Taking over a long-vacant space in San Diego's Bird Rock community is Rikka Fika Coffee + Toast, a Japanese-inspired cafe and coffee house set to open this summer.
Rikka Fika is the product of Michelle Jow and Scott Chen, coffee-enthusiasts who worked in the tech industry for years. The duo joined over their shared love for coffee and recently leased the 4,479 square-foot building that has sat vacant since Bird Rock Sushi & Oyster shuttered in 2016.
"The word 'Rikka' means first day of summer in Japanese, and 'Fika' means coffee break in Swedish," explained Rikka Fika co-founder Michelle Jow. "Together 'Rikka Fika' is a communal space filled with sunlight filtering through the leaves, reminiscent of a calming and comforting early summer day. We hope our guests can take a break from their daily routines, and come to gather and reconnect with friends, or simply with themselves. The keywords we used when designing the space are: 'wabi-sabi, simplistic, genuine, and natural.'"
Rikka Fika will over a menu of internationally-sourced coffee from roaster around the globe, as well as a variety of shokupan toast, which is thick cuts of Japanese milk bread paired with sweet and savory toppings. The eatery has a seasoned Blue Bottle Coffee veteran on board crafting the coffee experience. On the Shokupan side, the lead baker worked alongside an award-winning baking master from Taiwan in developing Rikka Fika's house recipes.
Rikka Fika Specialty Coffee + Shokupan Toast aims to open mid-summer at 5752 La Jolla Boulevard in San Diego's Bird Rock community. For more information, visit rikkafika.com.
