San Diego Reader

• Distribution Point
• Restaurant | Deli | Sandwiches | South Park

Grant's Marketplace

• 2953 Beech Street, San Diego, CA 92102 | Directions
• 619-231-0524

It’s not just the patio (great at sunset!) and the excellent sandwiches — Grant’s Marketplace is special because these are the guys who got this part of town off its backside, made it okay to settle around here with your kids and to start bringing all these great turn-of-the-century houses back to life.

When Joe and Kim Grant took what was a crummy corner liquor joint and turned it into a classy grocery-winery-café with seriously good sandwiches, people looked again at this end of South Park.

Sandwiches to try: the hot pastrami, Joe’s Favorite (turkey, Gruyère, avo), the Californian (turkey, avo, bacon), and, yes, the BLT. All standard fare, but the bread’s great, and the stuffings are generous. Plus, you feel a part of the community; everyone hangs out here.

The one pity? This liquor store isn’t allowed to let us sip a beer or a glass of wine on their deck. That would mean dropping into the bureaucratic labyrinth for months on end.

— Ed Bedford