Wheat & Water Bringing Wood-Fired Pizza, Craft Beer & Cocktails to the Beach

Eater's continuing to track the new craft pizza concept headed to La Jolla Boulevard, which has been given a name since we last checked in with the project and owner Ted Cochrane of the Neptune Restaurant Group.

Cochrane, along with partners Nate Ladendorf and Justin Lopez, is planning an early 2015 opening for Wheat & Water, which replaces a traditional Italian eatery.

They're overhauling the 3,200-square-foot space and giving it a rustic, industrial vibe via live wood edge tables, barn doors and ever-popular Edison bulbs; the front windows will be replaced with roll-up doors that open onto a large patio and long bar with sunken seating will snake along one side of restaurant.

In the open kitchen, there will new wood and gas-powered oven to fuel a menu focused on pizza (BASIC and URBN's founder Jon Mangini has been a mentor to the operating team) that will also include appetizers, salads and cheese and charcuterie boards

Managing partner Lopez, a Cicerone and hospitality pro who last curated the beer program at Belmont Park's DRAFT, will oversee the beverages offered here, from craft cocktails that feature hop-infused vodka to wine and 12 to 16 taps of beer. Lopez, who went to high school with the Lost Abbey's Tomme Arthur, is a dedicated beer collector and promises that Wheat & Water's reserve bottle list will be deep with rarities and special sours.

Wheat & Water will likely open in March for lunch and dinner with brunch on weekends.

Wheat & Water
5737 La Jolla Blvd
La Jolla, CA 92037
(619) 200-5250