Far Corner Bar & Pizzeria will open its doors this Thursday in San Diego's East Village, strategically timed to coincide with the San Diego Padres' opening day at Petco Park. The new venture takes over the 120-year-old building on Tenth Avenue that housed Basic Bar & Pizza for nearly two decades.
However, the transition has sparked controversy, as Far Corner's owners - Maxwell Senescall, Karen Berry, and Phillip Senescall of Professional Maintenance Systems - effectively displaced Basic Pizza to launch a strikingly similar pizza and bar concept (Maxwell Senescall's family owns the property), raising concerns about their intent to capitalize on the goodwill established by their longtime tenant.
Basic Pizza, a beloved East Village staple since its 2006 opening by East Coast transplant Jon Mangini, became a go-to spot for Padres fans with its New Haven-style, wood-fired oblong pies, like the famed mashed potato and bacon pizza. Housed in a 1912-era warehouse originally used for airplane part manufacturing, the 5,000-square-foot venue thrived as a pre- and post-game hangout, earning accolades from The New York Times, MTV, and The Los Angeles Times.
As the flagship of URBN Restaurant Inc., Basic ownership eventually expanded the URBN Coal Fired Pizza brand to North Park, Vista, El Cajon, Encinitas, and Del Mar's One Paseo. However, with its lease expiring in 2024, the Senescall family, who have owned the building since the 1980s, chose not to renew, opting instead to introduce Far Corner - a move that left Basic unable to reach an agreement with the landlord.
The decision has drawn scrutiny, as Far Corner's concept mirrors Basic's pizza-and-bar model, suggesting an attempt to leverage the established reputation of its predecessor. Maxwell Senescall, who has worked at restaurants like Bar Boulud and The Dutch in New York City, as well as Juniper & Ivy and Mastiff Sausage Company in San Diego, leads the new venture with a vision to make Far Corner a local institution.
The decision has drawn scrutiny, as Far Corner's concept mirrors Basic's pizza-and-bar model, suggesting an attempt to leverage the established reputation of its predecessor. Maxwell Senescall, who has worked at restaurants like Bar Boulud and The Dutch in New York City, as well as Juniper & Ivy and Mastiff Sausage Company in San Diego, leads the new venture with a vision to make Far Corner a local institution.
The 4,000-square-foot space, seating around 140 guests, features a main area for mingling with a full bar, DJ booth, and pool table, a lounge with leather seats and cocktail tables, and a dining area with banquettes, another bar, and a pizza oven. Far Corner will operate daily from 11am to 1am, offering New York-style pizza developed with the help of Fred Santos of Square Pizza in Pacific Beach, who is opening a new location of his own about a quarter mile from Far Corner.
Meanwhile, Basic Pizza is relocating to a new 5,000-square-foot base floor unit at 100 Park Plaza within the Park 12 mixed-use high-rise complex, adjacent to Petco Park. Designed by Avent Design and being built by CLTVT, the space will maintain Basic's signature menu, including its wood-fired pies and a bar serving beer, wine, and cocktails. Initially slated to open in time for the 2025 Padres season, delays have pushed the opening to later this year, leaving fans without their familiar haunt for opening day. Basic operated at its original space through October 2024, with a brief extension into mid-November, before closing to prepare for the move.
While Far Corner aims to contribute to East Village's growth, the optics of replacing Basic with a near-identical concept have left a sour taste for some, who see it as an opportunistic move by the property owners to profit off Basic's established fanbase.
Far Corner opens on Thursday, March 27, at 410 Tenth Avenue in San Diego's East Village. For more information, visit farcornersd.com.
Meanwhile, Basic Pizza is relocating to a new 5,000-square-foot base floor unit at 100 Park Plaza within the Park 12 mixed-use high-rise complex, adjacent to Petco Park. Designed by Avent Design and being built by CLTVT, the space will maintain Basic's signature menu, including its wood-fired pies and a bar serving beer, wine, and cocktails. Initially slated to open in time for the 2025 Padres season, delays have pushed the opening to later this year, leaving fans without their familiar haunt for opening day. Basic operated at its original space through October 2024, with a brief extension into mid-November, before closing to prepare for the move.
While Far Corner aims to contribute to East Village's growth, the optics of replacing Basic with a near-identical concept have left a sour taste for some, who see it as an opportunistic move by the property owners to profit off Basic's established fanbase.
Far Corner opens on Thursday, March 27, at 410 Tenth Avenue in San Diego's East Village. For more information, visit farcornersd.com.
