Waters Fine Foods & Cafe Sold In San Diego's Bay Park After More Than Two Decades In Business

January 30, 2022

Waters Fine Foods Cafe has announced the impending closure of its eatery in Bay Park, as the company has been acquired by San Diego's Urban Kitchen Group (Cucina Urbana, Cucina Sorella).

After receiving degrees in nutrition from the University of Maryland, an AOS from the Culinary Institute of America, and a diploma from L'Academie de Cuisine, Mary Kay Waters worked under acclaimed Chef Daniel Boulud at the Four Seasons and The Four Ways Restaurant, both in Washington, DC. In 1987, she started her first company Gourmet Lunch and Catering in New Jersey before relocating to San Diego to establish Waters Fine Catering in San Diego in 1990. Mary Kay went on to develop several Waters Fine Foods Cafes, which allowed for new recipe development and menu ideas. The Bay Park location was first opened in 2001. In 2019, Mary Kay published her first cookbook: "Waters Fine Foods: Stories and Recipes From Our Kitchen."

"Dear Friends of Waters," wrote Mary Kay Waters in an email announcing her sale and impending cafe closure. "It has been a great joy to get to know you over the years. I have watched your children grow up and get married and have children of their own! I always loved hearing how you’ve made it a tradition to call Waters for your special occasions and holidays. With this continued love and support over the years it has been tough for me to step away, but now it’s time. I am pleased to share that your trusted Waters employees will be teaming up with San Diego’s talented, Tracy Borkum and her team. Urban Kitchen Group, with their collection of CUCINA restaurants, Urban Kitchen Catering and most recently ARTIFACT at Mingei, will bring a new level of culinary expertise and superior service that promises to uphold the level of excellence you’ve always known. Rest assured that all of your upcoming events will exceed your expectations. Waters Fine Foods Cafe will be closing mid-February. However, UKG will continue to offer our cafe menu online for pick up or delivery.

Waters Fine Foods has been acquired by San Diego-based restaurateur Tracy Borkum's Urban Kitchen Group, which operates Cucina Urbana in Bankers Hill, Cucina Sorella in Kensington, Artifact at the Mingei Museum in Balboa Park, and Cucina Enoteca locations in Del Mar, Irvine, and Newport Beach. Urban Kitchen Group will continue to operate Waters Fine Foods as a "virtual" eatery with online ordering available for delivery and pick-up in the near future. The Waters Find Foods Cafe will shutter mid-February, likely on February 19. 

" Urban Kitchen Group is pleased to announce our new catering and commissary kitchen at 1105 West Morena Blvd," wrote company founder Tracy Borkum. "We are also thrilled to welcome the Water’s team to Urban Kitchen Catering and look forward to expanding our catering and delivery operations in the months to come."

Visit Waters Fine Foods Cafe at 1125 West Morena Boulevard in San Diego's Bay Park, and for more information, go to waterscatering.com.