My love of bicycles started, like for most of us, as a youngster, but I never really grew out of it. I still start my day by hopping on my 1978 Schwinn Collegiate to check the surf and pop in on Kamile at Leucadia Liquor. My route takes me down Neptune then back up the alley behind the Leucadia restaurants where food delivery drivers are stocking our favorite restaurants.
I’ll never take for granted how lucky I am to live in bikeable community like Leucadia and to have such a killer bike shop to keep my three-speed Collegiate running smoothly. Which brings me to my quarterly takeover column with Leucadia Cyclery owner Jeff Schade and his shop crew. As you old school locals probably know, this gem has been around since 1974, primarily at that cool stand-alone building on Vulcan.
Jeff bought the business in 2023 and moved to their amazing location at 1560 N. Coast Highway 101 (next to Bar Leucadian) in late May 2024. The Streetscape project completion in September will mark their official grand re-opening. (Note to readers: They do have parking behind the shop, so don’t let the construction scare you off.)
Jeff is a metro Chicago native who moved to North County in 2000. Besides biking he is an avid surfer and fly fisherman. I’d have to say I’m a little jealous of Jeff’s “office” location in the heart of Leucadia where they offer brands like Bianchi, Scott and Kona plus a variety of e-bikes.
Service is the heart of their business, and they work on just about anything that rolls, from high-end performance to rusty beach cruisers. They have a team of triathletes who can speak all the tech talk but are just as happy chatting with the locals about their beachy surf bikes. The shop has old-school Leucadia vibe and aesthetic and that’s a good thing these days.
With that, let’s find out where the team from Leucadia Cyclery likes to eat around town.
We will start with self-described owner/goofball Jeff Schade, who focused his culinary love on Chick & Hawk in Encinitas. “For straight up food and chill vibes, I am digging where Leucadia’s gritty surf-skate heritage meets high-end culinary craft. It’s a great collab between the skate legend Tony Hawk and my guy, Michelin-recognized chef Andrew Bachelier. The vibe is a deliberate, nostalgic nod to the ’90s — think vibrant murals, retro TVs looping skate videos, and a soundtrack that feels like a classic skate tape. Even with the big names attached, the atmosphere is chill, grounded and community-focused, however it does have its share of tourists, always a good thing in moderation!
“It’s “elevated casual” so you can roll in straight from the beach in boardshorts, but you’ll be eating the finest pasture-raised chicken cooked without seed oils. The menu itself plays into the theme, with spice levels for their signature Birdman sandwich ranked like skate tricks — from a manageable 180 to the face-insane 900. While the fried chicken is the headliner, the vibe is rounded out by a rad cocktail program; try the bourbon-based Bones Brigade and ‘baller’ champagne options, proving that in Encinitas, you can pair fine bubbles with a hot chicken sandwich and duck fat fries without any pretension. It’s loud, local, and authentically North County.” Nicely put Jeff, and be sure to try the Seabird fish sandwich as well.
Next up is Shanti Russell, who toggles between sales and repair tech, and his jam is Le Papagayo in Leucadia that he describes like this: “If Encinitas (or Jeff) had a living room, it would probably look a lot like Le Papagayo. Walking into this Highway 101 staple feels less like hitting a restaurant and more like pulling up to a friend’s beach house — if that friend happened to be a world traveler with a killer kitchen. It’s got that authentic North County soul that’s becoming harder to find, unpretentious, slightly salty from the sea air, and perpetually buzzing with live music. The draw isn’t just the fusion of Mediterranean and Latin flavors — though the Baja Seafood Stew is a religious experience — it’s the atmosphere. Whether it’s a Tuesday night or a sun-drenched Sunday, there is almost always a local musician tucked into the corner, providing the soundtrack to the neighborhood’s gossip.
“It’s where you go to shake off the workday or celebrate a successful session at Pipes. You’ll see surfers in flip-flops sitting next to couples on a date, all unified by the glow of the fire pits. The menu is a passport on a plate. From the Voodoo Shrimp to the perfectly charred octopus, the food mirrors the eclectic spirit of the town. You don’t just eat here; you run into your neighbor, your shaper, and that guy you see at the coffee shop every morning. At Le Papagayo, the local vibe isn’t a marketing slogan — it’s the literal DNA of the place. It’s the quintessential spot to slow down, grab a drink, and remember why we all chose to live in this slice of paradise in the first place.” Dang Shanti, you certainly have a way with words, very well put!
Kanyama Sharper is the GM and head tech at the shop and is taking us up the coast to the Brown Cup Cafe in Oceanside on his culinary adventure. He describes it as, “where my caffeine addiction finds its coastal high,” and his ramble goes like this: “If you’re wandering around Oceanside looking for a place that treats coffee with more respect than I treat my own retirement fund, Brown Cup Cafe is your sanctuary. Walking in, you get that perfect O’side energy. It’s the kind of place where you’ll see a guy who hasn’t worn shoes since 2014 discussing the nuances of an oat milk latte with a tech bro who’s clearly hiding from a Zoom call. It’s cozy, it’s local, and it smells like heaven had a head-on collision with a toaster.
“I order the Mexican Mocha and let me tell you — it wakes up parts of my brain that have been dormant since the late 90s. It’s got that spicy kick that says, ‘Hey, I know you have errands to run, but what if we just sprinted to the pier instead?’ The Acai Bowls are architectural marvels. They’re topped with so much fresh fruit and granola that I felt like a fitness influencer for approximately twelve seconds before I go back to my bagel. Speaking of bagels, their breakfast sandwiches are hefty; if you eat one, you are legally obligated to cancel your lunch plans and stare at the ocean for two hours. The staff is chill, the caffeine is potent, and the decor doesn’t try too hard — much like my workout routine.
“Whether you’re nursing a hangover or just trying to survive a Tuesday, Brown Cup is the hero Oceanside deserves. Sit outside as the people-watching is world-class, and the ocean breeze helps mask the fact that you’ve just inhaled three days’ worth of carbs in one sitting.” And there you have it, another articulate expression of culinary gratitude from Kanyama.
Not only can the crew at Leucadia Cyclery take care of your bike or e-bike needs, but they are also creative writers of the highest order! If you’ve not been, make it a point to stop by this amazing shop. www.leucadiabikes.com.
