The new restaurant marks the first North County location for the longtime San Diego hospitality group founded by Matt Baker and Phillip “PJ” Lamont, whose New Zealand-inspired dining concepts have quietly expanded across the county over the past two decades.
Located at 1435 Camino Del Mar, the new Queenstown takes over the prominent corner space formerly occupied by WestBrew Del Mar. The approximately 2,500-square-foot restaurant has undergone a full redesign by Michael Soriano of Onairos Design, transforming the venue into a lush, greenhouse-inspired dining room layered with hanging plants, natural textures, wood accents and expansive glass walls.
The opening represents the latest evolution for the locally based restaurant group, which first launched in 2005 with Bare Back Grill in Pacific Beach after Baker and Lamont returned from traveling through New Zealand inspired by the country’s pub culture and grass-fed beef burgers. Since then, the company has expanded with Raglan Public House in Ocean Beach, Dunedin in North Park, Queenstown Public House in Little Italy, Queenstown Bistro at UTC, and Queenstown Village in La Jolla.
The Del Mar restaurant will continue the group’s signature New Zealand-inspired comfort food approach while introducing a menu tailored toward the upscale coastal community. Executive chef Yohalmo Rosales oversees offerings including lamb and Wagyu smashburgers, New Zealand-style meat pies, fish and chips, sausage rolls, sea bass risotto, cioppino with New Zealand green mussels and rack of lamb.
The restaurant will also feature a full cocktail program, weekday happy hour specials, weekend brunch service, and even a dedicated dog menu aimed at Del Mar’s heavily pet-friendly clientele.
“Del Mar felt like a natural next step for us,” co-founder Matt Baker said in a statement. “There’s a strong, growing food culture here, along with an appetite for a solid, local neighborhood eatery.”
To celebrate the launch, Queenstown Del Mar will offer one free kids meal with the purchase of an entrée from opening day through May 28. In addition, diners who purchase a burger onsite during National Burger Day on May 28 will receive a second burger free.
The opening arrives amid continued transformation throughout Del Mar Village, where longtime restaurant operators and hospitality groups continue investing heavily in the coastal enclave’s increasingly competitive dining scene.
Queenstown Del Mar officially opens Thursday, May 21, at 1435 Camino Del Mar in Del Mar Village. Hours will run daily from 11am to 9pm, extending until 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays, with weekend brunch beginning at 9am. For more information, visit queenstowndelmar.com.
Originally published on May 19, 2026.
