Michael Cooch, Anton Villatoro
(Jon Clark)
Owners PJ Lamont and Matt Baker
(Jon Clark)
Gloria Collett, Brianne MacEachran
(Jon Clark)
Queenstown Del Mar Grand Opening Party
(Jon Clark)
Paula Lamont, Michael Westfall, Darren Roach, Heather Sanderson
(Jon Clark)
Janel Divona, Danielle Schaffer
(Jon Clark)
Frank Stonebanks, Lena Liu
Gina Baldocchi, Cathy Hulshof
(Jon Clark)
Robert Brown, Douglas Lambell, Isaiah Alexander
(Jon Clark)
Betty Wheeler, Patrick Gaffney, Ivan Gayler, Dwight Worden
(Jon Clark)
Karl Gaffney, Angelica Gayler, David and Sherry Winkler, Natalie Kim
(Jon Clark)
Brett Davis, Sarah Morga
(Jon Clark)
Tyson Crawford, Michael Gallagher, Jim Ely
(Jon Clark)
Bob Stefanko, Carissa Rosenthal, Megan Tallman, Gracie Hart
(Jon Clark)
Mike McCaffery, Daniella and Roy Silver
(Jon Clark)
Aubrey Huffman, Ellis Beardsley
(Jon Clark)
Alicia Gregson, Taylor Esoldi, Chris Ryan, Fallon Magness
(Jon Clark)
Bob Bixel, Cathy Herrick
(Jon Clark)
Darryl and Deborah Gordon
(Jon Clark)
Gloria Collett, Brianne MacEachran
(Jon Clark)
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Michael Cooch, Anton Villatoro
(Jon Clark)
After opening six New Zealand-inspired restaurants across San Diego over the past 21 years, Queenstown Hospitality Group opened its first North County restaurant in Del Mar Village on Thursday, May 21.
Formerly known as NZ Eats, the restaurant group was co-founded by lifelong friends Matt Baker and PJ Lamont, who discovered New Zealand’s famous organic, grass-fed beef burgers during a visit to the country and decided to re-create that experience here with their first restaurant, Bare Back Grill, which opened in Pacific Beach in 2005.
That was followed by Raglan Public House in Ocean Beach in 2012 and Dunedin New Zealand Eats in North Park 2016. Along the way, they have also opened three Queenstown-branded restaurants: Queenstown Public House in Little Italy in 2013, Queenstown Bistro at Westfield UTC in 2018 and Queenstown Village in La Jolla Village in 2023.
Their newest location, Queenstown Del Mar, held a grand opening event Wednesday, May 20, before it officially opened on Thursday, May 21 (photos from the May 20 event are on this page). Like its three sister restaurants, Queenstown Del Mar will serve New Zealand-influenced comfort food and craft cocktails in a relaxed environment.
“Del Mar felt like a natural next step for us,” Baker said in a statement. “There’s a strong, growing food culture here, along with an appetite for a solid, local neighborhood eatery. That gave us the confidence to do something that fits the community but still brings a new point of view.”
In honor of the grand opening, the Del Mar location will be offering one free kids meal with each entrée purchased from opening day through May 28. And to celebrate National Burger Day on May 28, customers dining onsite that day who buy a burger will get a second burger for free.
The Del Mar location’s menu, overseen by chef Yohalmo Rosales, features dishes including lamb and Wagyu beef smashburgers, a Blazin’ Ahi sandwich, New Zealand-style meat pies, fish and chips, sausage rolls and breakfast classics. The dinner menu will offer New Zealand sea bass with risotto, spicy cioppino with New Zealand green mussels, and New Zealand rack of lamb.
Queenstown Del Mar has a full bar. A happy hour service from 3 to 6 p.m. weekdays will offer $10 cocktails and wines, $7 beers and more. There’s also a dog menu for guests with canine companions.
The 2,500-square-foot Del Mar location, formerly occupied by WestBrew Del Mar, was designed by Michael Soriano of Onairos Design, has a lush forest/greenhouse-style design with hanging plants, natural texture and glass walls.
Queenstown Del Mar is at 1435 Camino Del Mar in Del Mar Village. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, and until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Weekend brunch service begins at 9 a.m. Visit queenstowndelmar.com for more information.
The Lamb Smash burger, featuring New Zealand beef, at Queensland Del Mar, which opened Thursday, May 21, in Del Mar. (Kimberly Motos)