The Local Habit  will open on July 9th on 5th Avenue in Hillcrest, but I got a sneak peak of their almost-ready space.

Owners Nick Brune and Adam Hiner operate Eco Caters in San Diego and Los Angeles, a catering firm that uses fresh, local, and sustainable ingredients to create, from their website, “California fresh mixed with French, Cajun and Southern flavors.” The Local Habit will use use the same high quality meat and produce but the fare will be salads, sandwiches, and pizza (and not only because they are setting up shop in the old Pizza Fusion location and how on earth would you move that pizza oven).

The Local Habit had to build a new range to expand the kitchen’s capabilities, and they will need it. They will be making everything from scratch daily, from their own bread to their own mayo. I asked if this would be a pizza or sandwich restaurant and Nick explained that they’re willing to be flexible with the menu, and will update it if people are crazy about one or the other. 

 

The Local Habit folks are proud of the relationships they have developed with their suppliers, (Nick has gone fishing with Eric Brandt of Brandt Beef) who use sustainable growing methods. Their blog profiles some of those companies.

One of the first blog posts on The Local Habit’s website is about the recycled wood they used to build the bar. When I got to see the bar and the rest of the interior design, I understood why they would bother posting something on bar construction. Wood is a central design theme in the dining room, it ties the whole place together. Sunny Keeth, the resident art director, was working the bar when I arrived. 

The bar is made of small pieces of recycled wood pressed together. It’s covered with a thick, smooth resin that fills in the holes and imperfections of each piece, and makes the little knots and scars the most interesting part of the bar. Above the beer taps, there is an installation of different pieces of wood, all about the same thickness, but different lengths and widths. On the opposite wall is a different wood design of long colored pieces hung vertically, and the hanging ceiling is edged with a wooden panel too. Lots and lots of wood. 

The tables and chairs from Pizza Nova will remain at The Local Habit and so will some wooden pizza boards, but they won’t be used for pizza, they are hanging on the wall and soon will be decorated with the names of the beer on tap. 12 taps, 13 bottled beers, 12 wines, and cask beer. Now do you want to try it?

All of the beer will be from California, and a lot of it will hopefully be from San Diego. Nick is especially excited about carrying Hess Brewing, a local nanobrewer (that means 50 gallon batches).

I haven’t tried the food yet, but I am excited about a farm to table restaurant that is so interested in using local food that they want to grow some of their own produce, one day. They estimate that an acre or so of land might supply all of their tomatoes for a year. A lot of sauce for a lot of pizzas.

The grand opening will be on June 8th, 9th, and 10th at 3827 Fifth Avenue.

Photo: spDuchamp via Flickr