North Park Beer Co, The Original 40, and the Best Sandwich We’ve Ever Had
We explored San Diego’s North Park neighborhood with big pours at North Park Beer Co., a late-night stop at Original 40 Brewing Company, and a Samuel Adams Tamarack Track black IPA back at the microphones. The real headline may have been Fatboy’s Hot Italian—an unforgettable sandwich so good that our official review system briefly became nothing but five satisfied grunts.
Adam & Dedra
8/7/20266 min read
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San Diego’s North Park: Big IPAs, a Five-Grunt Sandwich, and One Last-Call Rescue
Some brewery trips are carefully planned. Others begin after a beer festival, a one-hour recovery nap, and the realization that even though we were not especially hungry, dinner was still technically something responsible adults should consider.
That is how we ended up exploring North Park in San Diego for the first time. Within a couple of blocks, we found an impressive lineup at North Park Beer Co., what we are comfortable calling the best sandwich we have ever eaten, one disappointing last-call experience, and a bartender at Original 40 Brewing Company who rescued the night.
Before reliving all of that, we opened Tamarack Track, a 7.5% black IPA we brought home from the Samuel Adams taproom in Boston. The name felt oddly appropriate for a San Diego episode because it reminded us of Tamarack Road and previous stays around Carlsbad. Sometimes the theme finds you. Other times the beer has been in the refrigerator and the connection is close enough.
A Black IPA Before the San Diego Story
Tamarack Track was Dedra’s first black IPA, so naturally she took two large drinks before remembering she was supposed to evaluate it.
The dark appearance suggested something heavier—almost a cross between a brown ale and a stout—but it drank much lighter than expected. Dedra picked up coffee, while Adam found roasted malt and a softer caramel-like sweetness. It did not bring the aggressive roast or hop bitterness Adam normally associates with the style, but that did not stop either of us from enjoying it.
Was it exactly what Adam expected from a traditional black IPA? Not really. Was it disappearing from the glass faster than planned? Absolutely.
A Nap, an Uber, and the Wrong Direction
The adventure started after the Salty Toast Beer Fest. Adam had consumed enough samples to justify a strategic nap, woke up feeling as though a new day had begun, and joined Dedra in deciding we should probably find dinner.
We had never explored North Park together, despite all our previous San Diego trips. Since we had enjoyed North Park Beer Co. beers at shares and other events, visiting the brewery seemed obvious.
The Uber dropped us almost directly in front of it.
We still walked the wrong way.
In our defense, Fatboy’s Deli & Spirits was across the street, and distracting us with food is not difficult. After checking the map, we completed the approximately ten-second return trip that Dedra described as though we had crossed a meaningful portion of the country.
Eventually, we found the large corner building we had basically been standing beside the entire time.
North Park Beer Co. Was Worth Finding
The interior immediately made an impression. North Park Beer Co. had a bold, wood-heavy design with a substantial wooden bar, warm architectural details, and brewery tanks lined up behind the seating area. It felt polished without feeling stuffy.
An upstairs area appeared much busier, possibly because people were watching a World Cup match. We stayed downstairs at the quieter bar. After an entire day of drinking, neither of us was interested in adding stairs to the itinerary.
Adam started with North Park South, a triple dry-hopped hazy triple IPA at 10%. It arrived in a ten-ounce pour, which was probably wise even if nobody at our table wanted to admit it.
Dedra spotted something we rarely find on draft in Arizona: Pliny the Elder from Russian River Brewing Company. We normally prioritize a brewery’s own beer when visiting, but passing up draft Pliny was not happening. The 8% West Coast double IPA was refreshing and apparently far less unusual to the California locals than it was to us.
They told us it could be found all over the area. We have looked “all over” plenty of times and would like to formally disagree.
The Sandwich That Broke Our Vocabulary
We asked the bartender where we should eat nearby. We were not looking for a formal dinner. We wanted to know where someone local went when they were hungry.
The answer was Fatboy’s Deli & Spirits, directly across the street.
From the front, it looked more like a neighborhood liquor store than a destination meal. Bottles filled the area behind the counter, snacks occupied the center, and the deli was tucked near the coolers and a wall of chips.
The menu was small. We ordered the Hot Italian with salami, capicola, and mortadella on sourdough, chose our toppings, and carried it outside to the narrow patio.
Adam does not casually declare something the best he has ever eaten. But after the first bite, this became the best sandwich he had ever had—and Dedra was right there with him.
The meats worked together perfectly. The mortadella added richness, the salami brought familiar savory flavor, and the capicola added another layer of seasoning and texture. The sourdough and toppings completed it. There was no single ingredient to credit because every part seemed necessary.
We did not put it down. We barely spoke. The conversation became grunting, nodding, and trying not to lose ingredients onto the patio.
There were jalapeño kettle chips and a pickle, but the sandwich took over so completely that Adam barely remembered the chips. We finished before realizing we had not ordered water, soda, or anything else to drink. Apparently the sandwich—and our own drooling—handled hydration.
Dedra awarded it five grunts.
That rating system may not appear in respected dining guides, but it was fully earned.
Last Call Came Early at Mike Hess
After finishing the sandwich, we stood on the sidewalk in a happy, slightly greasy daze and tried to remember the rest of the plan.
Mike Hess Brewing was about a block away. The exterior mural was impressive, and the entrance led across a narrow elevated walkway with views of the tanks below. We arrived around 9:30 p.m., while the posted closing time was 10.
Unfortunately, last call had already happened. We asked whether we could order one beer and close out immediately, but the taps had been cleaned and the answer was no.
It was disappointing, especially because we have enjoyed Mike Hess beers and had a good experience at the Seaport Village location. We will give the brewery another chance, preferably earlier in the evening. Still, what happened next showed how much a bartender can shape the memory of a place.
Original 40 Saved the Night
Original 40 Brewing Company was another block away. It had a warehouse-style interior with the bar on the left, brewing tanks beyond a low divider, and barrels near the back. A large rolling window opened the bar to the outside, allowing the same counter to continue onto the patio.
The brewery was slow, and bartender Joey told us they had already called last call and were preparing to close early. Then he asked what we wanted and poured us a beer anyway.
That small decision changed the experience.
Adam chose Most Necessary, a clean and crisp West Coast IPA. Dedra ordered Juice Maze, a double dry-hopped hazy IPA at 7%. More importantly to her, it came in a full pour.
Other customers arrived shortly after us, and Joey treated them the same way. He explained the early closing but still made sure nobody who walked in was immediately turned away. He was friendly, welcoming, and willing to extend the night just enough for people to enjoy one beer.
Naturally, one beer also turned into several cans to go. Original 40 had multiple barrel-aged beers available, and Adam picked up several along with an IPA. We had not heard much about the brewery before walking in, but the beer selection, space, and hospitality made it a place we would gladly revisit.
Final Pour
Our first North Park brewery adventure covered only a few blocks, but it gave us almost everything we look for in a San Diego beer trip.
North Park Beer Co. delivered a strong lineup of big IPAs in a beautiful taproom. Fatboy’s Deli & Spirits served a Hot Italian that reduced two normally talkative people to caveman noises. Mike Hess reminded us that arriving before the posted closing time does not always guarantee a pour. Original 40 showed how far one helpful bartender can go toward creating future customers.
North Park is an easy recommendation for craft beer travelers who like walkable brewery stops, hop-forward beers, relaxed taprooms, and food worth planning a return trip around. We will be back—ideally early enough to revisit every brewery and hungry enough to order two sandwiches instead of pretending we can share one.
Watch or listen to the full episode for the complete story, more beer talk, and the moment Dedra tries to finish both glasses at once.
Craft Beer. Food. Fun.
Cheers.
