New Pizza Joint Coming to Voltaire Street in Ocean Beach

Ellie’s Wood-Fired Pizza Opening at 4852 Voltaire

SanDiegoVille / September 6, 2024

Ellie’s Wood-Fired Pizza, a family-owned eatery specializing in Neapolitan-style pizza, is expanding from Yuma, AZ to San Diego’s Ocean Beach neighborhood.

After operating successfully in Yuma for three years, Ellie’s Wood-Fired Pizza is set to open in the space previously occupied by The Holistic Science Company in Ocean Beach. Husband-and-wife owners Doug and Kailey Jo Valdez, along with their dog Ellie, are excited to bring their passion for wood-fired pizza to San Diego.

The inspiration for the business began in 2017 when the couple fell in love with Neapolitan-style pizza while visiting breweries in Long Beach, CA. Although their initial idea of combining a brewery with a pizza shop didn’t materialize, they decided to focus on perfecting the pizza concept and opened their first location in Arizona in 2021.

The menu at Ellie’s Wood-Fired Pizza will feature a range of creative pizzas, including a signature elote pizza with a chili oil base made from guajillo chiles, garlic, and coffee grounds. Other offerings include Margherita, pepperoni, sausage, Alfredo, applewood smoked bacon & jalapeño, and rotating weekly specials such as hatch chile chicken pizza and wood-fired wings. The dough is cold-fermented for 2-4 days, resulting in a light, airy crust cooked in a wood-fired oven fueled by oak.

In addition to pizza, Ellie’s will offer a selection of beverages, including glass-bottled sodas like Coca-Cola, Sprite, and Fanta. The restaurant will feature outdoor seating where patrons can watch their pizzas being prepared and cooked on-site. The space will also have an onsite plant store. Ownership is committed to giving back to the community, with plans to offer a “pizza a day” giveaway to surprise one customer daily with a free meal.

Ellie’s Wood-Fired Pizza is designed to feel like a cozy, casual space reminiscent of a friend’s home, with 50s, 60s, and 70s furniture décor. The approximately 1,200-square-foot indoor space and 1,200-square-foot outdoor area will create a welcoming environment for both diners and their dogs, as the restaurant is dog-friendly, being it is named after the owners’ pup.

Ellie’s Wood-Fired Pizza is anticipated to open the weekend of September 13 at 4852 Voltaire Street in San Diego’s Ocean Beach. For more information, follow Ellie’s on Instagram.