Andy Vasquez and Deon Dickey are true Encinitas natives, whose parents and grandparents put down roots in the beachside enclave decades ago. “We’re local locals,” laughs Vasquez, explaining that he and Dickey, his business partner, have known each other since elementary school. “We’re some of the few left that have an opportunity to live in the city that we grew up in.”
Dickey says the pair had been looking for business opportunities with one another, open to anything from construction to hospitality. But when they heard their local diner, A Little Moore Café, was closing in 2023, they knew they had to keep its legacy alive.
“We offered to purchase their business name, intellectual property, all that jazz,” explains Vasquez. “We allowed them to close under their own operations and then we announced we’re the new owners, we’re gonna keep it in Leucadia, [and] we’re gonna find a new location.”
That new iteration of A Little Moore Café will open in late spring or early summer at 698 N. Coast Highway 101. Dickey says patrons can expect the same classic vibe at the new location, but freshened up a bit. They even salvaged some original elements—booths, barstools, and even the retro-style bar with attached stools. Vasquez said the main change will be an alcohol license, allowing them to serve breakfast beverages like mimosas, along with beer and wine.
But one thing that will remain the same are the neighbors. When the previous landlord did not renew the leases at the original location, A Little Moore Café wasn’t the only displaced business. Leucadia Barbershop also had to relocate, eventually landing at 698 N. Coast Highway 101. After searching for a location for months, running pop-ups and guest spots at local establishments, Dickey and Vasquez got a call that the suite next to the barbershop’s new location was available. It felt like fate, as did other signs.
“My grandpa bought a house here in the 60s, and he used to eat at A Little Moore Café until he died a couple of years ago,” says Dickey. “We actually closed the deal on his birthday, April 3, last year. We thought that was another calling as to why we should do this. Maybe he was looking out for us.”
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
Ellie’s Wood-Fired Pizza Moves From Yuma to Ocean Beach
After three years of operation in Yuma, Arizona, Ellie’s Wood-Fired Pizza has its sights set on Ocean Beach at 4852 Voltaire Street. The family-owned eatery specializes in Neapolitan-style pizza and will take over the space formerly occupied by The Holistic Science Company. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
Burger Kook Announces Bar Food
If the entirety of Ocean Beach transformed into a single restaurant, it very well might be Burger Kook. It’s made for late-night food runs. It’s a bit greasy, but absolutely delicious at its core. It’s a scrappy startup that just wants to make you happy, but doesn’t promise anything fancy. Simple, honest, and gritty, it’s already beloved by OBecians and has its sights set on more. As previously reported, Burger Kook isn’t completely taking over the space it currently shares with ChickenHeadz at 5026 Newport Avenue, but it is shaking things up a bit.
Chef Pennywise (yes, that’s what he goes by. Like I said, it’s OB) launched Bar Food this month, which he calls an extension of the Burger Kook experience. “People were asking for all sorts of different things like, ‘Oh, you have mozzarella sticks. Do you have this? Do you have that?’” he says. “So I saw an opportunity from a business standpoint.” He says he’ll still have burgers and fries, but add more appetizers like deep fried mac n’ cheese to satiate the munchie crowd.
Burger Kook still offers catering and pop-up services, and he says he hopes to open another dedicated location somewhere in the county in the future. But don’t sleep on what he’s serving now, he says. “Come down and try the food. Seriously, you’ll freak out.”
Beth’s Bites
The beer industry has floundered a bit over recent years, and San Diego hasn’t been immune to the slowdown. But there’s a bright spot on the horizon—specifically, Vista, where The Roadies Brewing aims to open at 1495 Poinsettia Avenue, Unit 148 this spring.
Goodbye, Hoboken, hello Rizers! Rizers Pizza took over the Pacific Beach suite at 1459 Garnet Avenue and is now serving pizza, pasta, subs, salads, and more. Considering it’s across the street from one of my favorite soft serve spots, I might have to check it out…
It’s that time again—when Russian River’s Pliny the Younger appears all too briefly in draft lines and on bottle lists around San Diego. Grab the iconic triple IPA before it’s gone by keeping an eye on social media for quick drops at places like West Coast Smoke & Tap House, Blind Lady Ale House, Neighborhood, and more.
