North County’s pasta scene is about to get a serious upgrade. This April, Pastaria Vivi will open inside Encinitas’ Village Shopping Center — bringing a chef-driven fresh pasta counter, Italian specialty market, and curated wine shop to the neighborhood.
The concept centers on handcrafted pasta made daily, seasonal sauces, and thoughtfully sourced ingredients, all rooted in Northern Italian cooking traditions and shaped by the agricultural bounty of California.
At its heart, Pastaria Vivi is designed to make restaurant-quality pasta accessible for home cooks while also offering a relaxed place to gather over a bowl of tagliatelle or a glass of wine.
COURTESY BRYNN SMITH
Pastaria Vivi is led by co-founders Brandon Jennings and William Treff, alongside Chef Harrison Axelrod—a team whose collective résumé spans some of the most respected dining rooms in the country.
Jennings and Treff first met while working at the acclaimed No. 9 Park in Boston under the Barbara Lynch Group. Their careers later took them through Michelin-recognized kitchens and internationally known restaurants, including Lazy Bear in San Francisco, Tao Group Hospitality venues around the world, and Mille Fleurs in Rancho Santa Fe, where Jennings helped maintain the restaurant’s Michelin Guide recognition.
Now reunited in Encinitas, the team is channeling decades of fine-dining experience into a concept that feels both elevated and approachable.
Their vision: a neighborhood pastaria where high-level technique meets everyday cooking.
COURTESY BRYNN SMITH
Each morning, Pastaria Vivi’s kitchen will produce a rotating lineup of fresh pasta shapes made in small batches.
Expect classics like tagliatelle, pappardelle, farfalle, tortellini, and stuffed ravioli, alongside extruded vegan and gluten-free varieties. These will be paired with housemade sauces ranging from slow-simmered Bolognese and heirloom tomato marinara to seasonal ragùs and roasted garlic alfredo.
In total, guests will be able to mix and match from more than 75 pasta-and-sauce combinations, making it easy to bring a restaurant-level meal home.
For those who prefer to dine in, Pastaria Vivi will also offer a small à la carte menu featuring dishes such as 40-yolk tagliatelle with black truffle, pappardelle Bolognese, heirloom tomato bucatini, and fresh cannoli, served at a communal table, pasta bar, or outdoor patio.
Beyond the pasta itself, the space is designed to function as a hybrid of neighborhood restaurant and Italian specialty market.
Guests will find shelves stocked with imported pantry staples, olive oils, charcuterie, cheeses, grains, and housemade focaccia, along with artisan ceramics sourced from Tuscany. The wine selection will feature bottles from both Italy and California, curated to pair naturally with the kitchen’s menu.
The shop will also carry custom chef’s knives from Oceanside-based maker Maëknives, along with a range of specialty ingredients meant to inspire cooking at home.
Pastaria Vivi will also become the first retail destination for Aisu Creamery, the small-batch gelato brand from Makoto Chino of Rancho Santa Fe’s legendary Chino Farm.
Previously available only at the farmstand and select restaurants, Aisu’s gelato will now be available for takeaway inside the market.
Recognizing the growing demand for gluten-free options, Pastaria Vivi is building a dedicated prep space specifically for gluten-free pasta production. This separate kitchen area will allow the team to create gluten-free pasta without cross-contamination — a rare feature among fresh pasta shops.
COURTESY BRYNN SMITH
For those looking to bring the experience home regularly, the team is also launching The Vivi Pasta Box, a chef-curated monthly subscription featuring fresh pasta, seasonal sauces, focaccia, and specialty ingredients.
Each box will include recipe cards and rotating combinations designed to showcase what’s coming out of the kitchen that month.
Pastaria Vivi already has plans to deepen its craft even further. In 2027, the team intends to install a dedicated flour milling room with a traditional stone mill, allowing them to produce freshly milled flour for pasta made entirely in-house.
It’s another step toward what the founders see as the ultimate goal: bringing the full pasta-making process under one roof.
More than just a pasta shop, Pastaria Vivi aims to create a welcoming neighborhood destination where cooking, dining, and community intersect.
As Jennings puts it, great food isn’t just about flavor — it’s about bringing people together. With fresh pasta made daily and a market built around quality ingredients, Pastaria Vivi hopes to do exactly that for Encinitas and the broader North County community.
Opening: April 2026
Location: Encinitas Village Shopping Center
Instagram: @pastariavivi
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