Bread and Barley rises in Encinitas

A popular Los Angeles gastropub has opened its doors at a second location in Encinitas.

Bread and Barley debuted at 542 North Coast Highway 101 officially on Aug. 16. It had a soft opening beginning in late May.

The restaurant, which first opened in Covina in 2014, is known for its hamburgers and rare beer selection, said Ray Herrera, owner of the Encinitas location and family member of the original Covina owners.

“We just take pub food and put a Bread and Barley spin on it, which makes it unique to us,” said Herrera, who previously owned an engineering company but sold it four years ago. He used some of the money from that sale to enter the restaurant business.

After discussing with his family about opening up a location in San Diego, he began scouting possible sites about two-and-a-half years ago.

Herrera, a 24-year resident of Encinitas, had previously negotiated for a space in Del Mar for six months before pulling out of the deal, deciding the space wasn’t ideal. Then he discovered the property in Encinitas, which was vacant and located next to Birdseye Kitchen and near The Pannikin.

“We found lots of locations but none of them really had the vibe that we were looking for until we found this property,” he said.

Herrera said he negotiated with the city for about nine months and discussed the project with residents in the meantime.

During that time, he implemented suggestions from the public regarding parking and noise. The restaurant was also made to be dog-friendly.

The vibe of the space follows a 1920s-era theme. A sign in the back room reads “vote against prohibition.” Herrera described the restaurant as a modern speakeasy with no secret doorway.

Bread and Barley has 20 beers on tap plus bottled selections. Most of the beers are hard to get elsewhere, he said. For example, he noted Anaheim-based Bottle Logic Brewery only distributes to one other business in San Diego County.

All of the food is also made from scratch. Besides burgers, the menu boasts selections of sandwiches, desserts, appetizers and salads.

One of the most popular dishes is a breakfast burrito with chicken that is soaked in brine and marinated before it is fried.

“We just go above and beyond to prepare a dish,” Herrera said.

For more information about Bread and Barley, visit www.breadandbarleyenc.com or call 760-487-5591. The gastropub is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and from 9 a.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.