Sip Wine & Beer, an Escondido-based wine bar that offers live performances, charcuterie, other snacks, and beer, is getting ready to expand into San Diego International Airport’s Terminal 1.
Previously, What Now San Diego reported on the San Diego Airport Advisory Board approving the next round of restaurants to join the new Terminal 1, including more brands operated by High Flying Foods. Now, even more concepts are coming to the terminal through a different food and beverage operator. Sal Mendola, the Director of Brands & Concept Development with Areas, tells What Now San Diego that the hospitality group will operate six new units at SAN T1, including SIP Wine + Beer. It’s unclear exactly when these concepts will open, but it will likely coincide with the reopening of Terminal 1.
Mendola and the Areas team have declined to comment on what additional concepts they will manage within Terminal 1, but they tell What Now San Diego that Cassandra Schaeg, the founder of SIP Wine & Beer, is licensing her brand to Areas, and they will operate it physically at the airport. Cassandra hosts Fresh Glass on PBS, highlighting women’s and BIPOC-owned brands in the alcoholic beverage industry. Like the show, the new Terminal 1 location will feature women’s and BIPOC-owned breweries, distilleries, and wineries ++ that will help promote the brands and introduce our travelers to best-in-class drinks. Akar Studios is this concept’s architect, interior designer, and lighting designer.
“Set to open in the new Terminal 1 of the San Diego airport, the circular bar will feature a striking octagonal tower characterized by perforated panels and industrial detailing,” according to Akar Studio’s website. “Inspired by a wine garden concept, the multifaceted panels in signature green colors will be the central design feature. The bar counter face will portray an array of rustic tiles in a green and deep blue color scheme. Lighting will also play a prominent role in illuminating the tower structure and the bar underneath. Concealed grazing fixtures will line the circumference of the elevated steel frame and the bar counter below will be punctuated with table lamps burnished in an antique copper finish.”
