San Juan Capistrano’s River Street Marketplace adds even more new tenants

When River Street Marketplace finally opens in September, the highly anticipated outdoor retail and dining destination in San Juan Capistrano will be home to a total of 30 tenants, with a number that recently signed on to join developer Almquist’s 60,000-square-foot market, including sushi, Italian and Argentinian eateries.

Capas, a Baja-inspired ceviche concept from chef Michael Campbell, will open with locally caught fish and smoked queso tacos. Campbell formerly worked at other Orange County eateries like Pueblo in Costa Mesa and the Loft at the Montage in Laguna Beach and currently operates a Capas location at Rodeo 39 in Stanton, another mixed-use destination from the Almquist team. Capas at River Street will serve the restaurant’s signature ceviches as well as seasonal agua fresca slushies and house-smoked carnitas and birria.

Kebab Craft, a fast-casual dining spot that specializes in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fare, will also join River Street. Originally from San Diego, diners can use the build-your-own menu to create customized plates, bowls and pitas with shawarma, gyro, steak kebab and falafel. There is also a menu of chef creations like the Cali Kebab, a burrito stuffed with French fries and kebab meat.

Also coming to the O.C. market from San Diego is Parana Empanadas. Started in 2014 as a family business and a way to share Argentinian culture and the “working man’s lunch” of empanadas, Parana Empanadas serves the buttery pastry filled with meat and vegetables options like Malbec beef and BBQ chicken with traditional dipping sauces like chimichurri, chipotle chimichurri and green olive.

Pasta concept Pastalia from Christian and Adriana Gorgicze will bring fresh hand-made Italian pasta dishes, while the Sushi Stand will serve both traditionalist sushi rolls, nigiri and classic cut rolls as well as modernist specialty rolls like the “Fresh Prince” with spicy tuna, cucumber, avocado, salmon, lemon slices, ponzu, micro cilantro and sesame seeds.

The new dining options join other tenants River Street announced back in March when a summer 2024 opening was anticipated, like La Vaquera, from the Santa Barbara-based Acme Hospitality Group and McConnell’s Ice Cream’s first scoop shop in Orange County.

On the retail side, River Street will feature specialty florist Pick Me Floral Boutique, western boots and apparel shop Tecovas and woman-owned jewelry brand and boutique May Martin.

Almquist also operates Uptown Commons in Long Beach and New Haven Marketplace in Ontario and has plans for developments similar to River Street Marketplace in the works in Whittier and downtown Fullerton.