ENCINITAS — Nearly two weeks after opening, retired professional surfer Benji Weatherley said he is thrilled to see how his new Encinitas restaurant is bringing the community together with its relaxed vibe, nostalgic decor and diverse menu.
Weatherley, who opened Breakers Cafe, Bar & Grill on July 4 at 481 Santa Fe Drive, began working on the project more than two years ago. The space previously housed a series of pizza restaurants, including Straw Hat Pizza, Pizza Hut, Today’s Pizza, and most recently, Schooner Station Pizzeria and Sports Pub, which closed in 2021.
The building sat vacant until Weatherley began renovations to revive Breakers, named after his former restaurant on Oahu’s North Shore that operated for 20 years before closing when the lease expired.
Weatherley, who was raised in Hawaii by a single mother alongside two siblings, began his professional surfing career at age 14. By the time he was 20, he had purchased a home in Encinitas, near where his father had once lived in San Diego.
“I love this community,” he said.
Describing himself as a “culinary enthusiast,” Weatherley said his passion for food and hospitality — nurtured through cooking classes and continued education — inspired his ventures in the restaurant industry.
“I really do love the hospitality and culinary world,” he said. “It’s my true calling.”
Painted in Hanalei green — the same color as his childhood home — the restaurant reflects both his Hawaiian upbringing and local ties. Nostalgic items from former businesses include a misspelled cocktail sign from O’Hurley’s and booths, plates and coffee mugs from Cap’n Keno’s.
Weatherley said the menu doesn’t serve traditional Hawaiian cuisine but rather “Hawaii food,” a blend of Asian and Pacific Island dishes with local flair.
“It’s the type of food you get when you’re in Hawaii,” he said. “Hawaii has adopted a lot of different cultures’ foods and made it their own.”
The response from locals has been positive, he said, recalling one customer who returned the next day with his daughter after a heartfelt experience.
“One of our patrons whose daughter drew a hibiscus flower for us that said, ‘I Love Breakers,’ told me that he saw five families in there that he hadn’t seen in 20 years,” Weatherley said. “It warmed my heart to hear that. The next day, they came back and his daughter gave me a bracelet that said ‘Breakers’ too.”
That kind of community gathering is exactly what Weatherley envisioned — a place with the same “open house policy” his mother upheld in their home.
“Everyone just seeing old friends and eating good food at a place that’s almost like a getaway to Hawaii – that’s what it’s about,” he said.
The restaurant also features a garden dining area, where children can play near a small stage intended for ukulele and hula performances. At its center is a palm tree that once grew at Weatherly’s father’s home. His ashes are buried beneath it, and Weatherly said the tree will serve as the restaurant’s brand image.
Breakers opens daily at 7 a.m. — serving early coffee to employees at neighboring Scripps Memorial Hospital — with the bar opening at 8 a.m. and lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to around 10 p.m.
“We close when everyone leaves,” Weatherley said.
The restaurant is currently closed Mondays and Tuesdays, but Weatherley said he plans to operate seven days a week in the future.
