DEL MAR — The Del Mar Plaza will be home to two new tenants in the coming year as Valley Farm Market and La Jolla-based brunch spot The Cottage prepare to move into the storefront space on Camino Del Mar.
Both businesses plan to open on the ground floor of the plaza sometime in 2024: Valley Farm in the former storefront of Banana Republic and The Cottage in the former space of Chinese restaurant Del Mar Rendezvous.
This will be the third San Diego County location for a specialty market and butcher shop, Valley Farm Market. Felix and Eleanor Marso established the first location in Spring Valley in 1952, and it has since remained a family business under the direction of their grandson, Derek Marso.
A second location also opened in La Jolla in 2019.
Marso said they are excited for this next chapter of their expansion, which will also include an attached restaurant similar to The Shack Kitchen + Coffee, Valley Farm’s barbecue and breakfast eatery in Spring Valley.
“We’re excited to be a part of the Del Mar community,” Marso said. “We’re going to bring in staff from the other location when it comes to the butcher, produce, and specialty grocery. We’re focusing on the clientele and giving the community what they want.”
The Cottage has been a beloved brunch institution in La Jolla since 1992. In 2022, the restaurant expanded to a second location in Encinitas along El Camino Real.
While owner Jason Peaslee was unable to speak for this story, he told The Coast News last year that it was important to expand into other areas with a small beach town appeal similar to its La Jolla site, making Del Mar an unsurprising choice for The Cottage’s continued expansion.
Along with Del Mar Rendezvous and Banana Republic, the Del Mar Plaza has seen the departure of other businesses in recent years, including Folio and Made in Earth. Marso said they are hoping to bring new life to that section of the plaza.
“We’re looking at some stuff to activate the center more. We’re looking at maybe some guest chef appearances,” he said.
The Del Mar Plaza is located at 1555 Camino Del Mar.
