AN ALL-DAY CAFE WITH PERUVIAN ROOTS WILL BE OPENING IN LA JOLLA
Joining an influx of new restaurants choosing to bolster La Jolla’s culinary scene is a cafe and bakeshop that started as a neighborhood pop-up. Pepino is the evolution of a pandemic-born pivot from chef Sebastian Becerra, a native of San Diego and alum of La Jolla High School who returned home in 2019 after nearly a decade spent cooking in fine dining kitchens across the country, including Eleven Madison Park in New York City and Coi and Rich Table in San Francisco.
Becerra landed at Little Italy’s Herb & Wood, working there until the COVID shutdown of the restaurant industry propelled him to launch the early iteration of Pepino from the back patio of his La Jolla home. The breakfast-oriented pop-up became one of the first licensed MEHKOs — microenterprise home kitchen operations — in the area, and thanks to word of mouth and some viral Instagram posts, the chef is now able to establish his first solo restaurant in his hometown.
Meaning “cucumber” in Spanish, Pepino was the nickname of Becerra’s grandfather, and its menu honors some of the dishes that the chef grew up eating with his Peruvian family, from a breakfast burrito inspired by lomo saltado to a lechon sandwich dressed with salsa criolla and creamy huancaina sauce. The menu will also spotlight other industry friends, including Pacific Beach’s Wildwood Flour Bakery and Triumph Coffee Club.
Located in the cluster of businesses on Fay Avenue that houses Michele Coulon Dessertier, Pepino will start by offering breakfast and lunch, though Becerra tells Eater that he intends to add an early dinner service that will feature more Peruvian dishes as well as beer and wine. Joining him as sous chef is Marissa Williams, a former executive sous chef at Herb & Sea in Encinitas.
With construction on the new restaurant not scheduled for completion until early next year, Becerra says they’re planning a series of pop-ups that’ll launch later this summer at spots in La Jolla and Pacific Beach.