In a town already brimming with coffee shops, Spill the Beans Coffee + Bagels has created a niche with its unique, California-style bagels, homemade dishes and welcoming, family-friendly vibes.
With the recent opening of its Pacific Beach location, locals now have a “dope way to start their day.”
The fourth in the chain opened in late December, in the historic Dunaway Building at the corner of Garnet Avenue and Cass Street.
With branding based on its Pot Head Coffee logo (a giant black coffee pot) and fun signage encouraging patrons to “get roasted” and “get toasted,” fans love not only the food, but the quirky vibes.
However, Chef Karina Orozco is quick to point out the fun cannabis or pot references are all in jest.
“We’re influenced, but not infused,” Orozco said. “There is no weed in any of our products.”
Spill the Beans is owned by a small group of friends and partners, including Dave Jones, Kevin Templeton and Aron Langellier.
Regional manager Conner Nerat said the owners wanted to use their own experiences and knowledge when forming the criteria for Spill the Beans, including “an energetic vibe to start people’s day, upbeat music, a fun environment and having a great experience.”
They also wanted to fill a void in the coffee shop space, by offering something completely different, such as bagels. From there, Templeton and Orozco created its California-style bagels.
“Our California-style bagels are sweeter than most, bigger than most (and) don’t have the chew,” she said. “They are fluffier and less dense than a traditional bagel.”
The bagels are made with just five ingredients — water, brown sugar, yeast, flour and salt. The dough is boiled in agave syrup, which Orozco said adds a layer of sweetness.
Although she said the bagel recipe was created based on a lot of trial and error and tweaks, the final recipe was created “on a whim.”
“We had a TV news segment and I didn’t have anything really ready,” she said. “I went through my notes, showed up with the bagels and we just knew they were the ones.”
At $4.20 each, the menu includes nearly a dozen “Roll Your Own” bagel choices, ranging from Plain Jane to Sun-dried Tomato & Cheese, Bacon & White Cheddar and Serrano, Habanero & Jack Cheese.
A variety of artisan compounded butters and handmade cream cheeses can be added to the bagels. Gluten-free options are available.
The Breakfast and All Day Sandos, which can be ordered on a bagel or baked bun, include fan favorites such as the San Dieggo — with thick cut peppered bacon, over-medium fried eggs, slices of American and pepper jack cheeses and cayenne aioli. The McLovin’ features sausage patties, scrambled eggs, American cheese and maple butter.
Assorted bowls include chia island, chia berry and loaded oatmeal, with a variety of options. Like the bagels, their signature coffee, Pot Head brand, was also based on trial and error.
“We found our groove. It’s well roasted, basic and satisfying and you can enjoy it by itself,” Orozco said.
Spill the Beans offers handcrafted, hot or iced specialty lattes, iced and hot teas, Blaze energy drinks and selection of juices.
For Valentine’s Day, the shop is offering a drink and a food special.
“We are known for our heart-shaped You Are My Everything bagels,” Orozco said. The unique bagel made its debut in 2018 and “now that people have seen it, they look forward to it.”
“The heart-shaped bagel is a gentle and affordable way to show someone that you care and is a cute surprise that is easy and thoughtful,” Jones added.
A chocolate-covered strawberry latte will be offered as a special drink on Feb. 14. See below for recipe.
Although not heart shaped, the Pizza My Heart — a pizza-flavored bagel — is the February special.
For the walk-in cafe, diners order at the counter. Their freshly-prepared food is then brought to their table.
The cafe has indoor seating and an outdoor patio. Patrons are welcome to sit and stay awhile. Pets are also welcome with complimentary “pup cups.”
“We want to create neighborhood destinations that are local and family friendly,” Jones said. “We want to hang onto the premise of meeting your friends and eating together.
“We tried to put our spins on core, recognizable flavor; we’re comfortable in that space. We were pleasantly surprised when it just took off,” Jones said. “We’ve created a niche for ourselves. It’s been wonderful and led to our expansion.”
The first Spill the Beans opened in the Gaslamp Quarter in 2017, the second at Seaport Village in 2020 and the Mission Valley shop opened in December 2023. An Ocean Beach location is scheduled to open this spring.
“We picked the PB location specifically because we want to connect more with the PB community and solidify the ties we already have here,” Nerat said. “PB has been great for us so far.
“It’s a full circle moment for a lot of us, since so many of us got our start in the restaurant industry in PB,” he added.
Previously, Nerat worked at Better Buzz in Pacific Beach and the SeaWorld culinary department.
Jones worked at El Torito and Dave & Buster’s in Mission Valley, and has been the Verant Group’s director of operations for several decades, where he operated the Sandbar, Tavern, barleymash, Mavericks Beach Club, bar Ella, The Smoking Gun and Hasta Manana Cantina, to name a few.
Orozco also worked at barleymash, as well as the Underbelly in North Park and Coronado Brewing Company in Imperial Beach.
Having grown Spill the Beans from a single location to four-soon-to-be-five “fills my heart with joy,” Orozco said.
“We’re going on eight years and I sometimes feel like I’m in a dream,” she said. “It’s hard to believe that something I’ve created has expanded so big — I feel like I am where I need to be.”
While the owners want to open more locations, they are taking it slow.
“We’re committed to growing organically and taking our time,” Jones said. “We want to build this brand into something special that our kids can be proud of and (where) everyone is still having fun coming to work..
“We’re here to laugh and sing and have fun and get a damn good coffee along the way,” Jones said.
Want to visit?
Spill the Beans
Address: 980 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach
Website: spillthebeanssd.com
Phone: 858-352-6440
Hours: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Hours will expand in February.
Good to know: they are hiring for the Pacific Beach and Ocean Beach locations. For details, email [email protected]
Recipe for Spill the Beans’ Chocolate-covered Strawberry Latte
Ingredients:
• 1.5 fluid oz. of your favorite strawberry simple syrup
• 1.5 fluid oz. of dark chocolate sauce
• 2 oz. shot of espresso
• Milk (at least 1 cup)
• Ice
• Freeze-dried strawberries
• Recommended alternatives for strawberry syrup and chocolate sauce are Liquid Alchemist Strawberry Cocktail Syrup and Monin Dark Chocolate Sauce.
• Espresso alternative is 2 oz. of cold brew concentrate. Another option is 8 oz. of regular cold brew plus 2 oz. of creamer in lieu of milk.
Directions:
1 – In a 16 oz. cup, add strawberry simple syrup and dark chocolate sauce (and don’t forget to add a chocolate drizzle around your cup.)
2 – Add espresso into your cup and mix well. (If you do not have an espresso machine, see alternatives above).
3 – Fill your cup half way with the milk of your choice and stir to combine. (For a more indulgent flavor, we recommend using whole milk.)
4 – Add ice to your cup, and garnish with freeze-dried strawberries.
Want to make your drink even more dope? Add Chocolate-covered Strawberry Cold Foam.
1 – In a glass, add 0.5 oz. of strawberry simple syrup, 0.5 oz. of dark chocolate sauce and a small pinch of salt. Add a ½ C. of your choice of milk into the glass. We recommend using nonfat milk to get the best foam texture.
2 – Using a milk frother, aerate the milk for 30-45 seconds or until it has turned into a silky cold foam.
3 – For the finishing touch, garnish with freeze-dried strawberries.
Courtesy of Spill the Beans
