San Juan Capistrano’s coming River Street Marketplace announces more than 20 tenants

More than 20 tenants have signed on to River Street Marketplace, an outdoor retail and dining destination set to open in San Juan Capistrano this fall from real estate development firm Almquist.

“Much has been said about San Juan Capistrano becoming a hot spot destination, and we’re so incredibly proud to help usher in a new chapter for the city and community,” said Dan Almquist, managing partner of Almquist.

The 60,000-square-foot marketplace will open in an area that is already home to Orange County favorites like Heritage Barbecue, Mayfield Restaurant, Bloom Restaurant + Bar and brunch spot Breezy Restaurant & Lounge.

Adding to the buzz of downtown San Juan Capistrano, River Street Marketplace will be anchored by many first-to-market brands and local favorites.

“River Street Marketplace will be a perfect mix of locally beloved concepts and nationally established brands that will all ultimately celebrate California culture and heritage,” said Almquist.

Dining options will include La Vaquera, an upscale Mexican restaurant with a focus on authentic Ranchero cuisine, from Santa Barbara-based Acme Hospitality Group. The marketplace will also welcome McConnell’s Ice Cream, a brand known for using sustainable and organic ingredients from California orchards and ranches. The River Street scoop shop will be McConnell’s first Orange County location.

Costa Mesa’s Fermentation Farm, which specializes in probiotic-rich and restorative products and prepared foods, and Bred’s Hot Chicken, known for its local Nashville hot chicken food truck, will also open locations at River Street. Fans of the wood-fired pizza and cuisine at Brick in San Clemente can look forward to new sister-concept Finca, with a menu that features house-aged, house-ground burgers and other wood-fired, carefully sourced meats from longtime local chef David Pratt.

Other dining options will include Ubuntu Café, the Meat Cellar Market and Steakhouse, Nom, Kozan Tea & Boba, Nana’s Fish Chippery, Gueros Cevicheria, Mendocino Farms, Shootz Hawaiian, Hudson’s Cookies and Capistrano Brewing.

Retail will include local names like San Clemente clothing brand Seager, Laguna Beach surf apparel company Toes on the Nose and locally owned womens-wear boutique Common Thread. Western lifestyle clothing boutique Wildfire Mercantile and independent eyewear brand SALT will join the lineup along with popular boho women’s clothing brand Free People.

The Almquist team is responsible for other popular mixed-use destinations like Rodeo 39 Public Market in Stanton, Uptown Commons in Long Beach and New Haven Marketplace in Ontario. Besides River Street Marketplace, Almquist has similar developments in the works for Whittier and downtown Fullerton.

Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber.