic. This Saturday Burgeon will celebrate its seven-year anniversary. Over that relatively short span, the company has grown its reach across the county, first with a small but formidable all-outdoor outpost in Escondido followed by a kitchen-and-tap at the base of Little Italy’s Savina condo high-rise. Located on State Route 78 north of Burgeon’s Carlsbad headquarters and west of its Escondido location, The Grove should go a long way to solidifying Burgeon’s presence throughout North County.
Visitors to the new location will see various elements that have become design staples at Burgeon’s public venues, namely live-edge wooden bar tops and tables fashioned from trees felled during the 2003 Cedar Fire, trees sprouting from the interior floor and a natural color palette.
“As with Burgeon’s other locations, we set out wanting to create a comfortable and friendly atmosphere reminiscent of our favorite outdoor hangouts,” says architect Garrett Van Leeuwen. The brother of Burgeon co-founder Derek Van Leeuwen, he has had a major hand in development of all of the company’s public venues. “The Grove concept comes to life in the overhead features of wood and acoustic panels that tie the space together. We also have large folding glass walls that open the entire space up to the Artist Village, effectively making it feel like an outdoor venue.”
The 1,820-square-foot, 74-seat tasting room will be supplemented by a 300-square-foot patio with tables and a standing drink rail. Back inside, a lounge area furnished with custom-made redwood tables will offer an amenity that brings a touch of tech to the all-natural environs.
“In the lounge, we will have a wall with four televisions tied together to make one massive screen. We plan to use that area to host small private events as it can be separated from the main tasting room when needed,” says Zirpolo. “And since we are located in downtown Vista’s arts district, we plan to display work from local artists in the space.”
On the food front, Burgeon will work with local eateries, specifically cross-street neighbors 508 Tavern and Best Pizza and Brew. Patrons will be able to use their mobile devices to scan tabletop QR codes and order food for delivery from either establishment.
I think a lot of things fell into place for this project and it’s set to make a splash. I am excited to see what this project does as part of Vista’s redevelopment. It’s a great walkable urban area and the way the space is designed, it will feel like a natural extension of that.”
Garrett Van Leeuwen, Architect
Burgeon at the Grove’s grand-opening event will include the tapping of new beers, including an IPA called Main Grove. It will be released on draft and in cans along with another yet-to-be-announced special-release offering.
Once open, The Grove’s hours of operation will be Mondays and Tuesdays from 3 to 8 p.m., Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 9 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 9 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 8 p.m.
Burgeon at the Grove is located at 501 South Santa Fe Avenue in Vista