From Grain to Groceries: A New Pacific Beach Bakery and Market Will Mill Its Own Flour

A new bakery and market due to open in Pacific Beach this spring will be centered around a custom mill on which it will grind fresh flour to produce its variety of breads and other baked goods. Wildwood Flour Bread co-owners Noah Orloff and Lauren Silver, both San Diego natives and UC Berkeley grads, are hoping a successful Kickstarter campaign will help them to complete construction on a 1,700-square-foot space on Garnet Avenue that will function as a production hub as well as a small grocery store stocking local produce and pantry items.

After running a bakery in Valley Center, Orloff continued building his bread-baking skills at Companion Bakeshop in Santa Cruz before returning to San Diego to launch Wildwood Flour as a cottage food operation, supplying sourdough bread to area businesses like El Pescador and the Pannikin in La Jolla for the past three years. He and Silver, who moved back home after working in the restaurant industry in Baja while studying farming and agriculture as well as wild fermentation, would eventually like to own a farm where they can grow wheat and experiment with ancient grains. Silver tells Eater that they also plan to grind flour to order for customers wanting to bake at home.

Focused around variants of sourdough bread, including sourdough bagels and pastries made with sourdough starter, Wildwood Flour will feature seasonal fruits and vegetables in baked goods ranging from croissants and morning buns to brioche and scones. The takeaway market will also offer sandwiches along with grocery items like cheese, butter, olives, pickles, tinned fish, and jams.

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