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Even businesses are subject to the "Circle of Life," so to speak, as closures are generally inevitable.
Across Vancouver, several restaurants have said goodbye (or are in the process of saying their farewells) this month. You've got a 35-year-old downtown "spaghetti joint" and a 25-year-old Malaysian staple on the departures list alongside a couple of ownership and concept changes, moves for redevelopment, or closures due to non-payment of the lease.
From tacos to pizza and pasta to pastries, here are 11 restaurants in Vancouver that are closed or closing soon.
Zefferelli's Spaghetti Joint
After over 35 years of serving up pasta in a lively second-floor space at 1136 Robson St, Italian restaurant Zefferelli's said arrivederci on May 19.
Zefferelli's came onto the scene at the end of 1989 and swiftly captured attention for its reliably good dishes at reasonable prices.
"ln 1989, I could not have imagined writing this goodbye letter," Alberto Lemmo wrote in the closure announcement he shared with V.I.A. Lemmo was the original chef hired for Zefferelli's who ultimately bought the business.
Ramen One
The little ramen shop at 433 W Broadway entered the market in the spring of 2024 advertising bowls of the Japanese noodle dish starting at just $10.
Though the pricing didn't stick around after its soft open, its premise was noteworthy: dining in individual booths with pass-through service from the kitchen.
Now, almost exactly a year after opening, the restaurant has closed. The last day of business at Ramen One was May 19.
La Taqueria - Hastings
The news was inevitable: La Taqueria said farewell to its original Vancouver "Pinche Taco Shop" location ahead of the site's redevelopment.
While the closure was expected, the restaurant was able to stay in the space longer than anticipated.
When it opened in 2009, La Taqueria on West Hastings was at the forefront of a fresh trend in Vancouver dining, bringing authentic Mexican street-style tacos to the downtown core.
While the loss of the original shop is sad news, after 16 years, La Taqueria will still be a presence in the area, only at a new location. Set to open later this summer, La Taqueria will offer a taco-centric menu at its new digs, which has been in the build-out process at the Waterfront Hub building (601 W Hastings St/333 Seymour St) for several months now.
La Taqueria's final day at its original West Hastings taco shop was May 18.
Taco 'N Todo
After nearly three years in Vancouver's Sunset neighbourhood, Taco 'N Todo closed this month.
The business, run by a Mexican woman named Monica, imported ingredients from Mexico and while it focused on a variety of tacos, the menu also included quesabirrias, burritos, and quesadillas.
Taco 'n Todo started as a food trailer eight years ago. The East Vancouver taco shop followed in 2022. While the brick-and-mortar restaurant is closed, the Taco 'n Todo truck will keep popping up around town.
The last day for the little Mexican restaurant at 6196 Fraser St was May 11.
St. Regis Bar & Grill
The St. Regis Bar & Grill, the restaurant and popular watering hole on the ground floor of the longstanding downtown Vancouver hotel of the same name, has closed.
A statement from ownership provided to V.I.A. sheds light on what prompted the closure and what is in store for the space.
"This closure reflects the changes which have taken place in the downtown Vancouver with increased hybrid work schedules and decreased office populations," the St. Regis ownership explains.
For much of its tenure, the St. Regis Bar & Grill was considered a local favourite "for office lunches, game nights, and special events."
The St. Regis Bar & Grill closed its doors permanently on May 3.
Tiko Pizza
Less than a year after opening, Tiko Pizza has closed at 1210 Robson St.
The downtown Vancouver pizza place opened in May 2024, bringing pizza slices and bubble tea to an area filled with small cafes and a variety of foods.
Legal notices posted on Tiko Pizza's doors indicate the restaurant closed earlier this spring.
The notices articulate ongoing issues around the lease, which recently resulted in the termination of the lease.
Tropika
After over 25 years, Malaysian restaurant (with Thai and Indonesian influences) Tropika closed this spring.
Tropika opened at 2975 Cambie St in 1999. The menu featured items like prawn soups and deep-fried crab.
However, the chef from Tropika has already opened a similar concept in its place, called Sedap Plus, featuring Malaysian and pan-Asian cuisine.
Foret Noire - Robson
Foret Noire began on West Broadway in 2018 before expanding to add its 1126 Robson St shop in 2022.
This month, a transition to new ownership is underway. Foret Noire Robson is officially "gone out of business," per the City of Vancouver's business licence database.
La Belisse is the new name for the French bakery café business at the location; its culinary team was previously part of Foret Noire.
The menu includes specialty croissants, tarts, and cakes (individual and whole), served in a café setting.
Pizzeria Farina
After more than a decade on Main Street, Vancouver's Pizzeria Farina will close permanently at the end of the month.
Pizzeria Farina opened at 915 Main St in 2011, specializing in Neapolitan-style pizzas.
It's not the first time Pizzeria Farina's closure has been announced. In 2022, after the building in which it is located sold, Pizzeria Farina and its neighbour, The Boxcar, announced they were closing. However, new leases for both the Boxcar and Pizzeria Farina were signed, and they remained open.
The last day for pizzas at Pizzeria Farina on Main will be May 31.
Bar Susu
Michelin Guide-recognized and award-winning Bar Susu is just marking one full year back at 209 E 6th Ave, but is spending the month of May welcoming its guests as part of an extended farewell.
Bar Susu opened in 2022 in the historic building formerly home to The Whip, earning several accolades in its debut year, including being named one of Canada's 50 best bars of 2023.
Sadly, a June 2023 fire took Bar Susu offline, but owners were able to run it as a pop-up at a neighbouring concept in their portfolio.
Bar Susu will wrap up its short but noteworthy run on May 30.
Mahony's False Creek
The venerable pub has already changed hands at its False Creek location and the new owners plan to close the restaurant and bar in October to launch renovations for the new concept they have planned for the sprawling two-level waterfront space.
Founder Pete Mahony said leaving the False Creek location, which opened at 601 Stamps Landing in 2014, was difficult but exciting.
Mahony's still has a location at the Convention Centre; the sale of the False Creek location means Mahony and his team will focus on their remaining spot.
Mahony's will keep running for the spring and summer, Mishree Restaurant Concepts managing director Shraey Gulati told V.I.A., with a new 300-seat pop-up on the patio called Bae Side.
Following extensive renovations, the restaurant group "will unveil a new bohemian-inspired concept: Mishree on the Water," explained Gulati, who added the new concept could be open by spring 2026.
Mishree on the Water will have a broad menu, Gulati adds, featuring Pan-Asian, Mexican, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean dishes. And a touch of Indian.
An official closure day for Mahony's False Creek and the temporary Bae Side project have not been shared.
With files from Brendan Kergin
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