A remix of family traditions and Southern California ingredients is the promise for Coast Thai-Way in Leucadia, which is expected to debut this Summer at 698 N. Coast Highway 101, according to San Diego Magazine. The Lao-Thai restaurant, owned by Stella Bayphouthongkham, intends to bring a fresh perspective to the Northern San Diego dining scene by blending ancestral recipes with the region’s seasonal produce and coastal influences.
Coast Thai-Way in Leucadia will take over the venue where A Little Moore Cafe used to operate, which specialized in breakfast dishes. Coast Thai-Way will be Stella Bayphouthongkham’s second undertaking in the restaurant business, four years after she and her partners bought Mekong Cuisine Lao & Thai on Convoy Street. She came to the USA 36 years ago and stresses the importance of the Lao community embracing its own cuisine, such as the traditional pad-thai served in different curries, as well as the Northern Thai rich coconut-based curry noodle soup, khao soi.
The beverage program at Coast Thai-Way in Leucadia is also expected to stand out, as the chef plans to pair bold Southeast Asian spices with local beers and natural wines. The menu will also feature matcha-based offerings as an homage to the space’s former operation as a café, blending past and present.
Expected to open by early summer 2026 at 698 N. Coast Highway 101, Coast Thai-Way in Leucadia’s initial hours are expected to run Wednesday through Monday, with lunch service from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The restaurant will be closed on Tuesdays.
