Heading into the 2,250-square-foot space previously occupied by a flower shop at 8323 La Mesa Boulevard in La Mesa is Fourpenny House - a public house based on traditional Scottish taverns, featuring a menu centered around a wood-fired oven and house-brewed beers, hard ciders and kombuchas.
Fourpenny House is the brainchild of owner & master brewer Peter Soutowood, a former architect-turned-restaurateur with a passion for baking and brewing who was inspired by the historic pubs he visited on numerous trips to Scotland. Soutowood has partnered with general manager and brewer Khalid Kyler, an Englishman with a passion for beer and service who has experience interning at many San Diego breweries, from Societe to Hess Brewing.
"Welcoming all ages, Fourpenny House will provide a comfortable spot by the fire, good food, and house-made drinks to please all palates," explained Soutowood. "As a brewpub, we will have a full brewery in the back of the space, making our own beers, hard ciders, and kombuchas."
With a wood-fired oven in the kitchen, Fourpenny House will offer a menu of house-made breads, pizzas, and baked goods. The menu will be simple and constantly rotating with the seasons. Core items include spent-grain bread, made in-house with the leftover grains from the brewing process, pizza with house-made sourdough crust, and Scottish shortbread made from an old and secret family recipe. Fourpenny will also offer sandwiches, salads, cheese and charcuterie plates, seasonal soups, and simple bar snacks. The house beers will lean more toward European styles, with Scottish red ales, stouts, Belgian beers, lagers, and herb-infused pale ales. The house cider will be dry and feature in-season fruits and herbs, as will their kombucha. The bar will also feature whiskeys, bourbons, and other liquors by the glass and in tasting flights.
"The name Fourpenny comes from a tiny town north of Inverness in the Scottish Highlands," continued Soutowood. "On a recent trip with my mother and daughter, I kept seeing that name on the map and it stuck in my head and has a nice ring to it. We call ourselves a house because it truly is a public house, and hospitality is the cornerstone of our culture. Our brand identity is heritage, harvest, and heart, and this is reflected in everything from the design to the food to the service."
The building housing Fourpenny was originally built in 1929 and housed a dry goods store. Owners will be sandblasting the walls back to bare and returning the facade to its original finish, complete with copper window trim on the large corner windows. The design is meant to be reminiscent of a Scottish farmhouse, with whitewash and stone - "a place where you can come in with muddy boots, have an honest pint, and laugh with friends," said Soutowood.
As a nod to the Fourpenny name, there will be plenty of copper accents throughout the space, and there will also be a traditional wood-burning fireplace up front for guests to cozy up to for a bite and a pint. The fireplace will face outward to the street to invite people inside. The interior layout includes a large bar, high-bar seating, loose seating up front, and booths along one wall. In the back of the space will sit the Baker's Table, a large custom table for groups and special events. The one outdoor feature is a spectacular entry door, which is where the only signage will hang.
Fourpenny is anticipated to open by this summer. For more information, visit fourpennyhouse.com or follow on Facebook at facebook.com/fourpennyhouse.
