In July, Harland Brewing announced it would be opening its fifth public venue, a bar and restaurant in San Diego’s north-inland 4S Ranch community. Located in the Del Sur Town Center retail plaza, that 3,400-square-foot space will be designed and hammered into reality with the assistance of recently hired Executive Chef Scott Cannon, who comes to Harland after nine years helming Rancho Bernardo eatery The Cork & Craft. His input and direction will be key as the company looks to build on the success of culinary operations at its two-year-old South Park location, not just in 4S Ranch but at a new kitchen setup at its Scripps Ranch headquarters, The Ocotillo at Harland.
“The Ocotillo is a custom-built kitchen unit equipped with a flat-top, fryers, burners and an oven, which will allow Chef Scotty to create a wide variety of seasonal and specialty items alongside our staples,” says Harland President Anthony Levas. The new structure is permanent, with all utilities hard-lined in from the main building, and will soon be open seven days per week. “This is one more step for us, as we look ahead to building a more well rounded culinary and hospitality experience at retail for our guests.”
Sited on the east side of Harland’s HQ near the entrance to the tasting room, The Ocotillo will debut to the public during the company’s combination anniversary celebration and homage to one of The Philippines’ most en vogue exports, Ube Day. Taking place this Saturday, September 13, the event will feature live music from Through the Roots, a live DJ set, pop-ups from local businesses and a variety of food vendors utilizing the ingredient du jour. Harland’s sixth-anniversary IPA (a West Coast model hopped with Centennial, Strata and Southern Cross) will be on tap along with Southeast Asian-inspired specialties, including Ube Milkshake IPA, Melona Sour (brewed with honeydew, pineapple, coconut and vanilla ice cream), Halo Halo Milkshake IPA (ube, mango, coconut and milk sugar) and Hula Pie Barrel-aged Stout (chocolate, macadamia and vanilla ice cream).
The Ocotoillo’s opening-day menu will be made up of tried-and-true items from Harland’s South Park spot. Those mainstays include a gochujang barbecue pulled pork sandwich, buttermilk fried chicken sammie and smashburger with caramelized onions and special sauce, a pair of salads (a Caesar and meat-and-cheese studded “Tuscany”), and other bites highlighted by a birria quesadilla with chili de arbol consommé and chicken “tendies” served with a variety of dipping sauces. Customers will order from Harland’s main bar, where they will be issued a pager unit that will buzz when their order is ready, at which point they can pick up their food from a window at The Ocotillo structure.
“The Ocotillo at Harland isn’t a traditional kitchen setup, so we had to be creative with preparation methods, ingredient sourcing and execution,” says Cannon. “We looked at what was realistic for the space while still maintaining high-quality, chef-driven food. That meant leaning into techniques that highlight bold flavors, approachable presentations and efficiency without sacrificing craft. The goal was to create something that feels special but still works seamlessly within the brewery setting.”
While different from a restaurant kitchen, The Ocotillo unit allows Cannon to be nimble. When Harland holds special events – something that happens regularly at the Scripps Ranch location – the culinary team will be able to easily swap in event-driven specials and one-day-only menus. This level of adaptability was important and a key reason why Cannon opted to keep The Ocotillo’s menu on the smaller side.
When asked what’s on the horizon for Harland’s culinary operations, Cannon replies, “A couple of ideas we’ve been tossing around are themed nights like Taco Tuesdays, where we feature specialty tacos, and Wing Wednesdays with rotating sauces. Over at South Park, we’re also working to level up our dinner offerings with dishes like roasted pork belly served with herb mashed potatoes, broccoli and a red wine demi-glace, and side dishes like our kung pao Brussels sprouts.”
Over in 4S Ranch, things are coming along slow and steady. Having spent nearly a decade building a fan base in that region, Cannon is excited to reconnect with regulars while taking Harland’s food program to new heights. But before there’s an opening day, there will be Ube Day; one special occasion at a time. Ube Day will take place from 4 to 8 p.m. and tickets are available online.
Harland Brewing’s headquarters is located at 10115 Carroll Canyon Road in Scripps Ranch