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Giordano Bros. is seen in 2008. It closed in February after 18 years.
Giordano Bros. was known for its Pittsburgh-inspired all-in-one sandwich, which consisted of olive oil and vinegar slaw, french fries, provolone cheese and your choice of grilled meats.
As part of our ongoing reporting on the closures of local restaurants, here is a list of Bay Area establishments that have closed or will close by the end of February 2022. Notable shutterings include Mission sports bar Giordano Bros., Cambodian fried chicken favorite Shlap Muan and the flagship location of Smitten Ice Cream. See January 2022’s list of closings here.
San Francisco sports bar Giordano Bros. has closed after 18 years of business, owners Jeff and Allison Jordan announced in a press release. The couple originally opened the restaurant as a destination for Pittsburgh sandwiches in North Beach, in 2004. Along with partner Adam DeMezza, they relocated to the Mission District in 2011, where the establishment quickly became one of the most popular sports bars in the neighborhood. While the pandemic impacted their business, the Jordans said they decided to close because they wanted to spend more time with their family. “Our kids are now in high school and middle school, and there are important things we don’t want to miss,” said Allison Jordan. The bar’s last day was February 27.
Castro Thai restaurant Thailand shuttered operations, Hoodline first reported. The restaurant was a neighborhood fixture for nearly 30 years. There’s currently a listing advertising the space for $3,900/month.
East Oakland said goodbye to Masala Cuisine, a low-key favorite for Indian takeout, after 10 years. The owners announced on Facebook that they had to close the restaurant due to health issues. As a critic for the East Bay Express in 2013, Luke Tsai called it “the most authentic home-style Indian restaurant in town.”
A man passes Smitten Ice Cream, located in a shipping container in Hayes Valley. The ice cream shop has shut down after 10 years.
San Francisco creamery Smitten Ice Cream, which uses liquid nitrogen to churn scoops to order, closed its Hayes Valley location after 10 years. In an Instagram post, the business stated the lease on the shipping container shop was temporary and it would always have to move on. Locations in the Mission District, Pacific Heights, Oakland’s Rockridge and San Jose’s Santana Row are still open.
Cambodian wing outfit Shlap Muan was one of the best restaurants for fried chicken in the Bay Area until it closed Feb. 25, as first reported by Tablehopper. The owners of the Financial District spot are moving to Long Beach.
Popular brewery Magnolia Brewing Company closed its Dogpatch location after 4 years on Feb. 20. According to an announcement on Instagram, Magnolia’s lease was up and the impacts of COVID-19 have been “a huge challenge.” The San Francisco brewery, which was acquired by New Belgium in 2017, will maintain its Haight-Ashbury space.
Mexican mini-chain Lulu’s has closed its Campbell location, the taqueria announced on Instagram. The restaurant is choosing to focus its efforts on its remaining four locations in Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Los Altos and San Carlos. The closure will also allow it to explore expansion options beyond the Bay Area.
Wrecking Ball Coffee founder Nick Cho chats with a customer while behind the counter of his Berkeley cafe, which closed in February.
Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters made a splash when it opened in North Berkeley in 2019, with owner Nick Cho sparking the neighborhood association to walk away from its longtime moniker, “the Gourmet Ghetto.” The cafe closed Feb. 20, blaming the pandemic on social media. Wrecking Ball’s original location in Cow Hollow remains open.
In North San Jose, Hobee’s was a mainstay for Silicon Valley workers for quick breakfasts and lunches. On Feb. 21, the daytime spot shut down after 28 years in business, as reported by the Mercury News. The restaurant’s locations in Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Palo Alto and Belmont are doing well, though, and the owners are looking to add a spot in San Jose or Campbell.
Tanay Warerkar is the San Francisco Chronicle’s assistant food & wine editor. Janelle Bitker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tanay.warerkar@sfchronicle.com, janelle.bitker@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @TanayWarerkar @JanelleBitker
Janelle Bitker spearheads The San Francisco Chronicle's Food & Wine department. She joined the newspaper in 2019 as a food enterprise reporter, covering restaurants as well as Bay Area culture through a food lens. Previously, she served as a reporter for Eater SF, managing editor at the East Bay Express, and arts & culture editor at the Sacramento News & Review. Her writing has been recognized by the California Newspaper Publishers Association and Association of Alternative Newsmedia.
Tanay Warerkar joined the San Francisco Chronicle as the assistant food and wine editor in 2021. Previously, Tanay covered the New York restaurant world at Eater and prior to that did stints at Curbed, the New York Daily News, and DNAinfo, covering topics including housing and real estate, crime and politics. In his spare time, Tanay is probably plotting his next neighborhood restaurant crawl or planning what to prepare for dinner from his ever-expanding cookbook collection.