After 30 years of serving steaks in a former railway depot on Highway 1 in Pacifica, Vallemar Station is no more. SFGATE reported in February that the owners planned to close due to rising costs, a downturn in business and owner Barbara Ash’s declining health, but that they hoped to find a buyer. (SFGATE and the San Francisco Chronicle are both owned by Hearst but operate independently.) By June, “the restaurant was set to continue under new ownership, but the landlords ultimately decided not to move forward with the lease,” Vallemar Station wrote on Facebook. Its last day was July 12. The restaurant, which Hal and Barbara Ash opened in 1996, was known for its prime rib dinners, old-school vibe and rail-themed decor, including model railroads and an original rail from the 1900s-era Ocean Shore Railroad that served as a foot rest under the bar.
The Bay Area has lost one of its most “electrifying” Peruvian restaurants. After 13 years in Oakland, Pucquioclosed on July 31. Despite having regulars and receiving positive press, including from the Chronicle, business is down about 25% from last year, chef-owner Carlos Moreira said, adding to rising ingredient costs and other financial pressures. “It’s sad to see many positive things not translate into financial stability,” he said. He hopes to reopen Pucquio, perhaps with a smaller menu. In a 2022 review, Chronicle restaurant critic Cesar Hernandez praised Moreira’s cebiches: “If cebiche is a church to worship acid and fish then Pucquio is a monastery, welcoming everyone to express their devotion.”
One of the Bay Area’s best Ethiopian restaurants has relocated. Oakland’s EnssaroEthiopian Restaurantclosed its decades-old location near Lake Merritt and reopened July 31 in a new home at 5897 College Ave. in the Rockridge neighborhood. Enssaro will continue to serve standout dishes including ye bere alicha, turmeric-hued beef and potatoes, and ye beg wot, saucy lamb cubes cooked slowly in berbere and ghee.
San Francisco’s Detroit-style pie shop empire Joyride Pizza is down one location after the closure of its Pacific Heights outpost in July. Like other Joyrides, the 2055 Union St. pizzeria offered pies baked in square pans with toppings such as pepperoni or anchovies, jalapeños and crimini mushrooms. Joyride, part of the Bay Area’s Detroit-style pizza wave, still operates eight locations in San Francisco, Santa Clara and Walnut Creek…