Pappo, the 16-year-old restaurant that led the way for fresh, New American cuisine in Alameda, permanently closed its doors after a sold-out New Year’s Eve dinner.
“It’s been a long and tasty road, with plenty of highs (and some lows) along the way,” chef-owner John Thiel first announced via Facebook on Nov. 22, 2021, “but with the ongoing pandemic and the MANY and varied challenges it has brought, we’ve decided that now is the time to gracefully take our bows and exit, stage left.”
An outpouring of support and appreciation followed, with Pappo regulars expressing both sadness and gratitude for the local gathering place.
“Pappo has been such a big part of our family — graduation and lots of birthday dinners for many years. Thank you Chef John and your whole team for all that you’ve given to this wonderful community institution and to our whole town,” Deni Adaniya posted.
Another devotee, Laura Renee, wrote: “This hurts my heart. Working with you has been so instrumental in the person I am today and my relationship with (GOOD) food. All the best, friend.”
Thiel, an early adopter of farm-to-table cooking, was known for Liberty Duck bolognese and braised lamb shanks; local petrole sole with spring vegetables and of course Christmas Eve prime rib. A seat at those annual holiday dinners was coveted by locals, who looked forward to Thiel’s beet and goat cheese salad and chef Mario’s Mushroom Soup.
Outside the kitchen, Thiel was known as a builder of community. Over the years he donated turkeys and other food to local food banks at Thanksgiving. And for several years he offered a free, sit-down Christmas Eve lunch — soup, bread, salad and dessert — to anyone who walked through the door. Pappo also distributed donated clothing and toiletries to those in need.
The theater district restaurant on Central Avenue had survived the COVID pandemic restaurant downturn thus far, largely due a loyal following, established online presence and parklet built in 2020. An email sent to Thiel this week was not immediately returned, but we know that he and the staff are not packing up their knives for long.
“We’ve loved serving you,” he wrote, “and we’ve got some future plans in the works…so keep an ehye out for updates in the new year.”
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