A new hybrid restaurant concept, Wildflour Delicatessen, is poised for a soft opening on Feb. 28 and a grand opening on March 7 in Arts District Liberty Station.
It is the latest culinary venture from 42-year-old award-winning chef Phillip Esteban, a National City native. Wildflour combines numerous culinary concepts – a bakery, deli, coffee shop, and fast-casual dining – under one roof. Mixed with the local Southern California vibe, Wildflour brings something refreshing to the local culinary scene.
“I’ve been in the restaurant industry 25 years and have traveled to work in New York, Los Angeles, and Mexico, all the hottest restaurants at the time,” said Esteban of his “apprenticeship.” He added, “I knew I had to leave San Diego to gain deeper experience and knowledge. So I did that until I came back. It helped propel me to all the things I’m doing now.”
The chef planned to open a fine dining concept before Wildflour. But the pandemic got in the way altering his original plans.
What’s different about Wildflour? “It’s a hybrid, basically an all-day eatery inspired by coastal European and Baja cuisine combined with the spirit of Southern California,” answered Esteban. “Our slogan is locally sourced, made to be shared and open to all.”
Wildflour will have coffee from Provecho Coffee in Barrio Logan, locally sourced baked goods, and fresh bread. “In terms of Wildflour’s style, I would say it’s more local and fresh,” noted Esteban. “It’s meant to be simple, not overly fussy, something that’s easygoing, but with bold and strong flavors.”
Influenced by bodegas (small grocery stores) in New York City, Esteban wanted to export that vibe to San Diego. “We don’t have that culture here,” he noted adding, “I wanted to do something along those lines. So I came up with an all-day eatery with a deli component that includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner along with coffee and cocktails. We’re hyper-focused on those pieces.”
Esteban noted his soft opening on the weekend of March 1-2 will be followed on Monday, March 3 with a 20% discount that day. He said the grand opening will be Friday, March 7. He added that Wildflour will be decorated with balloons and party décor for the occasion.
Noting he has about 70 employees now in all his various culinary pursuits, Esteban was quick to reply when asked what’s next for him. “After this opening, I’m just going to settle in and have some time to reset,” he concluded.
WILDFLOUR DELICATESSEN
Where: 2690 Historic Decatur Rd., Suite 103, in Liberty Station
Hours: Open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Contact: returntothewild.com, 619-310-5246.
CHEF ESTEBAN
Born and raised in National City, Phillip Esteban is an award-winning chef who has traveled the world to hone his culinary art form. Those travels have included stops along both East and West coasts in Los Angeles and New York City, where he had the opportunity to broaden his culinary repertoire. Upon returning to San Diego, he saw an opportunity to marry and utilize his broad experience by drawing from the memories, flavors, colors, and diversity of Filipino food to explore his own story.
Estaban is the owner of Working Class Catering, a San Diego-based company specializing in in-office catering. His resume includes David Chang’s Momofuku in New York City; Cork & Craft in San Diego; and R&D chef of CH Projects. Esteban opened his casual Filipino eatery, White Rice, in Liberty Station during the pandemic. He was named Chef of the Year by San Diego Magazine in 2020, and Changemaker of the Year by Eater in 2021. More than a decade in the making, Esteban’s dream of opening an all-day restaurant concept is coming to fruition with the impending opening of California-style deli Wildflour Delicatessen in Liberty Station at the end of February.
