Fundraising efforts are continuing for Bread & Cheese Eatery and Breakfast Burritos after a fire heavily damaged the South Oceanside restaurant late last month, forcing it to close indefinitely.
Customers and community members had raised nearly $14,000 as of Friday, Jan. 16, through a GoFundMe campaign to help the restaurant recover. Owner Justin Frank said on GoFundMe that the funds are intended to help cover lost income, equipment replacement and rebuilding costs while insurance and inspections are underway.
The fire occurred on the evening of Dec. 23 at 1904 S. Coast Highway, where Bread & Cheese operates in a small commercial strip mall, according to an Oceanside Fire Department report. Units responded shortly after 6:10 p.m. and found heavy smoke inside the structure. Firefighters located the blaze in the rear of the restaurant and worked to contain it before it spread further through the building.
The fire was brought under control in about 40 minutes, and no injuries were reported among civilians or firefighters, the Oceanside Fire Department stated. Two structures were damaged, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Oceanside crews were assisted by Carlsbad and Vista fire departments, along with the Oceanside Police Department, San Diego Gas & Electric and Oceanside Public Works. Officials credited quick interior attacks and coordinated ventilation efforts with preventing more extensive damage to neighboring businesses, the Oceanside Fire Department reported.
Bread & Cheese, known locally for its breakfast burritos and sandwiches, has remained closed since the incident. In updates posted to the GoFundMe page, Frank said the fire damaged the kitchen, equipment and interior space, making it impossible to reopen without significant repairs. The updates note that the closure has also disrupted income for employees.
The GoFundMe campaign describes the restaurant as a longtime neighborhood fixture and says the outpouring of support has helped the owners begin planning next steps. Donors have shared messages recalling regular visits, favorite menu items and appreciation for the business’ role in the community.
“Your love and support means the world to us,” Frank wrote in a GoFundMe update Jan. 6. “Knowing that people are loving what we are doing is definitely pushing us through.”
No timeline has been announced for reopening, and organizers say updates will be shared as more information becomes available.
Bread & Cheese started as a catering business in 2017, with its most recent restaurant opening in 2023 after closures of previous locations during the COVID-19 pandemic, Frank told online magazine SDVoyager in 2024. It became the concessionaire for Vista’s Moonlight Stage Productions in 2021.
Fundraising campaign information is available at gofundme.com/f/support-bread-cheese-and-breakfast-burritos-recovery.
This report was partially written using artificial intelligence, then edited and fact-checked against source material. View our AI policy on the About Us page.
