Closings

Oldest Italian Restaurant in the Country, Fior d’Italia, Closes Tonight

Fior d'Italia's current Wharf-adjacent location, where they've been for the last six years.
Fior d’Italia’s current Wharf-adjacent location, where they’ve been for the last six years. Photo: Courtesy of Fior d’Italia

Some may debate the claim, but Fior d’Italia dubs itself the oldest Italian restaurant in America, and it may be true — the oldest one still in business anyway. The restaurant opened 126 years ago, in 1886, and tonight they’ll be closing, possibly forever. The’ve moved several times over the course of the last century in San Francisco. As the Scoop explains, the original restaurant stood at 492 Broadway, but that burned down. They had a few more homes before settling at the corner of Union and Stockton, where Original Joe’s recently reopened.

They had a fire there as well, in 2005, which prompted the move to their current location at Mason and Francisco near Fisherman’s Wharf. The place famously celebrated its anniversaries by rolling back prices on classic dishes like the veal sauté to five cents, which is what it cost in 1886. Partner Trudy Audieri and her husband, chef Gianni Audieri, say they’re heartbroken about the closure, and hope to be able to reopen at some point, but they were unable to negotiate a sale with owner Bob Larive.

Will their be any sort of Sam Wo-esque outcry for the loss of this landmark? Stay tuned.

Update: Here are some photos from their final night. [SFGate]

Fior D’Italia, dubbed America’s Oldest Italian Restaurant, is closing [Scoop]
Related: Fior D’Italia Turns Back Clock (and Menu Prices) to 1886

Oldest Italian Restaurant in the Country, Fior d’Italia, Closes Tonight