Couple eye mid-November opening for Marmalade on Main restaurant

A Ramona couple hope to open their farm-to-table restaurant, Marmalade on Main, in two months, representing one year since they first presented their plans to the Ramona Design Review Board.

Travis and Jessica Tan have been remodeling the building at 865 Main St., owned by Jessica’s father, to house the restaurant. The 1,600-square-foot building stands between the Pott Belly Shop and the Olde Ramona Hotel Gallery.

The Tans first met with the design review board in November 2014 and received approval for a site plan waiver as they were changing the use of their location from retail to restaurant.

They had hoped to open in June or July, but were held up by county revisions and ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements that included changes to the front entrance for wheelchair and handicap accessibility and to the back parking lot.

Jessica said the county is also requiring them to pave the alley behind their parking lot.

“It’s definitely been a challenging process. We’re definitely working through it,” said Jessica.

Working with the Ramona Municipal Water District for water and sewer was not a problem, she said, adding that she appreciated that the staff was up-front with her about what was needed.

“The water district was awesome,” she said.

The restaurant will seat close to 50 people — 40 in the dining room and eight at the bar, said Jessica.

A Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef, Jessica said she plans to outsource to local farms.

“We’re just trying to bring as many local places as we can in our restaurant,” she said.

The couple moved to Ramona because they have many family members living in the community.