In January, WestBrew temporarily closed its combo bar-and-restaurant in downtown Del Mar in order to tear it down and rebuild it anew. It’s something husband-wife owners Joshua and Heather Lynn Schreer have intended to do since taking over the 2,400-square-foot indoor-outdoor space back in 2020, the same year they launched their Vista-based company. That grand-scale overhaul was made feasible thanks to the Schreers’ other business, EvergreenCali Construction, but the structure and its appearance aren’t the only things they’ve changed. When WestBrew’s Del Mar satellite reopens it will feature an entirely new food menu taking influences from the Golden State as well as culinary cultures from around the world. As the Schreers jammed down the final stretch on the road to reopening, we caught up with Heather Lynn (pictured below) to find out what patrons can expect the next time they venture to the corner of 15th Street and Camino Del Mar.
You already had a nice venue. What inspired you to make such sweeping upgrades?
A block from the beach with an incredible corner view of the ocean and people-watching galore, we knew from the start that our Del Mar location had all the potential in the world. We also knew we would live and die by the weather, because our main attraction—the outdoor patio—was so inhospitable whenever it was excessively cold, hot or rainy. Our space had been through so many tenants and alterations before us that we were left with a strange mix of outdated pavilions and bar spaces that cut the indoor and outdoor footprint in ways that didn’t feel open or inviting like we wanted them to. This incredible location needed to match the beauty of Camino Del Mar and offer a much more comfortable space for our guests showcasing the culture and exquisiteness of the West Coast. After all, that’s what WestBrew is all about!
What are some of the changes you made to the Del Mar location?
We completely demolished the outdoor patio and started from scratch, regrading the ground and building from there. We’ve added a large pavilion to the main portion of the patio footprint, with custom seashell-seeded concrete walls in a sand motif with short pony walls in the same style and giant accordion-style windows for the largest portion of the walls to create an open, welcoming indoor-outdoor transition, but with plenty of protection from the elements when needed. Now we’ll have comfortable seating any time of the year regardless of the weather. Our patio now has permanent furniture and a fire pit with a custom bench matching the sand-and-seashell style, so guests can lounge and enjoy drinks along with live music performed from a previously wasted space under the stairs of the neighboring building. That area now features native plants and a water feature to match with succulents and other natural landscape elements, including a new tree with a small seating area near the parking lot.
When do you expect to open and what will your hours of operation be?
It’s looking like we will open for one and all on Monday, July 3, during what should be a crazy-fun week of holiday goodness. We are purposely not holding our grand opening on the weekend, as we want to take every day of the week before, during which we’ll hold some preparatory soft-opening services to dial everything in while not overextending ourselves too soon. It feels a lot like opening up a brand-new restaurant since we have a new food menu, space and seating layout, not to mention many new staff members. We will be open seven days a week, from noon to 10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday and noon to 11 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays.
What can visitors expect from WestBrew Del Mar’s new food menu?
Our executive chef, Douglas Fyall, has put together a menu of ‘globally inspired California cuisine’, which you can view here. In addition to dinner and lunch, we will also be adding brunch on the weekends after we get going.
What do you feel this new iteration of WestBrew will bring to downtown Del Mar?
We are striving to thread the needle between being a craft-beer bar first and not forgetting our roots, while offering a first-rate experience and service in a beautiful setting befitting Del Mar. We want to stay approachable and inviting to locals and tourists alike, and welcome people who just want some wings and a beer for a good price, while also offering exciting dishes that pair well with our beers and wine. Del Mar is made better by great local businesses that take pride in their craft. We hope to do that on our corner!
WestBrew Del Mar is located at 1435 Camino Del Mar