8 CA Restaurants That Closed Permanently In 2022

CALIFORNIA — A slew of restaurants shuttered in 2020 and 2021 during the most severe periods of the coronavirus pandemic as sweeping restrictions forced Californians to stay home and businesses to close their doors.

But 2022 became a year for healing. Fewer eateries were forced to close in 2022 due to the pandemic as Californians got vaccinated and coronavirus restrictions faded into the rearview mirror. However, inflation forced many small businesses to close their doors throughout the year.

Inflation also forced small business owners to contend with the higher costs of operation and customers increasingly having to pinch pennies, according to a new report from Kabbage, a small business lender owned by American Express.

While small business revenues grew by 87 percent between July 2021 and July 2022, profits were roughly stagnant during the same time, dropping by 4 percent. Read that survey here.

Below are some of the eateries that closed in the Golden State permanently.

1. Campo Fina - Healdsburg

Campo Fina in Healdsburg was an iconic wine country destination for Italian fare and bocce. It closed on Oct. 1. Owners Ari and Dawnelise Rosen said they would be closing their doors amid a spate of issues including inflation, the labor shortage, and a rent that doubled since just the start of 2022, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

2. Little Pine - Los Angeles

Owned by musician Moby, who is known for his efforts fighting for animal rights, Little Pine in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles shuttered in early December. The eatery served vegan and vegetarian food to Angelenos for seven years.

3. James Beach - Venice

A queer-friendly space that's been open for 27 years closed its doors in September.

James' Beach officially started on Sept. 18, 1996, and on Sept. 18, 2022, Daniel Samakow and his partner James Evans ended the final shift. Former employee Alaina Zanotti, who worked at the restaurant 20 years ago, said it felt like a parent was dying when she heard James' Beach was closing.

"It's like this place was the bookends of my life," Zanotti said. "You know the best thing from it was the people and the friendships will always still be there even if the building isn't."

James Beach closed after its owners were simply ready to move on, KCRW reported.

“The owners were realizing that a restaurant like James’ Beach – with their price point, with their menu – wasn't really going to be enough to sustain them for much more,” Eater LA writer Mona Holmes wrote. “Venice is a very different type of city than it was in the ‘90s.”

The location was featured in the 2009 comedy "I Love You, Man" starring Paul Rudd and Jason Segel.

Read more about the iconic eatery here.

4. China Bee - San Mateo

The smell of a beloved Taiwanese and Chinese street snack has wafted through the streets of downtown San Mateo for nearly 30 years. In December, the aroma disappeared with the permanent closure of China Bee.

"After 30 years of eating and laughing with you, we have decided to close our doors on December 18th," family members wrote on the restaurant's Facebook. "It has been our greatest honor to not only build our family business but to share with our community the recipes we've carried across generations."

Read more about it here.

5. Marin Brewing Co. - Larkspur

Owner Brendan Moylan cited the weight of the pandemic as a pivotal factor in his decision to end Marin Brewing Co.’s nearly 33-year run.

When Moylan opened the Larkspur business, Marin Brewing Co. was among just 25 California brew pubs. Today there are more than 1,000, Moylan said.

“It certainly is an iconic brew pub,” Moylan added.

Read more about the brewery here.

6. Barone's Restaurant - Pleasanton

Barone’s Restaurant, a community cornerstone specializing in fine Italian dining, announced that it would close on December 22, after 27 years.

“The last few years have been difficult for us all, with Covid, inflationary pressures, and staffing shortages impacting day-to-day operations,” owners Joe and Maricela Barone wrote on the restaurant website. “We want to thank all of our wonderful patrons for their years of support - and for creating so many lasting memories with us and our great staff. We hope these last couple of months are a time for us to come together and make our final dining experiences just as special.

The restaurant has been offering upscale Italian cuisine, as well as numerous community events, at the corner of Main and St. John Street since 1995. According to the website, Joe and Maricela married in 1993, and two years later, fulfilled a longtime dream by buying the site of the historic Casanova’s Restaurant.

Read more about the eatery here.

7. Brian's 24 - Downtown San Diego

Nestled within the heart of the Gaslamp District, San Diego's iconic 24-hour restaurant, Brian's 24, was a beloved fixture for more than a decade.

The restaurant, which closed over the summer, offered a long menu of diner comfort foods, along with a full bar, SanDiegoville reported.

8. Modern Times Leisuretown - Anaheim

After two years, the vibrant beer garden with a swimming pool and coffeehouse closed its doors, citing financial hardship. The eclectic property offered plant-based eats, a slew of craft beer, fresh brewed coffee and plenty of areas to lounge.

"It is with the most heartfelt regret that we announce that Leisuretown will be closing its doors for good," an official from Modern Times Beer wrote on social media in October. "It has been an incredible, joyous, heartbreaking, life-affirming journey, and — even though we are deeply saddened to see it end — we cannot thank you enough for being part of it. This is a hard day, but we're not done. Not by a long shot. More to come."

The massive Anaheim property was also a melting pot for leisure-seekers, students, remote workers and locals for its cozy cafe, which is set up in a colorfully decorated air-conditioned craftsmen house.