Encinitas changes fast. These are the spots on Highway 101 whose signs still say how long they've been here. PJ photographed every one on a single drive up and down the 101 at dawn on October 13, 2026, and the year below each is the year on its sign.
Oldest first
Newer neighbors on the same drive
No year on the sign, so not on the list, but on the same stretch that morning: Coast Thai-Way and Peace Pies at 101 and Daphne, Birdseye (Thai, Lao and Viet) at 540, and Pannikin Coffee & Tea at 101 and Athena. They're on Encinitas Today, and the newest openings are on new restaurants in North County.
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A sign with a year on it, anywhere on the 101 from Leucadia to Cardiff? Text PJ a photo and it goes on this page. More neighbor photos: spotted around North County.
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Questions people ask
What is the oldest movie theater in Encinitas?
La Paloma Theatre on Coast Highway 101 at D Street. It opened on February 11, 1928, and calls itself San Diego's oldest theatre.
What are some old restaurants in Encinitas?
By the year on their signs: La Especial Norte (Mexican food since 1977), The Roxy (est. 1978) and Vigilucci's Trattoria Italiana (est. 1994), all on Highway 101.
Where is historic downtown Encinitas?
Along Coast Highway 101 around D Street, under the ENCINITAS arch, where La Paloma Theatre has stood since 1928.
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