Wild Things Pizza & Beer has suddenly ended its short run in San Diego's Ocean Beach neighborhood and will soon be replaced by a specialty dessert shop named SugaLab.
Joe Galascione and his cousins Nanette Galascione and Gabriel & Samuel Gonzales opened Wild Things Pizza in April 2021 in the space that housed Surf Rider Pizza for more than a decade in Ocean Beach. Surf Rider was previously forced to close in 2020 following the well-publicized fallout after its owner, The Patio Group, was under investigation for its part in a multi-million dollar fraud scheme led by the company's founder, now convicted felon Gina Champion-Cain.Wild Things closed at some point in the past week without any notice or announcement. The space has already been taken over by SugaLab Sweets & Desserts, which will open this February with a rotating menu of specialty ganaches, rum cakes, cupcakes, cookies, muffins, cinnamon buns and more. SugarLab is the product of pastry chef Rachael Musico and Hilary Rossi, who previously operated Surf Rider Pizza in the building before the concept was purchased by The Patio Group.
