Mobile Coffee Truck Joes on the Nose Moves Brick-and-Mortar

Joes on the Nose, the coffee bar on wheels that celebrated its tenth anniversary this year, has finally opened its first brick-and-mortar coffee bar. The mobile truck is still a fixture at the Little Italy Mercato and travels frequently to cater events, but the company recently launched a storefront in a UTC-area office campus that’s also open to the public.

Operating weekdays from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., the coffee bar shares space with LunchLobby, which brings in food from a revolving list of local restaurants including Azuki Sushi, Fish Pit and URBN. Founded by David Wasserman, Joes on the Nose was part of the initial wave of craft coffee in San Diego; the truck has always been fueled by Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, and eight years ago was the first in the U.S. to debut freshly-made horchata latte.

The coffee bar serves its signature coffee menu, plus newer items including a matcha latte and shaken espresso “cocktails”. There are more food options, from mango-pineapple-banana-chia smoothie bowls to breakfast sandwiches and pastries from Bread & Cie. Wasserman has also brought the caffeinated cereal trend to San Diego, which pours a short iced latte over a range of classic breakfast cereal, from Rice Crispies to Cocoa Puffs.

Next, Joes on the Nose is expanding into another non-traditional retail space within a newly-built office campus in Carlsbad off Palomar Airport Road. Launching in early August, the coffee bar will be housed in a mid-century modern-styled shipping container and open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wasserman says he’s also thinking about opening a stand-alone cafe, where he could expand his housemade savory and sweet food offerings.