Encanto
The neighborhood of Encanto, which stretches across 11 hills in southeastern San Diego, encapsulates the heart and soul of the local Black community. With the establishment of the San Diego Black Arts and Culture District along Encanto’s main artery of Imperial Avenue, the neighborhood offers a cohesive and compelling perspective into San Diego’s Black history as well as the area’s flourishing contemporary culture. And with myriad food, drink and shopping options to delve into, as well as a vibrant artistic presence, Encanto — “enchanting” in Spanish — is well worth discovering.
Black Arts and Culture District
Black Arts and Culture District
Spanning nine blocks in the heart of Encanto, the district serves as the spine of the community, with its mix of arts and culture, commercial spaces and more. As the San Diego writer and community leader Ramel J. Wallace puts it, “These spots aren’t just locations, they’re the heartbeat of our culture.”
The Mental Bar
The Mental Bar
A beloved Encanto cafe and community space, The Mental Bar serves up “Coffee, Tea and Wellness,” with creative drink specialties such as the Ginger Pop Latte as well as classic BLTs, pastries and other food offerings.
Ringer's Roller Rink
Ringer's Roller Rink
Tucked away just off state Route 94, where the communities of Encanto, Oak Park and Emerald Hills meet, is this lovably retro outdoor roller rink that gets skate-loving crowds happily looping around to music. The family-friendly Ringer's Roller Rink boasts everything from bright murals to art installations to selfie stations, and makes for a great way to soak in the neighborhood vibes.
Marie Widman Memorial Park
Marie Widman Memorial Park
A key landmark in Encanto’s Black Arts and Culture District, this park just off Imperial Avenue is named for a pioneering activist in the local Black community. The park includes such amenities as restrooms, a tot lot, picnic tables, pedestrian bridges and a gym, with more improvements on the way.
Caribbean Taste
Caribbean Taste
Modest but well regarded, this Jamaican restaurant in South Encanto was named the top Caribbean eatery in San Diego in a Yelp survey. Step in for such specialties as jerk chicken and red beans and rice, plus such unusual selections as curry goat.
Graffiti Gardens
Graffiti Gardens
Presided over by the renowned artist Maxx Moses, Graffiti Gardens’ collection of colorful murals wraps around Moses’ studio and HQ, a former Encanto dance space.