Pomella, an Oakland restaurant celebrated for its California-Israeli cuisine, is set to close on May 26 after five years of operation, largely due to shrinking sales and rising costs. Chef-owner Mica Talmor cited economic pressures from food and labor to utilities as major factors. The restaurant's casual concept struggled to compete in a market where diners prioritize new or special occasion venues. Despite taking significant loans to open amid the pandemic, Talmor feels unable to sustain operations given the current economic climate and potential future challenges.
As people are spending less money eating out, they want to go to a date night place or the place that just opened. We're an everyday place. We're casual.
The space is large and doesn't really align with the business model anymore. It's really hard right now, and I just don't see how it's going to change in the future.
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