Introduction   Encinitas (part 1)   Encinitas (part 2)   Leucadia   Cardiff-by-the-Sea

Cardiff-By-The-Sea Cardiff-by-the-Sea, founded about 1911, is a shoreline community within Encinitas, a city of over 60,000 people lying about 25 miles north of San Diego and 95 miles south of Los Angeles. The moderate climate, two miles of Pacific coastline, and world-class surf draw professional and amateur surfers from all over Southern California and beyond. One hotspot is at Cardiff Reef, located alongside Historic Highway 101 at the mouth of the San Elijo Lagoon. Surf at the reef consistently breaks both right and left, making it ideal for all surfers year-round. Cardiff-by-the-Sea is also home to the Hansen/Machado Surf Classic. This annual Amateur Surf Contest & Beach Fair is named after Cardiff's Favorite son, pro surfer Rob Machado.

1. Restaurant Row - Las Olas Restaurant Row, home of six popular eateries, is located just south of the business district of Cardiff-by-the-Sea. Las Olas, (“The Waves”) is situated on the east side of the highway overlooking the San Elijo Lagoon. The FIRST American restaurant to serve fish tacos, the earth-toned structure has been home to a liquor store, a surf and sail shop as well as a shell and gift shop. Resident ducks, geese and a unique creature called a Mud Hen are tame and entertaining and tease to be fed. Sunny dining spots offering lagoon views can be found on both the inside or outside patio or inside the cozy structure. Health conscious menus are prepared with canola oil and the chicken tortilla soup is excellent. Las Olas has a full bar which offers a great Mango Margarita.

2. Jay's Gourmet Next door to Las Olas is Jay's Gourmet and it occupies what was originally the Fish House West Restaurant. Jay's opened in 1995 and has a sister restaurant in Carlsbad. The menu includes chicken, pizza and casserole dishes. Famous for their large portions, their motto is “We just don't ever want anyone to leave our restaurants hungry.” Seafood, which accounts for 85% of their business, can be enjoyed inside at either tables or large booths or on the covered patio in the back overlooking the San Elijo Lagoon.

3. Ki's Ki's, named for the owner's nickname, also shares the bank of the San Elijo Lagoon. Originally down village in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, they started serving their health foods at this location in 1994. Downstairs there is a small dining room and upstairs a covered, glassed-in balcony which offers a splendid view of the ocean and is an excellent choice for a party. The menu includes veggie burgers and home made soups as well as a squash enchilada.

4. The Chart House On the west side of the highway overlooking the Blue Pacific, both The Beacon Inn and Georges once occupied the site where The Chart House, The Beach House and Charlie's By The Sea now stand. Built in 1928, The Beacon Inn, the resort with the lighthouse tower, entertained such notables as Betty Grable, Harry James and Jimmy Durante. It closed in 1962 after its final New Year's Eve party and was demolished in 1965. George Beech began building his inn in 1916 using lumber that came from the Cardiff Kelp Work. The kelp works was a large structure that stood near the east side of the railroad tracks north of the lagoon mouth. Seaweed was processed here for its food and industrial content. The reputation of George's menus was attributed in large to his home grown vegetables which came from his hillside garden where he also grew prize winning roses. Historical documentation states that sometime in 1920 the train stopped at Cardiff-by-the-Sea's train station and George was ushered aboard where he had a private visit with President Woodrow Wilson. The property, where George's the House by the side of the Road once stood was sold to the Chart House. The Chart House, constructed in 1975, incorporated a wall from George's into its construction. With a breathtaking ocean view, The Chart House has also entertained its share of celebrities including Joe DiMaggio, Marilyn Monroe and Senator John F. Kennedy. With a menu that is predominately seafood, their macadamia-crusted sea bass, mahi mahi and prime rib are extremely popular as is their chocolate lave cake.

5. Beach House In 1993 The Beach House opened in the building that had formerly been occupied by the Triton Restaurant. One can enjoy an ocean view and watch the surf from tables everywhere in the dining room, the upstairs bar and the banquet room. Fresh oysters, steamed clams and chargrilled artichokes are to be enjoyed with lunches that include burgers and salad with choices seafood. There is a Sunday Brunch which includes champagne, pastries and several egg dishes.

6. Charlie's By The Sea Sharing the ocean front with The Chart House and the Beach House, Charlie's By The Sea has matchbooks that read: “Any closer and you'd be wet.” and high tide and pounding surf have more than once “entered” the restaurant. Pasta fishes, prime rib, steaks and a special feature, macadamia nut scallops are but a few of the menu choice. Patio tables allow you to enjoy a gorgeous view of the ocean and reduced 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. happy hour offers reduced prices on the bar menu and drinks.

7. Cardiff State Beach Campground Cardiff State Beach Campground is an extremely popular attraction with waits of up to one year for a camping spot over looking the ocean. Acquired by the County of San Diego from the Santa Fe Irrigation District in 1938, the parcel was deeded for State use in 1949. Other acquisitions have increased the acreage which now has approximately 4,000 feet of ocean frontage which borders Highway 101.

8. The Mercantile Building In 1910 painter J. Frank Cullen arrived from Boston to become a developer / speculator. He began his vision of developing a coastal community artists playground. The colony was to have a hotel, bathhouse and pier. He plotted the townsite we now know as Cardiff-by-the-Sea and built his hotel. It still stands at the corner of San Elijo Avenue and Chesterfield Drive. Named The Mercantile Building, old timers still refer to it as the Cullen Building. It has had many tenants including a real estate office, a beach bag factory. In 1914 it was S. M. Holbrook's grocery store and the home of the first Cardiff-by-the-Sea Library. The pier was constructed just north of Restaurant Row but was destroyed in the Hatfield's Storm of 1916 which some documents say was so fierce that it crossed Highway 101 and actually covered the bottom floor of the Mercantile Building.

9. Very Good Donuts Hardly a soul is alive who hasn't heard of VG Donuts, a landmark of Cardiff-by-the-Sea. It is referred to as the Cardiff City Hall where “decisions are made”. Started in 1967 by the Mattee family, the third generation is now selling delicious donuts to the public. When the business was purchased no one thought about the name which happened to be the initials of the former owner's daughter so they decided to keep it and call it Very Good Donuts, and that they are.

10. Besta Wan Pizza Around the corner in the same shopping center we find Besta Wan Pizza. It began in the spring of 1965 and operated for many years by relatives of VG Donuts. On the roof Papa Pouccini stands watch over all of Cardiff-by-the-Sea. One morning the owner arrived to find that he was missing. After a newspaper story on the “kidnaping”, some mischievous youngsters, who had taken him on a dare, returned him and today one can see him with his frosty beer in hand and a smile on his face inviting you in for delicious pizza and spaghetti with a couple large meat balls.

Introduction   Encinitas (part 1)   Encinitas (part 2)   Leucadia   Cardiff-by-the-Sea