Nick Jonas and John Varvatos plant rooftop tequila garden and restaurant in Gaslamp
When the worlds of fashion, music and distilleries collide, something new blossoms.
On Thursday, the Gaslamp quarter is seeing a new nightlife venue come to life: the first-ever rooftop tequila garden and restaurant by Nick Jonas and John Varvatos-backed tequila brand Villa One Tequila Gardens.
Musician and member of family boy band, the Jonas Brothers, Nick Jonas is teaming up with fashion designer John Varvatos and the “Godfather of Tequila”, master distiller Arturo Fuentes, to bring their award-winning tequila to San Diego.
Lounging atop Downtown’s luxury cinema, Theatre Box, the 5,000-square-foot rooftop restaurant and bar will make its debut in San Diego before expanding to cities like Miami, Las Vegas and New York City in the upcoming year.
“We’ve always loved the Gaslamp Quarter and the wonderful energy it has,” Varvatos shared in an email interview. “The district is a mecca of great places to dine, drink, dance, and more.”
Varvatos, who calls this city the “perfect first location” for experiencing the brand’s motto, “life as it should be,” thinks the San Diego community will connect with his new project and its multitude of offerings.
“Our goal with the Villa One Tequila Gardens is to create a special place in the community for everyone,” Varvatos said. “Our authentic cuisine and cocktails are a love letter to Mexico, and we hope all visitors, including the Latinx population of San Diego, will love the space.”
As far as drinks go, the Villa One Tequila Gardens would be incomplete without an extensive list of over 160 tequilas and mezcals including its namesake tequila and other celebrity-owned brands like Kevin Hart’s Gran Coramino, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s Teremana tequila and Kendall Jenner’s 818 tequila. Classics like Don Julio, José Cuervo, Maestro Dobel and Patrón are also on the list.
Tableside Cadillac margaritas, old fashioneds and carajillos will be poured as well as margarita and tequila flights. For food, the menu features dishes meant to be shared like aguachiles, Japa-Mex sushi rolls mixed with Mexican flavors and an 8-ounce American wagyu striploin.
The space — which can seat over 120 guests — takes inspiration from Tulum and is adorned by luxurious textiles, hues of green inspired by Agave fields and neon signs. The setting and uniforms were both designed by Varvatos. Late night hours, bottle service and DJs will amp up the place on weekends.
Launched in 2019, Villa One Tequila Gardens stems from Varvatos and Jonas’ mutual connection with their “love of music, fashion, family, creativity, and culture.” According to Varvatos, what sets their tequila apart from the rest is that Villa One sources 100 percent blue weber agave from the highland and lowland regions of Jalisco, Mexico. It comes in silver, reposado and añejo.
While the pair’s history goes back to plenty of collaborations including a clothing capsule collection and three fragrances, Varvatos says the tequila brand’s philosophy comes from their first trip to Mexico during the early stages of development.
During an evening with new partners and friends, Nick made a toast by saying “to life as it should be,” Varvatos shared.
“It was a celebration of good times shared with friends and family, both new and old,” Varvatos added. “The Villa One Tequila Gardens is all about celebrating life’s special moments and meeting new friends.”
Villa One Tequila Gardens
When: Open for dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Monday; and late night for cocktails and bottle service on Friday and Saturday.
Where: 701 Fifth Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: (619) 234-5623
Online: www.villaonetequilagardens.com, and on social media at @VillaOneTequilaGardens. Reservations can be made at OpenTable.com.
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