This Popular Ice Cream Pop-Up Is Opening Its First Permanent Shop

There’s a saying in business that if you’re not evolving, you’re dying. I personally have a saying that if you’re not eating ice cream, you’re also probably dying, but of sadness.

Scoopy Scoopy doesn’t have either of those problems. The premium ice cream pop-up launched last year with the idea of setting up in coffee shops after hours, helping those businesses maximize their profitability while also avoiding the costs of a brick and mortar. But it turns out, a lot of people in Leucadia really like ice cream—so much so that Scoopy Scoopy decided to open their own scoop shop in the same building as Moto Deli and Cadence Cyclery (in the former Queenstage Coffee House space) on July 8.

Evolving doesn’t mean leaving the old ways behind. Zach Zien, who runs Scoopy with his partner Steven Segal and wife Sophia, says they will continue to pursue the shared space model on weekends at Coffee Coffee in Leucadia through the summer and are still open to popping up at other venues. “That’s still a core part of our business,” he says. But with steady demand in the Encinitas area, it gave them the confidence to put down roots of their own. 

“People have really welcomed us and we’ve been well-received,” he explains. “We think this is the market to succeed in.”

The super-premium ice cream is still sourced from Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream in Wisconsin, but instead of the eight flavors they’re limited to for popups, the permanent storefront will be able to offer 12. “There will be three or four that regularly rotate, with probably eight staples that are our best sellers,” says Zien, pointing to flavors like peanut butter, oatmeal cookie, and the alternating vegan options. They’ll also be able to fill pints to order, something they haven’t been able to do in the past. 

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Currently, Moto Deli closes at 4 p.m. daily, but once Scoopy Scoopy is up and running, it will offer beer and wine until 8 p.m. for a shared drinks-and-dessert Happy Hour. “We’re hoping to get a food truck vendor on regular rotation to have food options available after hours as well,” says Zien. 

The spontaneity of pop-ups can be as exciting as it is efficient. But when it comes to ice cream, I like knowing exactly when and where I can get a scoop—before the sadness kicks in. 

Scoopy Scoopy soft opens on July 8 at 190 N. Coast Hwy 101 in Encinitas. Initial operating hours are Wednesday and Thursday, noon to 8 p.m.; and Friday through Sunday, noon to 9 p.m. (subject to change). 

San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events

Cold Smoke BBQ Is San Diego’s Newest Meat-Centric MEHKO

Speaking of pop-ups, San Diego’s culinary entrepreneurs keep ramping things up with more concepts launching every week. But after a parade of pastry prodigies and brilliant breadmakers, it might be nice to sink your teeth into something with a bit of protein. (Shoutout to all my carboholic brethren out there.) 

Jim Adamski is joining the ever-swelling ranks of MEHKO (Micro Enterprise Home Kitchen) businesses alongside the likes of The Hidden Gazebo Eatery in Lemon Grove and Warung RieRie in Serra Mesa with his new venture, Cold Smoke BBQ. He’s not following a specific regional barbecue style like Central Texas, Kansas City, or St. Louis—he’s driven by whatever inspires him at the time (or, whatever he’s craving). He’s also not following a specific schedule. “My loose plans are weekends… then eventually maybe during the week,” he says. His menu and pick-up schedule get updated regularly, with pre-orders available to pick up from his house in 4S Ranch. So far, he says the dry-rubbed ribs and rib tips have been the best-sellers. But if you absolutely can’t resist adding a bread-adjacent item, you’re still in luck—he’s got cornbread.   

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Beth’s Bites

• If I could put together a Dream Team of pastry collaborators, it would be this one. Her Table & Friends is a local community of women makers, bakers, chefs, and artists in San Diego telling stories, cooking meals, and otherwise celebrating one another through the lens of food. Their next drop is called The Birthday Table, a limited-edition box of goodies from Jackie Naranjo (Matcha y Miel), Kelly Kim (Mon Chourie), Arely Chavez (Amor Ice Cream), and Faith Arco (The Clovery). Limited to just 40 boxes by pre-order only, each contains four pastries, a mini zine, story card, sticker, and limited art print. I suggest you get yours while the gettin’s good. 
• Denny’s in Point Loma, we hardly knew you. Just kidding—the location on the corner of Rosecrans and Jarvis Street had been open for over 60 years before its unexpected closure last week. I’m not a huge Denny’s fan, but I can appreciate the melancholy of those who now have to West Point Loma Boulevard to get their Moons Over My Hammy fix. 
• In case you missed Bica’s tuna takedown or the endless tuna extravaganza at Lumi by Akira Back, there’s still more where those tuna-tastic events came from. Herb & Sea is breaking down a whole fish every Thursday until tuna season is over, and on July 16, Noir Sushi & Sake Fusion will break down not one, not two, but a 300-lb. Atlantic bluefin tuna coming from the Balearic Sea off the coast of Spain. Sounds toro-lly great to me.

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