Luis Madrid took over Coronado Coffee Company and Lil’ Piggy’s Bar-B-Q as managing partner with Blue Bridge Hospitality in March 2020. Luis describes the day, “it was Monday, March 16th. It was ironic. It was scary – we were the only ones open at the Ferry Landing. The morning was cold and raining.” From there, they had nowhere to go but up! Luis recalls, “April and May were better. Then in June the locals came out and I thank them for their support. Next, some from East Village and Downtown [San Diego] would take the ferry and get to-go food from us.” He says that the year 2021 was awesome with more people travelling and that in 2022, “everyone feels the freedom.”
A Refreshed Menu
Lil’ Piggy’s Bar-B-Q keeps their menu fresh. Over the past two years, vegetarian items have been added to the predominately meat menu, but with a spin. Holding true to the barbeque style, jackfruit tacos have been added but the fruit is treated like the pork. “We rub and smoke the jackfruit. Many people say, ‘you accidentally gave me pork’,” he laughs. The unique cooking style has kept many coming back, especially on Taco Tuesdays.
Additional menu items include a grilled cheese pork and a biscuit burrito. The biscuit burrito was intended to be a one off special, but the demand led for it to be a permanent item. Luis continues to offer monthly specials and enjoys hearing from his staff about their menu ideas. “Everyone here has input. At the coffee cart they say ‘let’s try this drink,’ at Piggy’s they want to sell buckets of beer. I say ‘let’s go get buckets!'”
Upcoming, Coronado Coffee Company is gearing up for spooky season with pumpkin spice lattes and eggnog. Meanwhile, Lil’ Piggy’s will be featuring a BBQ pulled pork quesadilla and a baby back rib sandwich.
Community Comes First
Lil’ Piggy’s Bar-B-Q and Coronado Coffee Company are both active in the community. “Both locations participate in Safe Harbor Coronado‘s Wellness Wednesdays where we donate 10% of our sales every Wednesday for the whole month of May.”
In addition, Lil’ Piggy’s contributes to Coronado Schools Foundation‘s scholarship program and Coronado Coffee Company has donated an entire year of coffee to give for the CSF silent auction!
Ferry Landing
The Coronado Ferry Landing is the perfect location for these two businesses. Luis says of customers like the cyclists, “they used to have a coffee because we were here, but now we have become the destination for them!” He says the same is true of visitors who come over to the Ferry Landing on their boats from East Village for the Bar-B-Q.
Stop by Lil’ Piggy’s Bar-B-Q during the week for various specials.
Daily Happy Hour 3-6 PM • Military Mondays • Taco Tuesdays • Kids Eat Free Wednesdays
Coronado Ferry Landing
