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The Denmark-based café brand is slated to open a new location at 12925 El Camino Real in San Diego, bringing its signature blend of Scandinavian-inspired coffee culture, juices, smoothies and health-focused light fare back to one of North County’s busiest retail corridors.
Founded in Copenhagen in 2002 by entrepreneur Kaspar Basse, Joe & The Juice has grown into a global lifestyle café chain with more than 350 locations spanning Europe, Asia and North America. The concept has become particularly recognizable for its minimalist Nordic interiors, upbeat music-driven atmosphere and menu built around espresso drinks, fresh juices, protein shakes, avocado toast, breakfast items and pressed sandwiches.
The upcoming Del Mar Highlands location marks another attempt by the brand to establish a stronger long-term footprint within San Diego County following a mixed first chapter in the local market.
Joe & The Juice first entered San Diego in 2019 with a branch at Westfield UTC before quickly expanding to nearby One Paseo, the heavily marketed mixed-use lifestyle development located just a short drive away from Del Mar Highlands in Carmel Valley. While the UTC location has remained operational, the One Paseo café ultimately closed during the pandemic, becoming one of several restaurant and hospitality concepts to cycle out of the ambitious development in recent years.
Since opening in 2019, One Paseo has struggled at times to maintain restaurant stability despite significant early hype positioning the project as a transformative live-work-play destination for North County San Diego. The sprawling development, designed around upscale apartments, offices, retail and dining, initially attracted a high-profile mix of national and celebrity-backed operators.
However, several notable concepts have since exited the property, including celebrity chef-backed International Smoke, Harland Brewing Company and Tender Greens. Industry observers and patrons have long noted that while One Paseo remains visually polished and heavily trafficked, the complex can be challenging to navigate, park within and establish consistent dining momentum compared to more traditional retail centers nearby.
By contrast, Del Mar Highlands Town Center offers Joe & The Juice a more established and arguably more accessible commercial environment directly adjacent to the recently redeveloped One Paseo property. Anchored by major retailers, fitness concepts, restaurants and entertainment offerings, Del Mar Highlands has increasingly emerged as one of North County’s dominant suburban lifestyle centers following its own extensive modernization efforts in recent years.
Joe & The Juice’s newest San Diego-area expansion follows the company’s planned Mission Valley location announced late last year, signaling that the brand remains bullish on the local market despite previous closures.
Joe & The Juice is expected to open later this year at 12925 El Camino Real in San Diego’s Del Mar Highlands Town Center. For more information, visit joejuice.com.
Originally published on May 22, 2026.
