Seannie Bryan

Tucked right off the side of the road, the Mozy Cafe stands out.

Tucked away in the veins running off Highway 101 lies an intentionally low key paradise. The sign above the door can only be spotted with a careful eye or one casually wandering due to the frequent traffic that naturally slows down the pace in Leucadia.

Mozy Cafe has offered Caribbean and Mexican style food to Encinitas locals for years. With the peaceful vibe, variety of organic and vegetarian food choices and beach location, it has accumulated a quiet mass of followers.

“I’ve been coming to Mozy for years,” said Carlsbad graduate and UCSD student Allison Van Vooren “It’s just the place I take people who are special to me.”

Looking around it was hard to miss the number of people with grins on their faces, talking to someone in a way one only does with an old friend.

The Mozy experience goes like this:

Walk in through an old door frame that smells like driftwood into the small entrance room. The menu hangs above the register listing a bounty of entrees, many of which are only identifiable to the frequent Mozygoer. Tentatively, I ordered the the signature Cuban Burrito.

Take a right past the refrigerator and take a seat amongst the no more than twenty chairs laid out in the dining room. Before being taken under by new management, this room was almost completely open with gaping cabana walls.

“There have been some major changes over the year,” said Van Vooren “the place used to be really open with tons of birds flying in the restaurant.”

Though the sea wind has been replaced by window panes, a pair of songbirds were not stopped from continuing their dance underneath the tables and casually sharing the afternoon with the restaurants guests.

The food itself can be easily and confidently described as exceptional. My burrito serving made Chipotle look like a Weight Watchers meal, but from the overwhelmingly natural and fresh taste it possessed there’s little doubt towards its healthiness. After a heart warming and belly filling half hour endeavor, I began to harvest the minuscule amounts of beans and rice bits that had fallen into my tray.

When the meal has finished, the beach is only a five minute walk from the door. Something that is obvious from the number of surf boards hung on cars outside.

“The beach is so close that I always make sure to stop by.” said Carlsbad senior Kaitlin Large “I’m so refreshed after Mozy, the beach just calls to me.”

Whether looking for a new seaside hangout or intently searching for North County’s best burrito, there are countless reasons to stop by the Mozy Cafe in Leucadia. I’m sure you’ll be able to find one of your own.