The new restaurant will take over the space at 698 North Coast Highway 101, the former home of A Little Moore Café, which closed less than a year after reopening in early 2025 following internal disputes between its ownership group. The fully built-out restaurant has remained vacant since late last year, positioning Coast Thai-Way as the next operator to step into one of Leucadia’s more visible commercial storefronts.
Coast Thai-Way is led by restaurateur Stella Bayphouthongkham, who also operates Mekong Cuisine Lao & Thai in San Diego’s Convoy District, an area widely regarded as the region’s hub for Asian dining. With the Leucadia project, Bayphouthongkham is expanding into coastal North County with a concept that blends traditional Lao and Thai recipes with a lighter, Southern California-influenced approach.
According to details shared by the business, the menu will feature a mix of familiar Thai dishes alongside lesser-known Lao specialties, offering an entry point for new diners while introducing flavors that remain underrepresented outside of communities like City Heights and Convoy. Dishes are expected to incorporate locally sourced and seasonal ingredients, with an emphasis on quality proteins and produce.
The proximity to the coast is also expected to influence the menu, with a greater focus on seafood preparations compared to the group’s existing restaurant. The concept aims to balance accessibility with authenticity, reflecting both Bayphouthongkham’s cultural background and the expectations of a Leucadia audience that has traditionally skewed toward casual coastal fare.
In addition to food, Coast Thai-Way is pursuing a beer and wine license, with a temporary permit already issued by the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control as of mid-March 2026. The license structure indicates plans for on-site dining with alcoholic beverage service, aligning with the sit-down restaurant format envisioned for the space.
Coast Thai-Way is expected to open this summer at 698 North Coast Highway 101 in San Diego's North County city of Encinitas. For more information, follow @coastthaiway on Instagram.
Originally published on April 9, 2026. Information first reported by Beth Demmon of San Diego Magazine.