From the famous Pipeline 'Volcom House' to Encinitas—legendary pro surfer Benji Weatherley brings his mom's Hawaiian-style cafe back to life, complete with treasured pieces from the beloved Captain Keno's.
Generally, visitors go to Pipeline to gawk at the massive Hawaiian waves, not the houses. But in the '90s, one of the beachside cottages became almost as famous as the wave. Known as "Benji's House," it was the childhood home of Benji Weatherley, who'd eventually become a pro surfer. Thanks to his mom Barbara's open-door policy, it became a hangout for an entire generation of pro surfing icons known as The Momentum Generation—Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, Shane Dorian, Taylor Steele, to name a few. (The place is now known as the Volcom House.)
Weatherley was and is the funny kid, the personality, the constant entertainer. And now he's bringing that spirit to his new restaurant in Encinitas. It's an ode to his mom.
Slated to open in March at the former Schooner's Pizzeria (481 Santa Fe Dr.), the Hawaiian cafe, bar, and grill will be named Breakers—the same name of the cafe his family ran in Haleiwa when he was a kid.
I'm a full-on people person, so hospitality comes naturally to me. I got my feet wet working in the family cafe as a kid, and now I just found my calling.
— Benji Weatherley
The remote-coasts life of pro surfing allowed him to sample food from around the globe. After running everything from the counter to the dish pit to the kitchen at the original Breakers in Hawaii, Weatherley has come full circle.
The original Breakers in Hawaii closed in 2022 after 20 years in business. For the last year or so, Weatherley has been working on opening a version up along the coast, where he's owned a house since 2000.
Weatherley says he wants Breakers to be a cornerstone of the local community that embodies North County's slower-paced way of life. It'll be an old-school, nostalgic place, and he's designed it with the kids at San Dieguito Academy High School in mind.
"We're gonna have kids from the high school deliver food, so they can make extra side money and get their first job. I kind of like how the old pizza joints used to be, and—nothing against DoorDash—but it'll be a way to give back to the community and not the corporation."
Breakers will be open as an early morning cafe, before shifting to full restaurant service for lunch and dinner. It'll have a full bar, live entertainment, hula dancing classes, ukulele nights, stand-up comedy—you name it.
Weatherley emphasizes it's not Hawaiian food—it's Hawaii food, with dishes including:
The goal is to provide an affordable, mellow place for the community to hang out and enjoy authentic Hawaiian food in Encinitas.
For local legend bonus points, Breakers' decor will include treasured mementos from the recently departed and severely mourned iconic dive bar: Captain Keno's.
"We have the Keno's bar stools, their booths, the old O'Hurley's cocktail sign that was spelled wrong that's been there for 65 years," Weatherley explains.
These pieces aren't just furniture—they're a bridge between Encinitas' past and its future, a way to honor the places that made this community special while creating new memories for the next generation.
This venture is more than just a restaurant for Weatherley. It's a tribute to his mother Barbara, whose welcoming spirit at their Pipeline home created a space where surfing legends could gather, share stories, and build lifelong friendships.
That same spirit of aloha and community will infuse every corner of Breakers in Encinitas. From the Captain Keno's benches where locals will sit and reminisce, to the school kids making their first deliveries, to the hula classes and ukulele nights—it's all about bringing people together.
It's an ode to my mom—creating a space where everyone feels welcome, where the community can gather, just like she did at our house in Hawaii.
— Benji Weatherley
And I'll bet on at least one thing—there'll be plenty of Blink-182 on rotation.
Location: 481 Santa Fe Dr., Encinitas, CA Opening: March 2025 Hours: Early morning through dinner service Features: Full bar, live entertainment, hula classes, ukulele nights, stand-up comedy
Come for the ahi katsu, stay for the aloha spirit—and maybe even sit on a piece of Encinitas history.
