The proprietor of Papa Cristo’s, a cherished Greek eatery and marketplace that has been part of the Pico-Union community for over seven decades, announced plans to shut down operations next month.
Owner Chrys Chrys told rising rent was the culprit. The property on Pico Boulevard has been listed for sale With an asking price of $5.2 million, the broker listed didn’t promptly reply to requests for comments.
Chrys mentioned that the news has deeply affected the staff members.
"[They feel] utterly heartbroken, as they hold deep affection for this location. It’s their homeland. That’s where they belong, having resided here for the past 25 to 30 years," Chrys stated.
Chrys mentioned that running a restaurant was getting increasingly challenging.
"The rent became unaffordable... and we have no way of changing that. ... We tenants are just pieces in the landlords' game," he remarked.
A local landmark
Local conservation advocates Kim Cooper and Richard Schave, who manage Esotouric tours , stated that Papa Cristo’s catered their wedding.
"It's simply somewhere you feel great," Cooper shared with us. "When you step inside, everyone is treated equally and nothing comes at an exorbitant price," she added.
She mentioned that Papa Cristo’s transforms into a bustling communal area, particularly for attendees of the adjacent Greek Orthodox church every Sunday.
“She mentioned that everybody enjoys it.”
Cooper and Schave expressed their optimism that the restaurant and market could transform into an anchor establishment for an upcoming affordable housing project.
"It’s an ideal chance for...the community to simply state, 'Let's value this and maintain it,'" Cooper stated. The conservationists envisioned a situation where a faith-based non-profit organization might intervene to develop affordable housing at the location while simultaneously sustaining both the restaurant and marketplace operations.
About the food
Papa Cristo’s is renowned for its exceptional rack of lamb, skewers, and other traditional Greek cuisine.
The eatery was featured in January As part of Food Editor Gab Chabrán’s “Budget Quick Bites” series.
From Gab:
Local landmark Papa Cristo's Situated in the Byzantine-Latino Quarter, an area originally populated by numerous Greek migrants during the 1930s and '40s, this marketplace/restaurant has been around from the start. It provides a broad selection of traditional Greek cuisine such as gyros, leg of lamb, char-grilled small squid, and spinach pie.
Chrys mentioned that fans of Greek cuisine have until May 4 to come in for one last visit. He stated that he has no intentions of relocating.