Food at the Gathering
We are thrilled to share a special menu for this year’s Gathering that celebrates small-scale producers, chefs, and food business owners from across our region. Vegan and gluten-free options will be available.
Thank you to these incredible local families and businesses for nourishing us!
Breakfast
The Delicate Squash — Breakfast, Vegan & Gluten-free Options
@thedelicatesquash | Order online | Their Story
“The Delicate Squash is a culmination of my passion to connect over locally grown food and my own healing journey.” Shannon English, founder of The Delicate Squash, is a poet, home cook (with an affinity for squash), and loves to explore movement in the outdoors. Her favorite ways to connect with others are through good food, making, and things that grow.
Remember to bring a reusable cup for your drink!
The Mental Bar — Coffee & Tea
@thementalbar | Website | Their Story
6325 Imperial Ave Suite 103, San Diego, CA 92114
When opening The Mental Bar, Tommy and Daneyel’s vision was to bring people together to connect with family, friends, and community. Their background in yoga and meditation, along with their knowledge and passion for sharing great coffee, shows up clearly in their therapeutic and restorative menu.
Lunch Vendors
Purchase lunch from small, local vendors during our community picnic!
Empanadas Argentinas
@empanadas.argentina | Facebook |
Monica has been serving San Diegans delicious, authentic empanadas from Argentina for years! Empanadas Argentinas offers a variety of flavors: beef, chicken, spinach, ricotta, ham, and cheese. Find them at lunch at the Gathering, at farmers markets, and by ordering from Monica directly.
Sabor Piri Piri Kitchen
@saborpiripiri | Website | Their Story
Candido came to San Diego to pursue music, but quickly got into food, catering events with his own take on traditional Mozambican cuisine and other southeast African dishes. Try Sabor Piri Piri Kitchen’s delicious menu on their weekly farmer’s market circuit, or at their new brick and mortar location in National City!
Tamales Oaxaquenos
Fernando is continuing a family business. Over the years, he has developed a passion for making tamales in his family’s traditional way—using basic ingredients like corn dough or masa, broth, salt, and vegetable oil that make the base for a perfect tamale—as well as tamales wrapped in banana leaf.
Snacks and Pick-me-ups
Ocean Beach People’s Co-Op
Fruit & Veggie Spread | OB People’s Co-op is currently the only member-owned grocery store in San Diego. Founded in 1971, People’s is guided by co-operative principles and care deeply about the community. Their entire Produce Department is 100% Certified Organic, and sourced from hundreds of local farmers and producers whenever possible. People’s carries natural foods, bulk and wellness products that are organic, sustainably sourced, fair trade, non-GMO, cruelty-free, minimally processed and environmentally safe.
Coffee, tea, water
Coffee, tea, and water will be provided by the California Center for the Arts throughout the afternoon.
Remember to bring a reusable cup for your drink!
Post-event Mixer 🕺🏽
Baraka and Bilal
Sambusas | Starting in 2013, the women entrepreneurs of United Women of East Africa formed self-sustaining groups to promote their community’s economic and social growth in San Diego County. The entrepreneurs who formed Baraka and Bilal offer unique, hand-crafted, delicious foods that can be prepared by request for any events seeking unique East African cuisine.
Gelato Love
Gelato | “Gelato Love combines founder Paola Richard’s passion for the environment, people, and the delicious food traditions of her native Italy. Paola saw a need in her community for a healthier choice of traditional Italian gelato, hand crafted with the best local ingredients.”
In the past, Gelato Love has collaborated with organizations like ProduceGood to use recovered produce that would otherwise go unpicked or be sent to landfill, to create a line of fundraising citrus sorbets and custards. We can’t wait to beat the Escondido heat with this delicious treat!
Pure Project
Local Craft Beer | Pure Project is a small batch, ingredient-centric craft brewery with a mission to build community and a reverence for beer as an agricultural product. We’re grateful to have Pure Project as an in-kind sponsor this year, donating samples of this fall’s seasonal craft brews!
“In our eyes, beer is an agricultural product and so, brewing with the seasons—using local and organic ingredients whenever possible—just makes sense, from a community perspective, as well as sustainability perspective. The origins of brewing were communal and beer was a reflection of the local terroir. We strive to maintain that communal intention: collaborating to create meaningful jobs for our team, farmers, and partners; hosting events and raising awareness; and existing as global citizens who do good work and give back.”