On Monday, in an email from representatives of Artisanal Brewers Collective to West Coaster staff regarding The Bell Marker brewpub in downtown San Diego, a representative stated: “We have actually parted ways with the location of the bell marker [sic]. There is a new restaurant going in that space called Owl Drug Company.” This led us to believe that Artisanal Brewers Collective had let go of the space altogether and that the brewpub was closed, but readers reported it being open as recently as yesterday. Today, any confusion was cleared up via a press release stating that the restaurant itself is being rebranded to the new Owl Drug Co. Social Eating House concept, while the on-site brewery will continue to operate under the name The Bell Marker with its current brewing team intact.
“We can’t wait to share the updated space and new menu with our guests,” says Jason Kong, who will serve as owner and operator of Owl Drug Co., while Artisanal Brewers Collective will continue to operate the site’s brewery component. Kong says the new name of the venue is a nod to the business that called it home in the early 20th century. “We are all about making genuine connections with local residents as well as welcoming in travelers to show them what a great city San Diego is to call home. I absolutely fell in love with this city when I moved here years ago, so out of respect for what existed here before, we decided to honor the history of our new space by going back to its original name.”
Kong also fell in love with the beers from The Bell Marker. Last January, the brewpub debuted in the north end of downtown’s Gaslamp Quarter. Located at 602 East Broadway in the former home of The Beer Co., the brewpub was the latest in a group owned by Los Angeles-based parent company, Artisanal Brewers Collective, established by Golden Road Brewing co-founder Tony Yarrow. The operation gained buzz by bringing former Pizza Port brewer Noah Regnery back to San Diego after a decade-plus absence. Regnery established The Bell Marker’s opening beer menu before hiring another vaunted Pizza Port alum, award-winning brewer Ignacio “Nacho” Cervantes, to head operations at The Bell Marker.
Cervantes will continue to brew beers to fill the 28 taps at Owl Drug Co., which will have full bar offerings including cocktails and guest beers. The team likens it to the manner in which downtown brewer-equipped restaurant The Local Eatery and Watering Hole operates with its Resident Brewing beers and full guest-beer line-up. On the food side, there will be a new menu consisting mostly of share-able pub food, including pizzas, dips and hot sandwiches. Owl Drug Co. will be open Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. (with karaoke from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. both nights) and 11 a.m. to midnight, Sunday through Thursday.
This article was updated at 11:45 a.m. PST on Tuesday, January 22.