After 75 Years, Landmark Restaurant Nate 'N Al's Is Closing Its Doors - For Now
BEVERLY HILLS (CBSLA) — A staple in Beverly Hills is making it clear it wants to stay open, but has temporarily closed its doors in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nate 'N Al's in Beverly Hills has been serving up Reuben sandwiches and bagels since 1945. But with the threat of the coronavirus looming weeks ago, the restaurant moved to delivery and pickup only.
On Saturday night, the delicatessen posted on Instagram that it would be closing its doors Sunday night for the foreseeable future. The post reads in part:
"Approximately one month ago the world as we knew it changed. We had hoped that we could continue our take out and delivery service so that we could provide the community with the food that has been a part of our lives for years. However, our number one priority is to keep our customers and our staff safe and secure during this time of uncertainty. After reviewing all the variables, we no longer feel confident that we can do that. It is with great sadness that we will be closing our doors for all business as of tomorrow, Sunday, March 29th at 8 pm. Thank you all for being a part of the Nate'n Al's family and a special thank you to our employees who have worked tirelessly to be here so that we all have continued to have our favorites available! We don't know what the future holds but we urge everyone to do your best to stay home and stay safe."
The restaurant has stayed in the family for decades but was sold to a group of local investors in 2018. It was scheduled to relocate around the corner, and had been featured on local stations, in commercials, and in historical features.
It remains unclear when the business plans to reopen once; however, in a subsequent statement, it indicated that it plans to keep its tradition alive. That statement went on to indicate:
"As we originally stated, we couldn't fully guarantee the safety of both our customers and employees for take-out and delivery during this pandemic we have chosen to cease that service. Our current lease is expiring shortly and we have encountered major difficulties with the city of Beverly Hills who would have been our new landlord on Canon Drive. It is the intention of the current ownership to get through this crisis like every other restaurant and make the right decisions at the right time. Our goal is to keep the Nate'n Al's tradition alive."
