About
An accomplished restaurant executive, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Frank Vizcarra’s multi-hyphenate, multi-continental pedigree has informed a particular penchant for the hospitality industry. But long before opening doors to LOLA 55, San Diego’s only MICHELIN Bib Gourmand taqueria, Vizcarra’s self-made story originates in Tijuana, Mexico where he was raised by a single mother before emigrating to America at 18.
After attending The Ohio State University and retiring from a professional soccer career, Frank ascended into the corporate world of hospitality with tremendous success, cutting his chops at international fast food behemoth Pizza Hut before launching into a 21-year tenure with McDonald’s Corporation. There, as Chief of Strategy, he presided over global operations, designing and executing successful repositioning and restructuring campaigns. Upon departing McDonald’s in 2006, he founded Vizcarra Consulting Group, leading the charge as president to help aspiring CEOs define their business objectives and strategies.
In 2015, with a lifetime’s worth of industry knowledge and a deeply-felt nostalgia for the foodways of his childhood, Vizcarra set out to bring ‘fine dining’ to the masses. A years-long quest for the world’s best tacos—with research taking him coast-to-coast and south-of-the-border—culminated in 2018 with the opening of LOLA 55, anchoring downtown San Diego’s East Village neighborhood. A runaway success, the taco-driven concept speaks to time-honored traditions of Mexican cuisine through a modern lens. In 2021, Frank signed-on with The Rady Shell, bringing LOLA 55 to world-class concert venue’s Street Food Pavilion. Marking a milestone expansion, LOLA 55 debuted a North County outpost in late 2023, located within the coastal community of Carlsbad. A savvy businessman through-and-though, Vizcarra continues to prime and position LOLA 55 for future growth.
Outside of LOLA 55, Frank sits on the boards of One Table (Tender Greens, Tocaya Modern Mexican), The San Diego Symphony and Hillstreet Beverage Co., while continuing to mentor start-up entrepreneurs. Vizcarra also upholds a steadfast commitment to charitable endeavors, aiming to help others break the cycle of poverty that he was once relegated to. He co-founded the College Success Program with the Barrio Logan College Institute to help underprivileged students attend college, and serves as president of The Opportunity Foundation, a nonprofit that establishes funding for need-based scholarships. In his personal life, Frank finds balance as an avid runner and father to two adult children, both of whom are involved in the family business— Nathan as LOLA 55’s COO and Brie as a design consultant.
