BREAKING: After 6 months in business, celebrity chef Traci Des Jardins abruptly closes Los Altos restaurant

On March 24, acclaimed chef Traci Des Jardins’ upscale Cal-Mex restaurant, El Alto, made its long-awaited debut in Los Altos as the anchor of the new State Street Market food hall. It was her first culinary venture outside San Francisco, her first in Silicon Valley.

On Saturday, just six months later, El Alto’s Facebook page announced the restaurant’s abrupt closure:

“As of September 23, 2022, el Alto has ceased operations,” the note posted midafternoon said. “Thank you to all that have supported the restaurant through this time, especially our wonderfully supportive guests and our staff.”

On Instagram, Des Jardins wrote: “Sadly, yesterday was our last service at @elaltolosaltos. It has been incredible to operate in Los Altos where the interest, excitement, and reception to the restaurant blew me away. It was a wonderful experience to again work alongside Chef Robert Hurtado, as well as the amazing kitchen and front-of-house staff that worked to bring this concept to life. I loved hearing the feedback from guests as we interacted in the dining room. At the end of the day, I’m incredibly proud and grateful to have been a part of this project.”

No explanation was given for the shutdown, and the restaurant’s website and menu had already been taken down.

During the planning and construction phases of the restaurant, Des Jardins described El Alto as a celebration of “the rich history of the early California-Mexican ranchos and the agrarian roots of the Bay Area.” A Central Valley native whose mother is of Mexican descent, she teamed up with another chef with Mexican roots, Central Coast native Robert Hurtado.

El Alto, which served dinner four nights a week, has an overall ranking of 4 stars on Yelp, though the most recent reviews faulted the restaurant for lack of staff and slow service.

This is a developing story. Come back for updates.