Polite Provisions: Manufacturers of Local Tonics, Elixirs and Cures

Polite Provisions is the brainchild of Erick Castro and the guys behind famed San Diego bars Craft and Commerce, Underbelly and Noble Experiment. The interior space has the feel of an old time drug store with it’s tiled floors and faux tin ceilings mixed with fitting but eclectic touches like old street lamps and fire extinguishers. The space is absolutely cool, hip and well thought out but the real draw is the amazing cocktails made from a selection of over 50 different bitters and forty six taps pulling everything from craft beers and sodas to draft cocktails and spirits.

We had to drive to San Diego to pick up our beloved VW Westfalia from Pete at SD Westy. When we arrived he told us we would need another hour or two to button up some loose ends and get our vanagon ready for the voyage back home. Lisa had come equipped with a list of places to check out and things to do. Polite Provisions on 30th and Adams was at the top of the list. We stood outside in the rain waiting for the bartender to unlock the doors and let us in the gold framed wood and glass door.

We sat down and checked out their amazing cocktail and beverage menu with so many great choices of pre-prohibition influenced libations I knew we were in trouble. Go to their web site to check it out: http://politeprovisions.com/menu/politeprovisionsmenu.pdf We started with two cocktails, one rum based and the other with Champagne.

Now that we had drinks we needed to order food from Soda and Swine, the sister restaurant next door. The premise is a meatball shop offering six basic meatballs which you can get in a variety of guises from a sub to pasta and back again. They have amazing sides, like the Scotch Egg pictured below to over the top dirty fries topped with pork belly and other tasty treats. They kindly deliver food to your table so that you won’t have to leave your cocktail unchaperoned. The food is plentiful, fatty and deliciously served on half sheet pans.