Breaking bread at Bird Rock’s new Wayfarer Bread & Pastry

On the heels of raising nearly $10,000 over her goal amount for a Kickstarter campaign that ended in April, Crystal White has been working furiously to open the first brick and mortar shop for her business, Wayfarer Bread & Pastry.

A dream of hers since she was 11 years old, White opened the doors to her new bakery in Bird Rock in May after previous posts at Tartine bakery in San Francisco and co-founding Proof Bakery in Los Angeles. Her breads are naturally fermented and don’t use any commercial yeast, giving the inside a chewy, custard-like interior, and creating a thick, crusty texture on the exterior.

White saw an energy building in San Diego’s culinary world and decided she wanted to be part of it by launching her new business here. She loves San Diego’s tropical produce, the city’s adventurous eaters and the cultural influence of Mexico. To test the market and various products over the last year, White has held pop-ups every Sunday in Encinitas and Fridays in Ocean Beach, which she will continue indefinitely.

Her Bird Rock shop will continue to serve a few wholesale clients, such as Charles + Dinorah, Kindred and The Vegetable Shop at Chino Farm, which, she said, are all like-minded businesses that serve a small volume. Walk-in customers can choose from among the bakery’s housemade breads, pastries, breakfast sandwiches and coffee from Ironsmith Coffee Roasters, as well as lunchtime selections such as salads, sandwiches on fresh-baked bread, beer and wine.

Wayfarer Bread & Pastry is set for a grand opening celebration on June 2.

Wayfarer Bread, 5525 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla, wayfarerbread.com

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