LuckyBolt Launches "The Lounge" to Nourish San Diego After Dark

For over a decade, LuckyBolt Kitchen + Bakery has been a pillar of Sorrento Valley's wellness and slow food scene, known for its farm-to-table "everyday fare" and meal prep delivery service. Now, founder Kris Schlesser is ushering in a new chapter, inviting San Diegans to slow down and connect after hours with the launch of The Lounge at LuckyBolt.

Officially opening on Wednesday, October 22nd, right next door to the original café and bakery, The Lounge is a carefully crafted third space designed for community, conversation, and unhurried nourishment.

The Lounge draws on the same core philosophy that built the LuckyBolt brand: simplicity, hospitality, and a commitment to food that is clean, cravenable, and directly sourced from local farms.

Schlesser designed The Lounge to be an antidote to the "frenetic energy of the Modern Age."

"The dimensions of the space immediately reminded me of places where I used to hang out in New York and San Francisco, these small neighborhood eateries and bars where you’re just happy to be," Schlesser explains. "When you visit The Lounge, we want you to naturally unplug for a bit and leave with a sense that you’ve tapped into a well of good energy."

To achieve this, the team focused on creating an atmosphere that is "decidedly loungy," paying meticulous attention to lighting, acoustics, and materials to ensure it feels warm, intimate, and relaxing, quite in contrast to the busy freeways running nearby outside.

The menu at The Lounge remains deeply rooted in LuckyBolt's commitment to thoughtful agriculture. By continuing to source directly from trusted regional growers, including Dassi Family Farm, and Schaner Farm, every plate reinforces San Diego’s local food community.

One of their key farm partners is Byron Nkhoma, founder of Hukama Produce, a regenerative farm in Ramona. Nkhoma's commitment to chemical-free farming is so complete that he has to manually pick caterpillars off his greens, a dedication that pays off in flavor.

"You already have plenty of bugs because you're not killing them all off," Nkhoma notes, describing how birds arrived to naturally clear an unexpected swarm of locusts on his land. "And so the birds are coming to eat, which is a natural cycle."

This confidence in the integrity of the ingredients is what allows LuckyBolt to serve food that tastes good and feels good. "This is still LuckyBolt—the same focus on nourishing the community—just with a focus on incorporating the elements of time and physical space into that core principle," says Schlesser.

The Lounge represents a natural evolution for the brand, offering a space where neighbors can find nourishment and respite any time of day. Guests can look forward to a laid-back, ingredient-first evening experience, including:

The concept builds on the success of LuckyBolt's café, in-house bakery (which produces daily batches of fresh sourdough and viennoiserie from original family recipes), and its long-standing mission to connect San Diegans with the farmers who grow their food.