The restaurant has submitted plans for a space at 222 North City Drive within the North City mixed-use development, according to records filed with the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health and Quality. The approximately 2,898-square-foot project is currently listed as being under plan review and is reportedly targeting an opening before the end of the year.
The expansion will bring Haggo’s beyond its existing restaurant at 1302 North Coast Highway 101 in Encinitas, where the unconventional taco shop has cultivated a loyal following with a menu built around organic produce, responsibly sourced proteins and Mexican-inspired dishes made without industrial seed oils.
Haggo’s menu includes tacos, burritos, bowls, salads and plates prepared with avocado oil, organic vegetables, grass-fed beef, free-range organic chicken, wild-caught seafood and pork sourced from animals given room to roam. The restaurant also emphasizes non-GMO and glyphosate-free ingredients, distinguishing it from the traditional Southern California taco shop model.
The business is owned by husband-and-wife team Courtney Lattimer Andruss and Willie Andruss, who took over Haggo’s in 2021. Courtney brought more than a decade of experience as a local chef specializing in organic cooking, meal preparation and dietary restrictions, while Willie, an Encinitas native, oversees much of the restaurant’s business and operational side.
Before acquiring Haggo’s, the couple operated KEESH, a health-focused crustless quiche concept sold at the Leucadia Farmers Market.
Haggo’s was founded by chef James “Haggo” Haggard, who opened the original Leucadia restaurant in 2011 after spending years in food and beverage operations at Rancho Valencia Resort. His goal was to create a chef-driven taco shop centered on organic food, local agriculture, environmental responsibility and high-quality customer service.
The original operation began in a small food trailer and courtyard filled with colorful artwork, books, plants and references to ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau and filmmaker Wes Anderson. Haggo’s later moved into its current, larger Leucadia location while maintaining the eclectic character and ingredient-focused approach that helped establish the brand.
The restaurant received national attention in 2013 when it appeared on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Its menu has continued to evolve, but Haggo’s underlying philosophy remains centered on serving food its owners consider cleaner, healthier and more responsibly sourced than conventional fast-casual fare.
The new restaurant will join North City, a growing mixed-use district located near California State University San Marcos. The master-planned development combines apartments, offices, restaurants, retail businesses and community gathering spaces with approximately 25 acres of parks and open space.
An exact opening date has not been announced, and the project remains subject to permitting and construction approvals. Once completed, the San Marcos restaurant will mark a significant expansion for one of coastal North County’s more distinctive independent food businesses.
For more information, visit haggosorganictaco.com.
Originally published on August 3, 2026. Information first reported by Katie Porter of WhatNow.
