After fine-tuning their fresh-made pasta concept over the past five months at the Cardiff Farmers Market, North County chefs and business partners Brandon Jennings and William Treff will open their first brick-and-mortar location on Saturday in Encinitas.
Pastaria Vivi, which specializes in Northern Italian-style handmade pastas, sauces and pantry staples, has opened near Trader Joe’s in the Encinitas Village Shopping Center, at 119 N. El Camino Real, Suite G.
Customers can purchase fresh-made pastas, sauces, focaccia, meatballs, tiramisu and other items to go, or dine on-site at the restaurant’s 12-foot pasta bar, communal table or on the outdoor patio.
Jennings and Treff struck up a friendship years ago when they worked together at a fine-dining restaurant in Boston. They have both worked around the world in Michelin-starred restaurants and trained under James Beard Award-winning chefs.
Jennings moved to Olivenhain a few years ago to serve as executive chef at Milles Fleurs restaurant in Rancho Santa Fe. Ready for a change, he teamed up with his old friend Treff to create Pastaria Vivi. Jennings serves as the company head of operations and Treff is head of food and beverage. They’re joined at their new restaurant by their friend chef Harrison Axelrod, who succeeded Jennings at Milles Fleurs.
The team at Pastaria Vivi in Encinitas, co-founders Brandon Jennings, left, and William Treff, and chef Harrison Axelrod, center. (Kimberly Motos)
“Pastaria Vivi was born from a simple belief that handmade pasta should be part of everyday life, not just a special occasion,” Jennings said in a statement. “Encinitas has such an incredible community of food lovers, and we wanted to create a place where neighbors could walk in, grab something beautiful and delicious to bring home, and feel like they’re eating well without effort.”
The shop’s refrigerated take-home cases offer a mix of housemade pastas and sauces that can be combined in more than 75 ways, with the specialties of the house the spinach and egg striped farfalle pasta with basil pesto and the pappardelle pasta with Bolognese sauce. For dine-in service, there is a daily selection of four pasta plates and specialty items such as house-made burrata, meatballs and prosciutto and desserts.
The fresh pasta case at Pastaria Vivi in Encinitas. (Kimberly Motos)
Pastaria Vivi is also the exclusive retail vendor of Aisu Creamery, the small-batch gelato made by Makoto Chino of Chino Farms in Rancho Santa Fe.
The shop’s grocery area includes a mix of imported Italian and California food and household items, including jarred sauces, cookbooks, Italian ceramic ware, cooking utensils and linens.
Jennings and Treff’s future plans include selling Italian and California wines by the bottle by late summer. And in 2027 they plan to install an in-house stone mill where they can mill their own flour for pasta.
Pastaria Vivi’s hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and noon to 5 p.m. weekends. Visit pastariavivi.com.
Pastaria Vivi co-founder and lead pasta chef William Treff inside the new Encinitas restaurant and shop. (Kimberly Motos)