Dugout Deli food truck to make regular stops at Ramona’s Reds, Whites & Brews

The Dugout Deli food truck is the latest addition to a lineup of food and entertainment options offered at Reds, Whites & Brews beer, wine and cider bar.

Starting this week, the food truck featuring a variety of hot and cold deli sandwiches will be parked on a regular basis in Reds, Whites & Brews’ parking lot adjacent to the sidewalk at 629 Main St.

The sandwiches will complement 23 types of beer, hard cider and several choices of local wines and wines from outside the local region, mostly Napa and Paso Robles, said Red, Whites & Brews owner Peter Bidegain. Assorted non-alcoholic beverages are also available.

“Deli sandwiches with beer, wine and cider is going to be a match made in heaven because they’ll have a variety of sandwiches,” said Bidegain, who has run the Main Street bar for more than eight years.

Bidegain said his bar has never served its own prepared food because the business is not licensed for that. However, food options are available through food trucks and caterers.

The Dugout Deli is now at the bar starting at 4 p.m. Wednesdays, 3 p.m. Fridays, 4 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. Sundays. The closing time will vary depending on the number of customers, but generally the food truck will stay open until 8 p.m.

The Dugout Deli’s owner, Jesse Cottrell, is a Ramona resident who previously ran a brick-and-mortar deli near San Diego State University until he sold the business in 2011.

Cottrell was looking to re-enter the food industry just when Ramona’s Cattle Dog Cafe owner Chelsea Schoeni said she was looking for someone to take over running her food trailer.

Schoeni said Jordan Suesens had run the Cowbell Kitchen food truck from her trailer since 2023 until he recently accepted a promotion. That food truck had offered American bistro and comfort food selections such as a signature Smash burger, seasonal salad and grilled cheese sandwiches.

“I had a trailer and I wasn’t sure what I was going to be doing with it,” Schoeni said. “I asked Jesse if he wanted to turn it into a deli. He jumped at the opportunity to be on wheels. He immediately started cultivating the menu. He’s thrilled to get his creative ideas and expertise out there.”

The food truck’s name – The Dugout Deli – was chosen because Cottrell’s ultimate dream is to run a deli at the Petco Park ballpark in downtown San Diego, Schoeni said.

Dugout Deli menu items include an eclectic range of sandwiches named Stadium Club, Mr. Padre, El Nino, The Rookie, The Cajun Cowboy, The Captain and The Friar.

A different food truck that serves pizza is also available at Reds, Whites & Brews on Monday evenings and another food truck serves barbecue food on Thursday nights.

Reds, Whites & Brews is also partnering with the recently opened Rachel’s Cafe and Eatery at 668 Main St.

On most nights, cardboard table tents will be set up on Reds, Whites & Brews’ tables that advertise Rachel’s restaurant along with a QR code. Customers can scan the code to order directly from the Rachel’s menu, pay at the table, then wait for the food to be delivered to their table, Bidegain said.

“We already tested it and it works well on efficient delivery and the food has been great,” said Bidegain, who introduced the service a few weeks ago. “But it’s only available when the table tents are on the tables.”

Each week, Reds, Whites & Brews also hosts entertainment. The Ramona Music Alliance’s open mic live music night is free from 6 to 9 p.m. Mondays; a $10 per person cornhole tournament for beginner to advanced players is offered from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays; and a free Trivia Night for teams of one person to eight people is offered from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursdays.