A Little Moore Café lives to see another day in the coastal community of Encinitas. After 30 years in business, the old-school diner on Coast Highway closed earlier this year when its landlord opted out of renewing its lease to make way for incoming cannabis dispensaries.
The Coast News first reported that the beloved eatery was purchased from longtime owners, the Han family, by Deon Dickey and Andy Vasquez. What Now San Diego caught up with Dickey and Vasquez to hear more about A Little Moore Café in its new era.
“Long story short,” Dickey starts, “Andy and I are both born and raised in Encinitas. We met in elementary school and had been going to A Little Moore Café for years. We were sad to hear it was going away and with us being two locals, we wanted to carry on the business.”
With no option to continue the business in its original space on Coast Highway, the two are now in the process of finding a new home to continue the legacy of A Little Moore Café. While Dickey and Vasquez realize the great trust they have put in their community, purchasing a business without a set place to land it, the new owners have linked up with other local businesses to operate as a pop-up restaurant as they search for real estate.
A Little Moore Café has been rebranded under Dickey and Vasquez, who are getting the feel for turning the diner into a mobile eatery, partnering with Leucadian Bar to reconnect with regulars of the cafe and introduce themselves to new diners.
Dickey and Vasquez understand the need to appeal to a large audience in the busy San Diego market, taking notes from other local pop-up restaurants that are successfully transitioning to brick-and-mortar spaces like Copper Kings Burgers. “We’ve watched what Copper Kings has done in our community and that has been great motivation. We know our roots are deep enough to keep this business going, hopefully for another 15-20 years,” Vasquez shares.
With a new look and new operators, A Little Moore Café will be hosting another pop-up event at Leucadian Bar on Sunday, July 30th. Regulars of the original restaurant will find some of their favorite dishes but some updates to the menu are coming. “We’re not here to change everything but elevate the food and service, and put our own twist on things,” explains Dickey. Its menu will feature breakfast and brunch options, with Leucadia Bar offering select drink pairings for some dishes. All ages are welcome to partake in the rebooted restaurant, with an Under 21 Zone available at the bars outdoor area.
A Little Moore Café plans to take their time in their search for the perfect space in the area to settle. Stay updated with their pop-up schedule by following A Little Moore Café on Instagram.
