Swedish-born, San Diego-raised Johan Engman opened the first Breakfast Republic in North Park in 2015, and the Pacific Beach location at 4465 Mission Blvd in the 92109 has since become one of the brand's busiest breakfast restaurant outposts. Engman founded Rise & Shine Hospitality Group in 2008 with his first restaurant, Fig Tree Cafe on Cass Street, funding it with $30,000 in personal savings and another $20,000 from friends and family—plastic tables and chairs included. Today, Rise & Shine operates 23 restaurants across multiple concepts, generating roughly $35 million in annual revenue with 619 employees and zero private equity backing. The PB menu features signature plates like Oreo pancakes, New Orleans-style shrimp and grits, and the "Jurassic Pork" eggs Benedict topped with paprika-and-brown-sugar-baked bacon, alongside vegan omelets made with Just Egg. The whimsical decor includes hidden one-liners under coffee mugs, a magnetized bathroom door that plays music when it closes, and a living plant wall. Beachgoers fueling up before a morning on the sand can also check nearby World Famous for oceanfront egg dishes and Bloody Marys. Open daily from 7 AM to 3 PM, the restaurant encourages its staff to create what Engman calls "shining moments"—small gestures of hospitality that are tracked, celebrated, and rewarded annually with prizes including overseas trips. Coffee lovers who prefer to grab and go on the same block should head to Costa Brava for a different morning vibe.