The money, they said, might not be there to continue operation. Payroll was in question, following months of uncertainty, and to make matters worse, they'd discovered two tax liens filed by the state of California against the restaurant for a total of $530,000, related to loans against the business taken out by the owner and principal investor, Stephen Light. A collections notice had arrived in December.
"Thank you to everyone who shared a meal, a laugh, a celebration, or a quiet night with us along the way," reads the caption on Alici's Instagram post. "While this chapter is coming to a close, the story isn't over. What comes next is already taking shape, and we can't wait to share it when the time is right." Pascarella, who owns the Porchetta Group, also runs Michelin-recommended the White Bull in Decatur and three locations of Grana.
Chef Rock Harper closed Hill Prince on H Street and reopened it this fall as Hush Harbor, DC's first phone-free bar. To ensure everyone's actually unplugged, the bar uses Yondr pouches-the same ones that have become popular from schools to comedy shows-which allow you to carry your phone with you but not look at it. "All we're doing is giving people a little nudge to be supremely present and intentional about this hospitality experience," says Harper.
Just days after Christmas, sad news hit Pennsylvania: the Cadet Restaurant - a Pennsylvanian fixture that's fed families, first dates, and late-night cruisers for over 73 years - is shutting down for good, another casualty in a difficult year for beloved American diners. Famous for its Poorboy sandwich that became synonymous with the place itself over decades of service to the community,
Having been regulars at the bar for years, they were eager to start their new business venture. My husband and I always thought that as a retirement gig, hospitality was always something we'd think about, Tricia, a local Fremont teacher, told this news organization. We were just coming out of COVID, things were opening up and you were allowed to go outside. We thought, What an opportunity to get into something we knew well.'
Kula Jay's Ube Kafe held a soft opening on Nov. 15, bringing its pop-up business to life in an existing food business known as Gerly's Ice Cream, which was temporarily closed for the season and whose owner allowed Kula Jay's to use the space through spring 2026. According to photos and videos online, the business had already garnered lines out the door for its menu of lattes and sweet treats utilizing the ingredient ube, a purple yam native to the Philippines.
With executive chef Nanor Harboyan and head baker Jacob Fraijo at the wheel, Helms Bakery opened with a slate of sourdough country loaves nestled in wood baskets and seasonal fruit tarts dotted with sliced figs and blueberries. On its first day open, crowds filtered through the 14,000-square-foot space, lining up for impeccably laminated croissants from the coffee bar or fried chicken, which emerged at 11 a.m. from the deli counter in the back corner.
The cafeteria-style eatery, known for its affordable, homestyle meals of fried chicken, baked spaghetti, and chocolate cream pie, announced its permanent closure in a Facebook post on Monday. The restaurant chain thanked customers for their support and added, "We are truly sorry to bring this chapter to an end, but profoundly thankful for the love you've shown us for nearly nine decades." No explanation was offered for K&W's sudden closure.
The Denny's located at 1000 W. Steele Lane at Santa Rosa's Coddingtown Mall announced its permanent closure in a short memo posted on its storefront window. The Press Democrat reported that the goodbye message directed customers to visit a nearby Denny's on Baker Avenue, which remains open.
Two years after taking over the former chain's last Chicago location, 218 S. Clark St., restaurateur Dame Dia announced via Instagram Friday he is closing the location permanently. It's last day in service was Nov. 28. The Senegalese native was one of three Native Foods employees who in 2024 accepted an offer to assume ownership of the Clark Street outpost, which had been in operation for over a decade.
After 15 amazing years in this space, we will close our doors on November 30th. We are so sad to leave after such an epic run, but our hearts are full of gratitude as we reflect on this incredible journey. Special thanks to our amazing team for making this space so special and to our community who have shown up year after year. We hope you can visit us for a few last hurrags as we close this chapter.... Love, The Colonie Team.
As the Nosh columnist for openings and closings, it's my job to report on a lot of sad restaurant news. I inform folks when their beloved local bakery shuts down, when pizzerias close wordlessly, and when their go-to date night restaurants suddenly ghost them. And, while it's not always easy being the bearer of bad news, this particular story feels like a knife to my own ribs. This is a closure I hoped I'd never, ever have to write about.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - Despite being surrounded by water, Staten Island boasts only a handful of dedicated seafood spots - and just one true, super-casual clam bar and lobster shack: Lobster House Joe's, located at 1898 Hylan Blvd. in Dongan Hills. After more than three decades of serving seafood lovers, the beloved eatery will close its doors on Oct. 30, marking the end of an era for one of the borough's most iconic seafood destinations.
"The time has come for us to hang up our aprons and say farewell," owner Mary Beth Liccioni announced in a post on Instagram. "When we opened our doors ... we never could have imagined the incredible journey ahead - the laughter shared over meals, the celebrations hosted at our tables, and the friendships that blossomed over the years. You welcomed us into your lives, and for that, we are forever grateful."
According to the Gazetteer, an employee confirmed on Monday that the Noe Valley Tacolicious site at 4063 24th St. has closed for good. Tacolicious, which has locations in San Francisco's Marina and Mission districts as well as one spot in Palo Alto, no longer lists the Noe Valley outpost on its website. It's unclear what led to the store closure. SFGATE reached out to Tacolicious for comment but did not hear back by publication.
Kasper's Hot Dogs shut down both of its remaining locations in mid-October, one in Concord and the other on Oakland's MacArthur Boulevard. Started in 1929 in Oakland by Kasper Koojoolian, the brand has now gone from roughly a dozen outposts around the Bay down to zero - though Caspers Hot Dogs, another East Bay chain, is still seemingly doing fine.
Foster started Phew's Pies in 2020 and gained viral success after rapper Killer Mike tweeted about his pizza. Foster also recently joined an Eater and Punch Pre-Shift panel and spoke on what it takes to create a viral food menu. The handmade pies include pizzas topped with lemon pepper wet wings, oxtails, and ricotta. His signature pizzas, the Lemon Pepper Wet and Hot Lemon Pepper Wet, are made using a butter sauce, chopped chicken, and mozzarella, with wings dotting the center.
We will miss cooking for you all and more than anything, we will miss the beautiful community that has gathered around the Redwood Tree, supported the incredible musicians who we have had the great pleasure to spotlight and our regulars who came for the food, the love and a little bit of grace in these tumultuous times.
It has been a great honor to serve you all, meet your children and grandparents, be a part of your most important celebrations, write Babette's staff. We will miss cooking for you all and more than anything, we will miss the beautiful community that has gathered around the Redwood Tree, supported the incredible musicians who we have had the great pleasure to spotlight and our regulars who came for the food, the love and a little bit of grace in these tumultuous times.
We churn our own butter, roll our own oats and support a root to leaf ideology, meaning that if an animal dies or a vegetable is harvested for food we will maximise its entire potential, respectfully.
For almost 50 years, streams of people have stepped through the restaurant's towering glass door into its light-filled threshold, where a series of polished wooden steps unfolds, leading to the dining room with its walls of windows and the brass-topped bar where a waterfall gently spills behind rows of neatly shelved bottles. Outside, a two-tiered deck overlooks the Tahoe City Marina and, beyond the boat slips, a panoramic view of Lake Tahoe.
"This isn't an easy post to write," the statement reads. First and foremost, thank you. Thank you for showing up for us. Thank you for being part of our family since 1992. "Thank you for helping us build something special here in Atlanta, a place where good food, good people, and good vibes met for 33 unforgettable years ... If you ever sat down for a meal here, pulled up with your people, or stopped by for a jerk chicken to go, we'd love to see you one last time."
Celebrity chef Rick Stein will close his Marlborough restaurant this weekend, the second outlet to shut in a week as his family-run hospitality empire battles mounting financial pressure. The High Street site, which opened almost a decade ago, will serve its last meals on Sunday, October 5. The closure follows the permanent shutdown of Stein's Coffee Shop in Padstow, Cornwall, where three staff were redeployed.
The restaurant, which served dishes like pasta and cuts of steak, opened in March at the Cambria Hotel in South Boston. The rooftop, which focused more on elevated bar snacks and cocktails, opened a few months later. The concepts were from Kristin Jenkins, who also owns the restaurant 1928 Beacon Hill. Issues with Southie residents started shortly after the restaurant opened, with neighbors expressing opposition to noise from music and events at an April abutter's meeting.
Less than two weeks after the Limani group closed its Italian restaurant, Carpaccio, at the Walt Whitman Shops in Huntington Station, it also shuttered the Woodbury venue, Limani Taverna. A sign posted to the front door said that the last dinner was on Sept. 28, thanked customers for "being part of our story" and directing them to "sister locations in Roslyn and Commack." The restaurant's owners could not immediately be reached for comment.
