15 Beloved Restaurants That Closed Across The US In 2025

Have you ever returned to your hometown only to find out your favorite local restaurant is gone? Your first thought may be grief that you can no longer eat its delicious food. Then, you may be filled with a sense of nostalgia as you remember all the memories you accumulated at the restaurant — celebrating your younger sibling's birthday, going on your first (real) date, or your cousin's wedding dinner. Maybe you think of all the strangers whose lives were, likewise, influenced by this establishment.

Humans are incredibly social creatures who love good food. Local restaurants that fulfill these two baseline desires inevitably grow to become community staples. When one shuts down, it can feel similar to losing an influential community leader. 2025 has seen several great restaurants shut down for many reasons, from economic struggles to personal changes. These beloved restaurants that closed for good are just a few examples of how these businesses offer so much more to their communities than just a hot meal.

After almost two decades in business, the beloved Long Beach Italian restaurant Michael's on Naples closed its doors permanently in late September 2025. In 2007, Michael Dene opened the restaurant with the goal of creating a gourmet dining experience. Dene's visions were realized with the help of general manager, Massimo Aronne, and lead chef Eric Samaniego, whose attention to detail, like the freshness of the produce and thoughtful service, cemented Michael's as a Long Beach treasure.

Some menu items that former-guests will miss include zuppa di pesce, a seafood soup, and lasagna verde alla bolognese, a spinach-pasta lasagna. The restaurant announced its closure via Instagram and expressed deep gratitude for the Long Beach community's continued support and appreciation. While no official reason was given for the closure, it may come as a relief to hungry Long Beachers that its venue will now be used by another restaurant, Bacari.

Chicagoans and Chicagoland suburbanites will be sad to learn that Burbank's iconic Mattson's Steak House and Saloon officially closed for business in January 2025. According to reports, the decision came following the retirement of the longtime owner, Joseph Rospapa. 

Mattson's first opened in 1968 and was known for its iconic light-up sign featuring a cowboy on a horse. At night, the sign's lights would flicker, giving the illusion that the horse was galloping with the cowboy riding and swinging his lasso. The restaurant's menu included Western-style American classics like ribeyes, cheeseburgers, and corn on the cob. 

Many of the former customers expressed their appreciation for the restaurant's presence and their sadness at its closure. Many noted that they had enjoyed Mattson's since their childhood and would miss the steadfast presence of the Chicagoland classic. Some noted that they had only recently eaten there and are disappointed to lose a restaurant they enjoyed.

In 1990, Toshi Suzuki opened his New York City restaurant Basta Pasta, which offered a culinary fusion of Italian and Japanese dishes. Unfortunately for Manhattan residents, Basta Pasta is slated to close on October 30, after 35 years of business. 

Suzuki originally opened his restaurant in Japan in 1985, five years before moving to its East Coast location. The menu items Basta Pasta was famous for include Italian classics like Caesar salads and dishes like the tonno fresco scottato.

No official reason was given for the closure, but many speculate that it was due to the financial strain many restaurants felt following the COVID-19 pandemic. Suzuki hopes to possibly reopen the restaurant at a later time, but no official plans have been put in place. For now, Basta Pasta fans will have to say farewell.

San Antonio residents were shocked to find Phoenix Chinese Cafe closed, without notice, in May, after more than two decades of service. The restaurant was opened by Ren and Lisa Wu, who came to the States from Guangzhou, China. The Wus hoped to give San Antonio a taste of their southern Cantonese roots. Customers would frequent Phoenix for traditional takeout meals like beef and broccoli or, if they felt particularly adventurous, could try any of the over 100 menu items.

The shutdown came as a huge shock to the community, who were not given warning or any follow-up explanation. However, it seems the closure may be permanent as both online and telephone ordering operations have ceased, and the restaurant hasn't reopened. Hopefully the restaurant will reopen or offer an explanation for its sudden departure soon.

Los Angeles restaurant Akasha was a cozy cafe and diner run by owners Akasha Richmond and Alan Schulman since 2008. The Culver City eatery offered a cultural assortment of foods, like tandoori chicken skewers, ginger soy steak skewers, and tofu lettuce wraps.

However, after almost 18 years of business, Akasha announced its closure on Instagram. Its owners cited many reasons for their decision, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the increasing costs of operation, and the consequences of the changing entertainment industry, which have resulted in a shrinking LA population. Its last day of operation was October 5. 

Akasha earned the admiration of the Culver City community, who responded with bittersweet gratitude to its closing announcement. The community's reaction illuminated the true impact Akasha had on its patrons. Although customers may be sad to see the eatery's journey end, the owners will still offer catering and frozen prepared meals, Akasha At Home, for those who still crave its unique fare.

Do you know who invented the French dip sandwich? It's a mystery that has baffled food historians since its sudden appearance in early-1900s Los Angeles. Two restaurants, Coles French Dip and Philippe The Original, have each argued its status as the original creator for almost 100 years.

Cole's French Dip was originally opened in 1908 by Henry Cole, making it Los Angeles' oldest bar. According to Cole's version of history, the French dip sandwich was first made by chef Jack Garlinghouse. The story goes that a customer with bad gums ordered the sandwich, and Garlinghouse decided to use au jus to soften the bread, thus creating the French dip.

Philippe's and Cole's rivalry is a well-cemented element of Los Angeles culture and history. However, it seems the long rivalry has come to a cruel end following Cole's closure announcement, which came after more than a century of business. Reasons cited for the closure include lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, financial struggles, and a shrinking LA community. Initially, the historic restaurant was set to close its doors on August 3. However, the community's support following the announcement enabled Cole's to push back this date to November 1, giving French dip lovers a little more time to enjoy the alleged original.

Cypress Cafe, a San Antonio restaurant, overcame many obstacles in its 23 years of business. Mimi Lee, the restaurant's owner, emigrated with her family from Korea to Texas in 2000, and opened her restaurant two years later. After two decades at its original location, Lee was abruptly forced to move her restaurant in mid-2024, bringing uncertainty to its future. Despite the challenges, Lee's optimistic spirit allowed Cypress Cafe to reopen at its new location a month later.

Following an unfortunate challenge, Cypress Cafe abruptly announced its indefinite closure on Instagram. In early July, it was revealed that Mimi Lee had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The community showed their continued support for the Lee family through a GoFundMe, which, at the time of publication, raised more than $6,000. Lee's children, who created the fundraiser, expressed what supportive patrons already knew to be true: Mimi's love for her community is what empowers her. Despite Cypress Cafe's closure, Mimi Lee and her family's positive impact on those around them shines through the community's continued support and encouragement of the family through this difficult time.

In the early '90s, Bob Hatcher was inspired to open his own restaurant after his friend's thriving burrito business. After finding a cheap location on Ponce de Leon Avenue, Hatcher opened his own restaurant: Eats. For almost 33 years, owner Bob Hatcher served the Atlanta community Southern comfort classics, including jerk chicken, sweet potatoes, mac and cheese, and a $10 combo that had been around since its opening day. Eats quickly became a home for great food and better company for the Atlanta community.

Eats announced its final day would be October 18. Patrons reacted with grief, but also appreciation for how Eats came to shape their community. One of Hatcher's reasons for his restaurant's closure resembled many others around the nation — troubles caused by the COVID-19 shutdown. However, at 73 years old, Hatcher knows when to call it quits, and is content to retire and end his restaurant's multi-decade run.

Phoenix restaurant FEZ was a known safe place for the Arizona LGBTQ+ community for over 20 years. The restaurant was founded in 2005 by Mark Dillon, Tom Jetland, and Mark Howard, with the dream to create a safe place where downtown Arizonans could enjoy good food, good drinks, and good people. In its two decades of operation, FEZ's kitchen offered Mediterranean and American classics, while its bar offered various wines, beers, and cocktails.

In 2023, FEZ was sold to Luis Carlos Tarin after the original founders decided to pursue other ventures. Unfortunately, the beloved restaurant only endured two more years before announcing its closure on September 22. Previous owner Mark Howard expressed sorrow that the restaurant shut down, despite his hope that selling FEZ would help it remain operational. No reason was given to ease the Arizona community's heartbreak from the sudden loss of the restaurant that was considered a community hotspot.

For 15 years, Cat City Grill was a source of modern-American staples for the Fort Worth community. Martin Thompson and Vance Martin co-founded the Fort Worth grill in 2010, and Thompson kept it running after Martin sold his share. Its menu items included lobster bites and steaks. With its wide array of options, patrons would have no problem finding something on Cat City Grill's menu to enjoy. 

Many restaurants near Cat City Grill began to struggle as changes hit the area. Resulting increases in operational costs and declining customer spending culminated in the restaurant fighting to remain open. Unfortunately, these troubles became too big to overcome, and it announced its closure on September 28. Despite the adversity that forced his business to close, Thompson was still grateful for the relationships it allowed him to build. These relationships proved fruitful, as many supporters of the grill expressed sadness to see it go.

Latin Star Restaurant in downtown Haverstraw, NY, cooked traditional Latin meals like asopao de camarones and Cuban sandwiches for over 40 years. Owner Don Miguelo opened and operated the restaurant until deciding to retire and sell his location. The restaurant closed on October 4.

Community sentiment was bittersweet. Many believed Miguelo deserved to enjoy his years in retirement, knowing he had contributed so much to the community. Others grieved the loss of Haverstraw history and a source of nostalgia for those who were raised in the area. The owner of Latin Star hopes that an aspiring restaurant owner will be eager to take over the space and provide a new culinary experience for the Haverstraw community.

Portland's Guiseppe's Italian Restaurant was first opened in 1986 by couple Linda and Joe Panza. For three generations, Guiseppe's was a constant source of classic Italian favorites, like chicken Parmigiana and lasagna.

However, at 78, Linda expressed her desire to finally retire, and the restaurant closed permanently on October 5. Guiseppe's posted its announcement on its website, where the team expressed appreciation for the family, community, and staff for the memories and relationships they were able to build.

The community's reaction was in kind, genuine gratitude for the Panza family's longstanding presence and kindness. Despite the loss of the cherished restaurant, it seems the Panzas achieved their mission to bring traditional and tasty Italian dishes to their community. 

For 25 years, DaVinci's Brick Oven Pizza's owner Gary Conte served the Montclair, New Jersey community pizza, wraps, and other Italian classics. However, the closure of a nearby theater in 2017 resulted in the pizzeria losing 10% of its patronage as a result of decreased foot traffic. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic, which vexed countless local businesses and caused a reduced patronage.

Conte also believed other lifestyle changes, like a shift in dietary habits, decreased his customer base. He also cited third-party food delivery services leading to reduced profit from orders. DaVinci's Brick Oven Pizza's last day was September 20. 

After 115 years, the second oldest restaurant in Alabama, Dobbs Famous Bar-B-Que, announced it would cease operations on September 28. In 1910, Euell Lee Dobbs Sr. opened Dobbs Famous Bar-B-Que in Tallassee before moving to Dothan in 1948, where it remained for over 75 years. Dobbs served traditional Southern barbecue, including pork sandwiches and ribs. Dobbs was most famous for its camp stew, smoked ribs, and strawberry shortcake.

The Dothan community was saddened to see the historical landmark close for good. The day before its official end date, orders flooded in and Dobbs completely sold out. After over a century of operation, it is no surprise that this restaurant left a lasting impact on locals. 

On October 5, the South Bend, Indiana community lost an Italian favorite: Parisi's Ristorante Italiano. Parisi's journey began 44 years ago by Italian immigrant Roberto Parisi and his parents with the goal of bringing their foods and customs to the South Bend community. In its Facebook announcement, the Parisi family recognized the people who added value to their restaurant.

A closing party was held on October 5. The community's love for the Parisis certainly showed on this bittersweet night filled with drinks, dancing, and an Italian buffet. While no official reason was given for the closure, Roberto Parisi did express mixed feelings about his retirement. While his restaurant had come to an end, he will forever have exciting memories to look back on and a peaceful future to look forward to.