The Back Bay Cafe is reopening in Los Osos — and a popular SLO coffeehouse will run it
More changes are coming to Baywood this week as Nautical Bean coffee shop owner Brett Jones announced the family-owned company will take over the operation of the Back Bay Cafe that has been closed for some time.
The bayside coffee shop has been part of the Lee family’s enterprises in Baywood and a favorite hangout for locals for the past few years. Since the passing of founder Bill Lee earlier this year, several of the family enterprises have, understandingly, been shuttered.
The cafe is now owned by Bill’s daughter Katie Lee.
Asked about a timeline, Jones said that while all terms have been agreed to, no lease has been signed yet. He expects it will take just over two months to do tenant improvements at the small cafe on Second Street, across from the Baywood Pier. The cafe offers outdoor and sheltered bistro tables overlooking the back bay.
The cafe is “too small to offer our full menu,” Jones said. But he plans to open around the first of the year with a more limited menu including breakfast items and serving until about 2 p.m.
”After that, there are plenty of choices in Baywood for food and drink,” he said. That includes the new High Street Deli that is packing people in for lunch and popular Beerwood, 2nd St Cafe and Nardonne’s.
Nautical Bean has two locations in San Luis Obispo and a strong following around town.
”We’ve been doing this for 19 years,” Jones said. That includes the whole family who works at the stores, he said, Mom, Dad and three kids.
It’s clear that Baywood/Los Osos is excited about the new coffee place in town. Jones’ post on Facebook Thursday already had 215 comments by midday.
The announcement of the coffeehouse’s rebirth comes one week after another Baywood business, the Merrimaker bar, reopened up the street. The bar had been closed since the pandemic hit.
Locals still wonder what will happen to Lee’s flagship fine dining restaurant, the Blue Heron, which has also been closed since Bill Lee’s death.
John Lindt is the editor of Sierra2thesea.net.