Little Sisters coming soon to North Park

An offshoot of Sisters Pizza in Hillcrest is due to open by the end of October in the space previously occupied by Sicilian Thing Pizza. Owners Emily Green Lake and her husband, Trevor Lake, have named the venture Little Sisters in honor of Green Lake’s late sibling, Kate Green.

“We’re just waiting for the pizza oven to arrive and we’ll be open,” said Green Lake, adding that the new shop will focus exclusively on pizza and dough products such as stromboli and calzones. It will also feature on the regular menu square-shaped Sicilian pizzas, which are offered only occasionally at the Hillcrest location at 3603 Fourth Ave.

The untimely passing of her beloved sister led Green Lake to pursue a lifelong dream of opening a restaurant, which resulted in Sisters Pizza coming onto the scene in 2019.

The pizzas at Little Sisters will be available by the slice as well as in whole sizes and pre-packaged frozen form. 4046 30th St., 619-255-4200. sisterspizza.com.

Anniversary bashes

Two iconic restaurants in metro San Diego are celebrating anniversaries with a bang this month.

Hob Nob Hill in Bankers Hill turns 80 to the tune of two celebration sessions at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m., Oct. 14 at the restaurant. For $55, attendees can indulge in 90 minutes of unlimited eating and drinking from a few different stations that will include everything from breakfast items, milkshakes and signature cocktails to classic dishes such as fish and chips, corned beef, chicken wings, meatloaf and more. Tray-passed hors d’oeuvres will also be offered, as well as anniversary T-shirts and one raffle ticket per guest. Seating will be available both indoor and outdoor. Tickets can be purchased through eventbrite.com under “Hob Nob Hill’s 80th anniversary party.” 2271 First Ave., 619-239-8176, hobnobhill.com.

Over in Kensington, the ever-popular Restaurante mexicano de Ponce will hold a “throwback” party from noon to 4 p.m., Oct. 20, in honor of its 55th anniversary. The restaurant will offer its original menu from 1969 featuring prices from that year. The event is open to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis. 4050 Adams Ave., 619-282-4413, poncesrestaurant.com.

Kitchen love at the new Tablespoon

Chef Logan Mitchell of Cellar Door catering and her bartender husband, Gary McIntire, have opened a quaint kitchen store in North Park called Tablespoon. The 200-square-foot space is filled with perishable and non-perishable food items made by local businesses, as well as vintage and modern kitchenware and cookbooks.

The shop is located next door to Collins & Coupe, a bar and cocktail supply store the couple owns as well.

Some of the foods sold at Tablespoon include cookies from Sugar Kiln; pasta sauce from Romolo & Remo; nut butters from Sequoia Nut Butter; and coffee beans from Torque Coffee, which opened recently in Normal Heights.

“Since I’m a chef, I only stock things that I would use in my own kitchen,” said Mitchell.

The shop is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays. 2878 El Cajon Blvd., 619-546-9218; collinsandcoupe.com.

Symphony Towers gives way to an artisan bakery

After nearly a year in the planning, Knead Bakery has opened on the ground level of Symphony Towers in Downtown San Diego.

The bill of fare is headed up by veteran chef and pastry master Adrian Mendoza, who previously worked for the Urban Kitchen Group before taking a lead baking position at The University Club atop Symphony Towers. At Knead, his daily offerings include everything from scratch-made croissants and bread loaves to muffins, scones, signature cookies, salads and hearty sandwiches (Look for his famous gingerbread-molasses cookies during the holidays).

Mendoza earned a science degree in culinary arts from the Art Institute of San Diego, where he also completed its baking and pastry program.

Knead is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. 750 B St., Suite 150, instagram.com/kneadbakerysd.com.

Next-level taco fare

The recently opened family-run Tijuanazo Taqueria in Hillcrest is wowing customers with its comprehensive menu of Mexican items that you don’t typically find north of the border.

If you’ve never heard of vampiros, fantasmas, quesatacos or mulitas, you’ve come to the right place. The taqueria’s friendly staff helps customers navigate through the choices commonly seen throughout Tijuana. The menu also extends to tacos, burritos, sopes and more using proteins such as lengua, birria, tripe, cabeza. Vegetarian options are also available.

The business was founded in Tijuana in 2008 and has since branched into several locations in Mexico and Los Angeles. This is the company’s first San Diego location. 406 W. University Ave., Unit B, 818-309-0117, taqueriatijuanazo.com.