Bakery began making sourdough bread for SLO County restaurant. Now it’s a rising star

Though it started in a supporting role, Grover Beach Sourdough has become a rising star in the South County food scene.

Launched by Jacob and Brooke Town, who opened their popular restaurant The Spoon Trade across the street in 2015, the bakery is approaching its second year of operation on West Grand Avenue.

To find the cozy spot, just look for the sign with the black crow — a nod to Grover Beach’s ubiquitous avian residents.

Freshly baked sourdough bread has always been a hallmark of The Spoon Trade’s menu. It’s a treasured part of the restaurant’s story that began before the Towns even found a location for their business.

The couple moved back to Grover Beach after gaining considerable experience in several of San Francisco’s fine dining establishments.

It was a homecoming for both. Brooke Town had grown up in the area, and she and Jacob met while working at the Cracked Crab restaurant in Shell Beach.

The Towns knew they wanted to open a farm-to-table restaurant in San Luis Obispo County, so they became frequent visitors to farmers markets.

“We were at the Arroyo Grande market, and spotted some native yeast on blueberries from Two Peas in a Pod (farm),” Jacob Town recalled.

The yeast occurs naturally on most fruit, and is unique to the specific location where the fruit was grown.

Town combined the fresh berries with some flour and water, and, voilà, the signature sourdough starter was born. The rest of the recipe involves certified organic flour and an 18- to 24-hour fermentation.

That extended process is key since “the fermentation distorts, and often breaks, the gluten,” Town noted. As a result, some people with mild gluten intolerance may be able to enjoy Grover Beach Sourdough products.

“Bread gets a bad rap,” Town said, “but it’s a different product when you care about how you make it and what you make it with.”

Not surprisingly, the freshly baked sourdough was met with delight by The Spoon Trade’s patrons. It wasn’t long before demand started to strain the kitchen’s limited space.

Then a spot opened up right across the street from the restaurant, giving rise to Grover Beach Sourdough.

While a retail store front was always in the plan, the location was first used for baking the restaurant’s breads, biscuits, waffles and some desserts.

As the fledgling business grew, an accomplished staff fell into place: Drew Araujo, Jesse Stenberg and Meghan Bruenning-Van Artsdalen.

That allowed more items to be added to the baking lineup, such as bagels, pretzels, coffee cakes, challah and hand pies — as well as rotating sourdough flavors.

One of the most popular recent additions is the Saturday pizza special that’s giving deep dish a new meaning.

It starts with a sourdough loaf rolled out to a 12-inch by 2-inch round, then topped with your choice of veggies or sausage, sauce and cheese. The end result weighs in at about six-and-a-half pounds and can feed six to eight people.

Only 10 pizzas are made each week; pre-orders are due by Thursday.

In addition to relieving the baking demands on The Spoon Trade kitchen, Grover Beach Sourdough has become a community gathering place in its own right.

Several tables have been added for customers to enjoy light lunches of sandwiches, salads and soups, as well as biscuits and gravy, frittatas and waffles.

“We’re pretty happy with what we’ve created in this little corner of Grover Beach,” Brooke Town said. “We’ve really tried to listen to the community, not just because they’re our customers, but because they’re our neighbors!”

Grover Beach Sourdough

236 West Grand Ave., Grover Beach

805-668-2256 or www.gbsourdough.com

Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily

The scene: A retail storefront combined with a cozy café.

The cuisine: An array of freshly baked items, especially sourdough products, plus sandwiches, soups, salads, frittatas and waffles. Check the website and social media for current specials and rotating flavor options.

Expect to spend: Most baked goods start at $3, sourdough loaves $3 and $8, lunch items $4 to $12, pizzas $40.

This story was originally published March 11, 2020 at 5:00 AM.