10 closures in 11 days: Inside the Sacramento-area restaurant bloodbath to start 2020
The last decade transformed Sacramento’s restaurant scene. In the first stretch of 2020, part of it came crashing down.
Ten local restaurants either announced their impending closure or shut down for good between Dec. 29 and Jan. 8, including six in midtown or downtown Sacramento. That list doesn’t include Original Perry’s in south Sacramento (closed on Dec. 15) or Pluto’s in downtown Davis (Dec. 24).
Many of the 10 were institutions in their own right, longtime favorites that served a style or class of food scarcely replicated throughout the region. While skyrocketing grid rents and the Jan. 1 minimum wage increase to $13 have factored into some closures, a handful of restaurateurs simply retired their concepts or bodies after years of long hours and slim margins.
Sacramento-area restaurants that closed
Heckle Alehouse & Eatery (705 Gold Lake Dr. #390, Folsom): Matt Garrido opened his beer bar with classic American pub food in downtown Folsom in 2016, but lacked “the volume required to continue going forward,” according to Garrido’s Facebook post, and closed Dec. 29.
Hot Italian (1627 16th St.): Andrea Lepore and Fabrizio Cercatore founded their pizzeria on a then-dead block of midtown in 2009, survived the recession and watched other businesses take off around Fremont Park before Hot Italian closed on Dec. 29.
The Press Bistro (1809 Capitol Ave.): Glowing critical reviews couldn’t save chef/owner David English’s bistro in the Handle District from the pressures of rent increases, and it served its last meals on New Year’s Eve.
Sail Inn Grotto & Bar (1522 Jefferson Blvd., West Sacramento): The team behind B-Side, Shady Lady Saloon and Field House American Sports Pub resuscitated the decades-old West Sacramento roadhouse in 2016, but this slightly spruced-up iteration served its last customer on New Year’s Eve.
Mother (1023 K St.): Select items from the popular vegetarian restaurant have been added to the new lunch menu at neighboring Empress Tavern, but Mother exited Sacramento’s dining scene on New Year’s Day. It received four stars in a 2014 Bee review and was one of three local restaurants to earn a Bib Gourmand in the 2019 California Michelin guide.
Cafe Marika (2011 J St.): Eva and Louie Chruma ran the only Hungarian restaurant in Sacramento before closing their midtown cult favorite on Jan. 2 after more than 30 years. Both are approaching their 70s.
An Honest Pie (11755 Willow Creek Dr., Auburn, and food truck): Brenda Janssen started selling pies from her mobile “PieMobile” in 2012 and established a stand outside Auburn’s Home Depot. She announced plans on Jan. 2 to cease baking at the end of the month, though the PieMobile and stand are for sale.
Gogi’s Korean BBQ (1431 L St.): The Wong brothers’ quick-service Korean barbecue stand near Capitol Park was popular among both state workers on their lunch breaks and club-goers seeking a late night bite before closing Monday.
Jim-Denny’s (816 12th St.): The downtown greasy spoon announced its impending closure Monday on Facebook after 85 years. It’ll remain open Wednesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. through the end of January.
Cafe Rolle (5357 H St.): William Rolle founded his eponymous French cafe and restaurant in 2002. It became a Yelp darling and was featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. But Rolle opted to hang up his chef’s coat for good on Wednesday after mulling over his options on a trip to France.
This story was originally published January 9, 2020 at 12:45 PM.