Del Rayo Village Shopping Center — Local services in Solana Beach

This shopping center is a decidedly mixed bag. On the plus side you have the farmer's market (which has good food, but not enough fresh produce) and a couple of great restaurants including Leucadia Pizza, Dolce, and a few others. It also includes a post office which is critical for the area. On the minus, it is in desperate need of a decent grocery store. This center sits in the middle of a grocery store black hole, where the nearest store in a 15 minute drive or longer. There is a space that can fit the need, but for some reason no grocer is encouraged to take the spot. This would not need to be a chain store, any high-end or local grocer like Cardiff Market or Boney's from Coronado would fit the bill. However, until this shopping center starts meeting the local critical need, it remains just a bizarre local shopping center without any real anchor that would make it the town center...

Went for Sunday farmer's market. Go at 9:30am-10am to make sure everything is open & ready. Not a lot of vegetables for sale, but good fruit & tomato selection. Lots of crafts, clothes, and homemade products. The Saturday farmer's market in Poway is better and...

Stopped in toward the end of a long bike ride mid morning longing to try Cafe Positano. Craving a chocolate croissant and hoping they had one. Bit of course! That a coffee black guy the spot! This could become a habit. Both items were...