Oceanside’s food and drink scene is practically unrecognizable from what it was before The Flying Pig and Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub sparked a decade-in-the-making food revolution. Now, Coast Highway is dotted with coffee roasters (Revolution Roasters), Michelin Bib Gourmands (Dija Mara, chic wine shops (Merenda), twee eateries (Rose Cafe), and a couple Addison chefs opening a hyper-seasonal Chinese joint.
One of the charming revolving doors of the food scene has been the historic Wetzel House (at 524 S. Coast Hwy). Too compelling to pass up, it’s seen a lengthy roster of restaurants, including Hill Street Cafe & Gallery and Le Citron. This spring, it’ll get a fresh start with a new name and refreshed look—The Victorian at Hill Street.
Track records bode well in this case. Owners Emily and David Rassel run Pour House in South Oceanside and Frankie’s next to The Brick Hotel. Chef Juan Armando (Mesa Agrícola) will do a local, seasonal California share plates concept, with housemade laffa bread (sometimes called Iraqi pita or flatbread that’s cooked in a clay oven) with tahini with pistou and an heirloom tomato salad. Beverages will be Old World–style wine and craft cocktails.
The Rassels are working with Trippe Interiors to revive the space, keeping as many original details as possible. The bulk of the seating (70 guests) will be outdoors on a double-tiered and heated porch, plus a small indoor dining area and bar. A brick courtyard will fit a few more, and eventually include a casual-gourmet sandwich program from Staci Miller (The Millers Table).
The more than 100-year-old landmark has survived more than half of the United States presidents and is nearly as old as the state of California itself. Only around 300 of San Diego’s original 2,500 Victorian homes remain standing. The Rassels are keenly aware of the building’s rich history and their role in preserving it. With any luck, the Wetzel House will remain a place of gathering and tahini and cocktails for Oceanside locals and visitors for another century to come.
The Victorian will start with limited service for dinner (Wed-Sun), and the Rassels are shooting for launch weekday lunch and weekend brunch sometime this summer.
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
Celebrate Women’s Day at Stone Brewing
As a woman, I think every day should be Women’s Day. But I suppose I’ll take what I can get (the whole month of March?! Darling, you shouldn’t have!) and if I can have a cold beer with it, so much the better. Stone Brewing’s annual International Women’s Day Dinner on Saturday, March 8 celebrates the beers developed and brewed by women working in production, and will showcase them alongside four paired courses including an outrageously delicious-sounding dessert of churros with peanut-marzipan ice cream and chocolate-cinnamon sauce. Men are allowed to attend, because equality.
Beth’s Bites
- Who’s worried about avian flu? Not Roostr Yard, a grilled chicken concept opening this spring at 1810 Rancho del Oro Road in Oceanside, near Frontwave Arena and SoCal Sports Complex. Good news for amateur and professional athletes looking to pack in some protein before a match.
- The owners behind Golden Age Burgers named their business perfectly. It is a golden age of burgers for San Diego, and Golden Age will join the fray when they take over the former BeLoved Finds Thrift & Vintage Store on 30th Street (timing is unknown and I don’t like to speculate, so if anyone hears anything, let me know at [email protected]).
- Let’s focus on the good news—Polite Provisions is reopening on January 31. Hooray! After their liquor license was suspended in November (yes, again), they took the opportunity to refresh their menu as well as their signature Roaring Twenties apothecary-style decor. Now, five different sections range from classics to mocktails, with quite a few new clarified cocktails. I’m particularly interested in checking out the new Speak of the Devil, made with Wild Turkey 101 rye whiskey, Campari, amaretto, lemon, and blood orange sherbet. Sounds like a stiff treat.
Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].
