Luce Bar & Kitchen To Open New Location At Former The Patio On Lamont Space In San Diego's Pacific Beach

March 14, 2022

One of the founding members of San Diego's Verant Group of bars & restaurants has taken over the former The Patio on Lamont building in Pacific Beach for the opening of a second location of Bay Park's Luce Bar & Kitchen.

Along with Eric Lingenfelder and Mark Cirillo, Joe Vaught co-founded San Diego-based Verant Group in 2003. The bar and restaurant collective now operates a multitude of locations around San Diego, including Barleymash, True North Tavern, Sandbar, The Smoking Gun, Tavern at the Beach, and Mavericks Beach Club. A Bay Park resident, Joe Vaught is friends with Tony Damato, who own sister concepts Luce Kitchen & Bar and Baci Ristorante in the neighborhood. The friends have joined forces to expand the Luce Kitchen & Bar concept to Pacific Beach. 

Last year, Vaught purchased the 3,854 square-foot building that houses several condos and was previously occupied by The Patio on Lamont restaurant for approximately $3million. The Patio was forced to shutter in late September 2019 following an SEC complaint alleging $300 million fraud against the company's founder Gina Champion-Cain, who was ultimately sentenced to 15 years in prison. Vaught is partnering with Tony Damato to open a second branch of Luce Kitchen & Bar in the expansive East Pacific Beach restaurant space. Like the original location, the new Luce will offer a casual yet sophisticated ambiance and a menu of approachable California cuisine complimented by a full bar with cocktails, spirits, wine and local beer. 

The new Luce Kitchen & Bar is anticipated to open in late 2022/early 2023 at 4445 Lamont Street in San Diego's Pacific Beach neighborhood. For more information, visit sandiegoluce.com.