Whole Foods-backed Mendocino Farms opens new location in Westfield Mission Valley mall

Popular fast-casual restaurant Mendocino Farms is opening a new location at Westfield Mission Valley mall next week.

The new 3,133 square-foot spot is at 1652 Camino del Rio North across from Nordstrom Rack and opens Sept. 22.

The salad and sandwich place, founded in Los Angeles, is best known for seasonal menus, hearty portions and gourmet ingredients. It’s heavily backed by Whole Foods, which bought a stake in the company in 2015.

The restaurant’s main menu items are priced from $8.95 to $13.75, and it also serves wine and craft beer.

Mendocino’s spot at the mall will have about 1,000 square feet of patio space and 15 tables. A company spokesperson said Westfield’s outdoor space at Mission Valley was a big factor in choosing the mall for its next location.

“Westfield Mission Valley recently redeveloped the side of the project we’re on, updating it to include outdoor seating and spaces, convenient parking spots for easy pickup, and introducing new restaurant concepts with a focus on fresh ingredients and convenience,” the Mendocino spokesperson said.

Mendocino Farms entered the San Diego market in 2016 with a location in La Jolla, followed by Del Mar, Carlsbad and downtown. The Mission Valley location — the fifth spot in the county — was initially planned to open in early 2020.

“We are excited to serve the neighborhood and are looking forward to the genuine warm welcome San Diegans have given us over the past four years.,” said Kevin Miles, CEO of Mendocino Farms, in a statement. “We hope to become a neighborhood gathering place where friends, families, and co-workers can come together over a delicious meal, whether dining in-store with us, or eating at home or the office.”

Mendocino Farms is the latest restaurant to open in Westfield’s Mission Valley shopping center, which just added Puesto Cerveceria’s $8 million location earlier this year.