Copper Kings Burgers is heading back to its coastal roots and leveling up at the same time. The North County smash-burger favorite is opening a second brick-and-mortar in Oceanside at 326 N. Horne Street, with a soft opening targeted for the end of April. The new spot will be larger than the San Marcos flagship and will double as a production kitchen, turning out baked goods like the brand’s Japanese milk buns for both locations.
A Homecoming In Downtown Oceanside
According to Visit Oceanside, Copper Kings will move into the former Northern Pine Brewing space and is listed among several new openings slated for 2026. The tourism office casts the arrival as part of a broader wave of chef-driven investment downtown, with new cafés, breweries and private-dining concepts starting to stack up along the coast.
Who’s Behind The Expansion
Founders Jonathan Petr and Dermot Owens, who launched Copper Kings as a pop-up in 2020 and followed with the San Marcos flagship in 2023, are steering the Oceanside return, as reported by San Diego Magazine. Their local crew includes head baker Brittany Howlett and catering manager Korey Kaczur, and ownership says the larger Oceanside footprint will let them grow the pastry lineup, breakfast sandwiches and catering runs. Copper Kings built its fan base with brewery and bar pop-ups across North County, so this coastal opening is very much framed as a homecoming for the original crowd.
Menu, Hours And Watch Parties
The Oceanside menu will mostly mirror San Marcos but is set to add items such as a fried-chicken plate and seasonal pasta, with the expanded kitchen enabling weekend pastries and breakfast sandwiches. “We have so much more capabilities over there to do so many more fun things we were talking about doing,” Petr told San Diego Magazine. Initial hours are planned for Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight, per the announcement, and the team intends to keep the San Marcos tradition of game-day watch parties and Guinness specials alive on the coast.
Hiring And What To Expect
Copper Kings’ website plays up its baking program and daily house-made items, underscoring the Oceanside shop’s role as a production hub for buns and pastries. A local job posting lists part-time morning baker openings at 326 N. Horne Street, a sign the team is already staffing up. Interested applicants can check the listing on Craigslist along with details on the restaurant’s own site. Expect plenty of curiosity during the soft-open phase as longtime fans and new neighbors converge on that downtown stretch.
For Oceanside diners, it is a relatively rare full-service arrival from a homegrown brand that cut its teeth in the surf-adjacent bar and brewery circuit. For Copper Kings, it is a chance to scale up baking and catering while keeping the smash-burger core intact. We will be watching for grand-opening details and will report back once the team announces its first official service.
