Perry's Cafe
Old Town // An under construction mixed-use project in Old Town, with a retro twist
Robert P., Contributing Writer
Rendering from Zephyr.
Perry’s Cafe, a breakfast restaurant opened in 1985, was a well-known San Diego staple even after namesake Perry Elumi retired and sold the site to development group Viewpoint Development in 2024. Construction began on a 223-unit mixed-use apartment complex in its place in 2025.
Perry's Cafe, image from SanDiegoVille.com
Now spearheaded by Solana Beach-based development company Zephyr, designed by architecture firm AO Architects, and built by W.E. O’Neil Construction, the residential complex's amenities will include ground floor parking, a clubhouse, a fitness room, workspaces, a wood framed roof deck, as well as a podium level pool and spa. The original Perry’s Cafe building will be preserved within the new development as the building’s leasing office.
Rendering from Zephyr.
Part of the reason for the quick turnaround is the location: once complete, the project will be the first transit oriented development adjacent to Old Town Transit Center—one of San Diego’s most important transfer points between Trolley and bus—while also being walking distance from the future Zephyr housing development Midway Rising.
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