San Diego has an absurdly competitive craft beer scene. Even so, our well-established and tight-knit industry may be feeling a bit of a squeeze, now that a few breweries from outside county lines are starting to open up shop.
Most recently, Orange County-based brewery Green Cheek Beer Co. acquired Bagby Beer’s former location in Oceanside, Ventura County-based Tarantula Hill Brewing Co. just opened in Draft Republic in San Marcos, and by the middle of March, Los Angeles-based Brewjeria Company will take over El Cruce at 241 Third Avenue in Chula Vista.
El Cruce opened in October 2020 with hopes of bringing Baja beer, wine, and food to the heart of Chula Vista. But when Collin Corrigan, one of the partners and founder of Ensenada brewery Cervecería Transpeninsular, parted ways with the restaurant last year, his other partner Galen Rogers decided to list the restaurant for sale. It proved to be perfect timing for the Brewjeria team, who had been looking for a second location for the better part of 2023—specifically, a spot with lots of taps and a kitchen.
Brewjeria co-founder and president Agustin Ruelas says their initial search focused on downtown Los Angeles, around 12 miles west of their Pico Rivera facility. “But El Cruce—it really just came out of nowhere,” says Ruelas, who was born in San Diego and says he still has lots of family in the area.
When he saw the location with a kitchen, near breweries like Thr3e Punk Ales and Chula Vista Brewing, he says it was exactly what they were looking for. Plus, he adds, as a Latino-owned brewery, he saw an opportunity to cater to a segment of underrepresented beer fans, especially to Chula Vista’s majority Hispanic and Latino demographic.
Brewjeria Company will take over the space by mid-March and will keep the El Cruce name until Brewjeria’s ABC license comes through, which Ruelas hopes will happen in April or May. Then, the space will become Brewjeria Taproom and Kitchen, with the same chef and many of the same menu items as before—specifically, El Cruce’s tacos and shareable plates—as well as wine, guest beer taps, and Brewjeria beers from their production facility in Pico Rivera. (The Chula Vista location will not have a brewhouse element.)
Ruelas says despite coming from Los Angeles, he plans to plant roots with the local community through nonprofit partnerships and local events. Brewjeria will be at Chula Vista’s annual Taste of Third Avenue on March 21 and have a few partnerships already in the works. “It’s super exciting,” he says. “We’re gonna do everything in our power to become part of the community, just like we’ve done here.”
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
Rouleur Brewing Company Celebrates 7 Years
On Friday, March 22, Rouleur Brewing Company will mark seven years in business by hosting a beer dinner at their Carlsbad taproom at 5840 El Camino Real, Suite 101. Tickets get you a five-course meal paired with Rouleur beers, a four-pack of their anniversary beer, a commemorative glass, and open bar with snacks for an hour before the meal begins. The brewery will also host an open party the next day with live music and beer specials from noon to 5 pm.
Although Rouleur’s North Park taproom closed in 2023, owner Rawley Macias recently launched a new concept inside the Carlsbad tasting room—Onward & Upward Deli & Drinks, which serves sandwiches like a BLT, Italian, French dip, and more. The tasting room and kitchen are closed Mondays, but open at 11 am Tuesday through Sunday.
Beth’s Bites
Hayes Burger is now open at 3460 Adams Avenue! And there was much rejoicing.
Starting March 26, The Plot is bringing back Plantscape, their six-course, plant-based tasting menu dinner series showcasing regeneratively grown local ingredients paired with natural wines and signature house cocktails. (Will they be playing Plantasia in the background? I can only hope.)
Chef Tatsuro Tsuchiya (Sushi Tadokoro, Yakitori Yakyudori, Yakitori Hiro) is opening Yakitori Tsuta at 3860 Convoy Street this summer. Sign me up for one (fine, two) of everything on the omakase menu.
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