To create two contrasting dining spaces, San Diego designer and restaurateur Arsalun Tafazoli began with a 1908-dated building. “When conceptualizing the space and designing it, we wanted to continue the building’s story and make everything feel as if it had been there from the beginning,” he says.

The first floor became Rare Form—a classic-style Jewish delicatessen that ties into the building’s history as a Jewish-owned grocery. “Rare Form was about authenticity to the period,” Tafazoli explains. “We wanted it to be fluid with the exterior of the space.”

Most of Rare Form’s classic touches are original, including acrylic portraits, ornate brass fixtures, and refinished woodwork and molding.

“The concept is rooted in classicism but also serves as a basic neighborhood utility,” says Tafazoli.

Upstairs, the team originally planned a tiki-influenced space before learning of the style’s origination in the Depression era. “Tiki was intended to offer a temporary escape” traditionally in dark spaces, Tafazoli explains. “With this new rooftop at Fairweather, we had the exact opposite. We wanted to celebrate our environment, not escape from it.”

To celebrate the environment, the space is flanked with a massive, living wall made of tropical plants.

Blue and white tiles add color to the bar. “With the existing rooftop space, we had an opportunity to create a great outdoor community concept—something city’s downtown neighborhood was really lacking,” says Tafazoli.