A popular restaurant has unexpectedly closed and relocated to another Bay Area city, according to local news outlets. La Perla Puerto Rican Cuisine, a popular Puerto Rican restaurant in the East Bay, has announced its impending closure in Oakland, signaling the end of an era for many local customers.
The restaurant, located at 3409 Fruitvale Ave., will serve its final meals on Saturday, November 30, before moving to a new location in Castro Valley.
In a touching letter posted on social media, La Perla expressed great gratitude to its fans, noting, “As we prepare to close our doors in Oakland, we wanted to take a minute to express our sincerest gratitude for the love and support you’ve offered La Perla Puerto Rican Cuisine over the years.
Serving you in this lively community has been a genuine privilege, and we will treasure the memories and connections we’ve formed here.”
This sentiment reflects the deep bonds the business has built with the community since its start
La Perla is moving about 15 miles south to Castro Valley, where it will set up business at the Castro Valley Marketplace, 3295 Castro Valley Blvd.
While no particular opening date has been established, the marketplace expects La Perla to begin serving clients by the end of the year.
In a recent update, the restaurant posted development videos of its new site on social media, causing excitement among fans eager for its return.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, La Perla created history when it launched its brick-and-mortar establishment in 2021 as the first and only fully-fledged Puerto Rican restaurant in the East Bay.
Before establishing itself as a freestanding venue, La Perla started serving Puerto Rican cuisine in a nearby convenience store in 2017.
La Perla’s unusual journey from a modest operation to a specialized restaurant enabled it to introduce a larger audience to Puerto Rico’s rich flavors and culinary traditions.
The closure of La Perla’s Oakland site is a huge loss for the local eating scene, which has grown to enjoy the restaurant’s original cuisine and welcoming atmosphere.
Many community residents have expressed their support for the restaurant and recounted good recollections of their visits, emphasizing its significance as a cultural hub for Puerto Rican cuisine in the area.
As La Perla prepares for the change, management, and staff are focused on making a smooth transition to Castro Valley, where they want to continue pleasing guests with their famous menu items.
The community excitedly awaits the reopening and looks forward to experiencing the bright flavors of Puerto Rican food in a new setting.