SOLANA BEACH — Since opening last year in Solana Beach, Chauncey’s Pizza & Bar has been making a name for itself with tried and true sourdough pizza and a lively, welcoming atmosphere in a beloved location along the 101 corridor.
Run by Richard Daly, Chauncey’s Pizza offers an array of pies, wings, sandwiches, burgers, salads, and pastas, plus a full bar with craft cocktails and draft beers.
Prior to opening Chauncey’s in early 2025, Daly co-ran another pizza eatery in downtown San Jose called 4th Street Pizza for 16 years, which also specialized in sourdough pies. In 2022, 4th Street was forced to close when the building was sold.
Daly moved to Carlsbad and began looking for a place in North County to open a new restaurant. He found the space at 221 North Coast Highway 101, which was the longtime home of the Tidewater Tavern that closed in 2023.
“I love North County. I’m really glad I landed here,” Daly said. “I started poking around, this space popped up, and it kind of just worked out … The location is great, and the potential is fantastic.”
While the menu offers several options, the sourdough pizza is the star, with Daly using the same dough recipe and Bay Area supplier as he has for years.
Rather than yeast or other leavening agents used in other breads, sourdough rises thanks to a mix of fermented water, flour, and bacteria that lends the desired tangy flavor.
Sourdough also requires a more labor-intensive process than other types of crusts. Daly gives the dough several days of proofing, or rising, in the refrigerator before shaping it into a crust and allowing it to proof again, and then adding the sauce, cheese, and fresh toppings.
“The rising process creates that good flavor,” he said. “We make dough daily, multiple big batches of big dough. We do a minimum of 48 hours for that fermenting and proofing process.”
The best way to enjoy the pizza is fresh out of the oven, he said, although it can be taken in a to-go box and enjoyed at home.
Chauncey’s, named for Daly’s grandfather, retained much of the existing space while adding some modern upgrades. The space features a large indoor dining area and bar, multiple TVs, and an outdoor patio that welcomes dogs (Daly has two of his own).
Longtime residents will also recognize some nostalgic elements preserved from the Tidewater era, including the building’s diamond-shaped sign, the blue high-top tables and chairs, and the ship porthole windows facing the street.
As a newer business in town, Daly said he knew he would have to work a bit to win people over, but the Solana Beach community has been very welcoming. The restaurant focused on getting off the ground in its first year and is now keen to grow its presence in the community.
“Every day I have nothing but good interaction, good customers,” he said. “We’re always a fun place, and we want to create that environment.”
Chauncey’s is open Tuesday to Sunday and closed on Mondays. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
For more information, visit chaunceyspizza.com.
