The East Village in San Diego is a place not to be missed. It sits adjacent to the Gaslamp District downtown, and includes amazing bars, restaurants, and shops. The Quartyard is our most recent discovery there, and we have been back every weekend since. The area was originally a large vacant lot that sat empty for years during the recession. A group of students from a local design school decided to make use of the space, and created a gathering place for East Villagers. Using old shipping containers, they opened a coffee shop, gallery, eatery, concert stage, and bar. The spot is so fun because it is all outdoors, and includes a few food trucks on the weekends, too.

During the week, the Quartyard Bar has a happy hour too, so you can grab a cheap drink and play some cornhole in the sunshine.  The Quartyard is very dog friendly as well, and even has a little Dog Park in the back. The place definitely draws a lot of San Diego’s cool crowd, so don’t be surprised if everyone seems to have a french bulldog or pitbull (we still can’t figure out how those became the popular San Diego dogs).

Being in the middle of a city, it’s so nice to have an open space among the buildings to relax and enjoy the fresh air. If you ever find yourself downtown, make sure to walk the few extra blocks east to find this cool spot. You won’t be disappointed.

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