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By Kathleen Furore
What does it mean to turn a dream into a reality? Gerry Torres is about to find out.
This fall, the founder of City Tacos, the restaurant he launched with a single location in North Park in 2014 — will open OB Playground in the Ocean Beach community, his 7th San Diego location. His most ambitious project to date, the 10,000-square-foot playground/community space/gated dog park includes a City Tacos shop plus coffee and flower shops, taps for beer from local craft breweries, Mexican beers, wine and seltzers.
Guests will also be able to enjoy the courtyard with picnic-table seating, lounge seating around fire pits, bar stool seating, giant-sized games, cornhole sets, bocci ball, and foosball tables. Acoustic guitar players and other musicians will perform regularly, and there are plans to rotate food trucks into the space and to host craft fairs and small festivals, too.
“It has been a dream of mine for quite some time to create an all-ages community hub like this for one of the vibrant areas of our city — a place where people can play, enjoy, and relax,” says Torres, who was born and raised in Mexico City, moved to San Diego in 1992, and became a US citizen in June 2022.
Adding to the festive atmosphere are murals created by local artists, including several children Torres hosted to help paint the perimeter fencing.
For Torres, the realization of his dream extends beyond the food that has made City Tacos a San Diego institution.
“OB Playground isn’t about just tacos. It’s about people spending time with one another and enjoying each other’s company,” Torres told el Restaurant in early September. I know it’s hard to do, but my hope is that our guests keep their phones in their pockets, connect with one another, play games, and enjoy our San Diego sun. Together is the best place to be.”
To learn more about OB Playground, follow along at obplayground.com.
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