Different than any other downtown nightspot, Basic in East Village is the brainchild of restaurateur Jon Mangini, a visionary who anticipated the fallout from the overly-hyped and overly-themed venues of the Gaslamp Quarter.
As the name suggests, the philosophy behind this converted 5,000 square foot East Village warehouse is one of simplicity - so simple, in fact, that there is only one, uh, basic thing on the one-page menu: Brick Oven Pizza.
The decision, then, comes in what style, size, and toppings you prefer. There is the red pie (with marinara sauce) or the white pie (with parmesan and garlic). There are both small pies ($8/9) and large pies ($13/15). Finally, the list of toppings includes classic offerings such as pepperoni, mushroom, and sausage for the purist, and more exotic selections like mashed potatoes, fried eggplant, and fresh little neck clams for the more adventurous.
Basic was an early pioneer of the burgeoning neighborhood surrounding San Diego's PETCO Park. The urban kitchen and bar opened in April 2006 and offers three distinct drinking and dining areas with a straight-up no frills vibe and a kitchen that serves both food and drink until 2am seven days a week. The prime location and down to earth mantra makes it a main pick for pre and post Padres game drinking.
This still booming restaurant and bar is expanding its award-winning pizza concept with the launch of a new chain of restaurants in San Diego called URBN. Jon Mangini's new URBN concept will boast BASIC's industrial warehouse style ambiance, and will also offer additional dining selections consisting of sandwiches and salads.
The first URBN location is currently under construction in Vista, and is slated to open in June 2008. An additional 15 to 20 URBN locations are also in the works up and down the coast of San Diego.
For more information on Basic in East Village, read the details here.
Discover San Diego Hotels