Editor's Note: This article has been updated to clarify the ownership change and the plans for Moto Deli.
Cartel Roasting Co. is taking over ownership of Moto Deli in Encinitas, not replacing the sandwich shop with a Cartel café, according to a statement emailed to Hoodline by Kristina Grappo, the company's director of marketing. Moto Deli will remain Moto Deli.
“We will not open a cafe in the Moto Deli location,” Grappo wrote. “It will remain a Moto Deli, we are simply taking over ownership.”
License Transfer and Ownership Change
SanDiegoVille's September 14, 2026 report described an application by Cartel Coffee Lab, Inc. for an on-sale beer and wine license under the business name Cartel Coffee at 190 N. Coast Highway 101. The outlet reported that the application involved a transfer of Moto Deli's existing license and that a four-month temporary permit took effect September 14. Those reported licensing details do not establish that Moto Deli will close or become a Cartel café; the company has clarified that its plans concern ownership.
Moto Deli's website remains active. Grappo's statement did not specify a completion date for the ownership transfer or announce changes to the deli's menu or service.
About Cartel
On its official website, Cartel describes itself as a community-owned coffee company built around connection, quality and shared growth, and provides information about its coffee sourcing, roasting and café locations. The Moto Deli ownership change should not be described as the opening of a Cartel-branded café in San Diego County.
