Coleta Cocina, the latest venture from local restaurateurs Diego and Norma Marquez, is taking shape at 2611 Adams Avenue, where the husband-and-wife team plans to combine traditional Mexican breakfast dishes, specialty coffee imported from Mexico and a selection of wine and beer.
The restaurant will occupy the former Una Más on Adams property near the border of University Heights and North Park, giving the Marquez family a chance to establish a standalone home for a concept that previously operated at National City's Market on 8th food hall. The owners are targeting an opening within the next two to three months, depending on the completion of permitting, potentially bringing Coleta Cocina to the neighborhood in early 2027.
The name carries a particularly personal meaning. Coleta was the nickname of Diego's grandmother, who came from Sonora, Mexico, and whose cooking and family traditions inspired the restaurant.
"The name Coleta comes from my grandmother. She's from Sonora, Mexico, and her nickname was Coleta," the owners told SanDiegoVille in a direct exchange. "This is a tribute to her, her kitchen, and her cooking."
That family connection is central to the new venture, which the couple describes as an opportunity to celebrate the food and hospitality that shaped their upbringing while creating a welcoming neighborhood gathering place.
Diego and Norma are already familiar faces in San Diego's restaurant industry. The couple owns Café Alessie, the independent East Village coffee shop at 470 15th Street, as well as Café Noelle in downtown San Diego. Although they have spent years working in and managing restaurants, Coleta will represent their first standalone project built around their Mexican breakfast concept.
Both are San Diego natives with extensive hospitality experience. Diego graduated from Grossmont College's culinary program and began working in restaurants at 16, eventually helping open and manage several San Diego establishments, including locations of Farmer's Table, Cali Breakfast downtown and Inpasta in Lemon Grove. Norma entered the restaurant industry at 17 and has developed a particular interest in coffee, specialty beverages and creating welcoming spaces where customers feel connected to their community.
The couple's entrepreneurial journey has been deeply rooted in family. Their Café Alessie concept began as a small coffee operation in National City before expanding into its own East Village storefront in July 2025. Named after their young daughter, Alessie, the business grew through a hands-on approach that included the family personally renovating its space, repainting walls and creating much of the interior themselves.
Café Alessie has developed a following for specialty drinks such as banana pudding matcha, house-made syrups and cold foams, along with made-to-order sandwiches and breakfast offerings. The couple has emphasized fresh ingredients, inventive beverages and an approachable neighborhood atmosphere rather than the standardized experience of a large coffee chain.
Coleta Cocina will take that experience in a distinctly Mexican direction. According to the owners, the new restaurant's principal focus will be authentic Mexican breakfast, accompanied by coffee sourced directly from Mexico. Specialty wines and beers will also be available, positioning the establishment as more than a traditional morning coffee stop.
"We'll also be serving specialty wine and beers, but our main focus is going to be our coffee, which will be sourced from Mexico," the owners explained. "We're also going to have very authentic Mexican breakfast."
A complete menu, operating hours and specific beverage selections have not yet been announced. The concept's earlier appearance at Market on 8th, however, gives longtime followers of the couple's work some familiarity with the Coleta name and its breakfast-and-brunch identity.
The new restaurant also represents a fresh chapter for a highly visible Adams Avenue property with an unusually eventful recent history.
The approximately 3,500-square-foot space, featuring a roughly 2,500-square-foot outdoor patio, was originally envisioned in 2024 as a German-style beer garden before plans evolved into Una Más on Adams, a Baja-inspired restaurant and bar developed through a partnership involving local developer Michael Donovan and restaurateur Collin Corrigan of Ensenada's Cervecería Transpeninsular.
Una Más eventually opened in July 2025, offering a colorful indoor-outdoor environment, Baja-influenced food and craft beer selections from both sides of the border. Despite considerable planning and an experienced hospitality team, the restaurant announced its permanent closure in October 2026 after approximately 15 months of operation.
The arrival of Coleta Cocina will return the space to its roots as a neighborhood gathering place while introducing a different culinary focus. The property's substantial outdoor area and prominent Adams Avenue frontage offer the Marquez family an opportunity to build a destination around Mexican breakfast, coffee and community.
The expansion comes during a challenging period for the couple's existing East Village business. In October, local television stations NBC 7 and ABC 10News reported that Café Alessie had hired private security following repeated incidents involving theft, vandalism and confrontations outside the establishment.
Diego told reporters that the business had suffered a smashed glass door, a break-in and other incidents that affected customers, employees and sales. Despite those difficulties, he emphasized that the couple wanted more resources for people experiencing homelessness as well as greater assistance for neighborhood businesses.
The challenges have not deterred the family from expanding. In fact, the new Adams Avenue restaurant reflects the couple's continued investment in San Diego's dining scene and their ambition to build independent businesses rooted in personal history.
"We're very excited to be on Adams Ave," the owners told SanDiegoVille. "We hope to serve the community well."
Coleta Cocina is planned for 2611 Adams Avenue in San Diego. An exact opening date has not been announced, but the owners anticipate welcoming customers within approximately two to three months, subject to permitting. Updates can be found on Instagram at @coletacocina.
The restaurant will occupy the former Una Más on Adams property near the border of University Heights and North Park, giving the Marquez family a chance to establish a standalone home for a concept that previously operated at National City's Market on 8th food hall. The owners are targeting an opening within the next two to three months, depending on the completion of permitting, potentially bringing Coleta Cocina to the neighborhood in early 2027.
The name carries a particularly personal meaning. Coleta was the nickname of Diego's grandmother, who came from Sonora, Mexico, and whose cooking and family traditions inspired the restaurant.
"The name Coleta comes from my grandmother. She's from Sonora, Mexico, and her nickname was Coleta," the owners told SanDiegoVille in a direct exchange. "This is a tribute to her, her kitchen, and her cooking."
That family connection is central to the new venture, which the couple describes as an opportunity to celebrate the food and hospitality that shaped their upbringing while creating a welcoming neighborhood gathering place.
Diego and Norma are already familiar faces in San Diego's restaurant industry. The couple owns Café Alessie, the independent East Village coffee shop at 470 15th Street, as well as Café Noelle in downtown San Diego. Although they have spent years working in and managing restaurants, Coleta will represent their first standalone project built around their Mexican breakfast concept.
Both are San Diego natives with extensive hospitality experience. Diego graduated from Grossmont College's culinary program and began working in restaurants at 16, eventually helping open and manage several San Diego establishments, including locations of Farmer's Table, Cali Breakfast downtown and Inpasta in Lemon Grove. Norma entered the restaurant industry at 17 and has developed a particular interest in coffee, specialty beverages and creating welcoming spaces where customers feel connected to their community.
The couple's entrepreneurial journey has been deeply rooted in family. Their Café Alessie concept began as a small coffee operation in National City before expanding into its own East Village storefront in July 2025. Named after their young daughter, Alessie, the business grew through a hands-on approach that included the family personally renovating its space, repainting walls and creating much of the interior themselves.
Café Alessie has developed a following for specialty drinks such as banana pudding matcha, house-made syrups and cold foams, along with made-to-order sandwiches and breakfast offerings. The couple has emphasized fresh ingredients, inventive beverages and an approachable neighborhood atmosphere rather than the standardized experience of a large coffee chain.
Coleta Cocina will take that experience in a distinctly Mexican direction. According to the owners, the new restaurant's principal focus will be authentic Mexican breakfast, accompanied by coffee sourced directly from Mexico. Specialty wines and beers will also be available, positioning the establishment as more than a traditional morning coffee stop.
"We'll also be serving specialty wine and beers, but our main focus is going to be our coffee, which will be sourced from Mexico," the owners explained. "We're also going to have very authentic Mexican breakfast."
A complete menu, operating hours and specific beverage selections have not yet been announced. The concept's earlier appearance at Market on 8th, however, gives longtime followers of the couple's work some familiarity with the Coleta name and its breakfast-and-brunch identity.
The new restaurant also represents a fresh chapter for a highly visible Adams Avenue property with an unusually eventful recent history.
The approximately 3,500-square-foot space, featuring a roughly 2,500-square-foot outdoor patio, was originally envisioned in 2024 as a German-style beer garden before plans evolved into Una Más on Adams, a Baja-inspired restaurant and bar developed through a partnership involving local developer Michael Donovan and restaurateur Collin Corrigan of Ensenada's Cervecería Transpeninsular.
Una Más eventually opened in July 2025, offering a colorful indoor-outdoor environment, Baja-influenced food and craft beer selections from both sides of the border. Despite considerable planning and an experienced hospitality team, the restaurant announced its permanent closure in October 2026 after approximately 15 months of operation.
The arrival of Coleta Cocina will return the space to its roots as a neighborhood gathering place while introducing a different culinary focus. The property's substantial outdoor area and prominent Adams Avenue frontage offer the Marquez family an opportunity to build a destination around Mexican breakfast, coffee and community.
The expansion comes during a challenging period for the couple's existing East Village business. In October, local television stations NBC 7 and ABC 10News reported that Café Alessie had hired private security following repeated incidents involving theft, vandalism and confrontations outside the establishment.
Diego told reporters that the business had suffered a smashed glass door, a break-in and other incidents that affected customers, employees and sales. Despite those difficulties, he emphasized that the couple wanted more resources for people experiencing homelessness as well as greater assistance for neighborhood businesses.
The challenges have not deterred the family from expanding. In fact, the new Adams Avenue restaurant reflects the couple's continued investment in San Diego's dining scene and their ambition to build independent businesses rooted in personal history.
"We're very excited to be on Adams Ave," the owners told SanDiegoVille. "We hope to serve the community well."
Coleta Cocina is planned for 2611 Adams Avenue in San Diego. An exact opening date has not been announced, but the owners anticipate welcoming customers within approximately two to three months, subject to permitting. Updates can be found on Instagram at @coletacocina.
Originally published on November 4, 2026.
