The new location marks a significant step forward for Lucca, which opened its original shop at 600 B Street in 2024. Tucked into a below-street-level courtyard beneath a downtown office tower, the compact sandwich counter quickly built a following among office workers and in-the-know locals drawn to its focaccia-based sandwiches and Italian ingredients. The expansion to East Village places Lucca in a far more visible and pedestrian-heavy corridor, positioning the brand to reach a broader audience that includes residents, tourists, and Padres game-day crowds.
Lucca’s menu centers around Italian-style sandwiches served on house-baked, focaccia-like bread inspired by Tuscany’s schiacciata, and the new East Village location will continue that approach with focaccia baked fresh on-site. Signature offerings include the Firenze, layered with mortadella, stracciatella cheese, pistachios, pesto, and arugula, and the namesake Lucca sandwich, featuring bresaola, truffle cream, parmesan, and arugula. Other options span classic and regional Italian combinations like prosciutto and mozzarella, spicy salami with artichokes, and porchetta with pesto, alongside a selection of Italian sodas, coffee drinks, and light accompaniments. The upcoming location is also expected to offer beer and wine, expanding beyond the original shop’s beverage program.
According to ownership, the East Village outpost is targeting an opening in Summer 2026, with planned hours of operation set for Monday through Saturday from 10:30am to 7pm, and Sundays from 10:30am to 3pm. These daytime-focused hours align with the concept’s quick-service format while still capturing early evening traffic in the neighborhood.
The move into 905 J Street comes on the heels of the closure of Copa Vida’s East Village café, which shuttered in 2025 after roughly a decade in operation. Located within the Diamond View Tower overlooking Petco Park, the café had long served as a gathering place for coffee enthusiasts, remote workers, and baseball fans. Its departure reflected broader shifts impacting downtown San Diego, including reduced office occupancy and evolving consumer patterns.
Lucca’s arrival signals a continued reshuffling of East Village’s ground-floor retail landscape, as operators look to capitalize on the area’s dense residential base and event-driven foot traffic. Sandwich-focused concepts, in particular, have seen a resurgence in urban markets, offering quick, high-quality options that appeal to both daytime workers and evening crowds.
Lucca Italian Sandwich Shop’s new location will open at 905 J Street in San Diego’s East Village, in the former Copa Vida café space near Petco Park. For more information, visit @eatlucca on Instagram.
Originally published on April 7, 2026.
