Overview

• Pomella, located on Piedmont Avenue in Oakland, will close on May 26, 2025, after five years of operation.
• Owner Mica Talmor attributes the closure to rising costs, including ingredients and labor, alongside flat consumer spending and smaller orders post-pandemic.
• The restaurant, celebrated for its California-inflected Middle Eastern cuisine, was named one of the Bay Area’s top Middle Eastern restaurants in late 2024 by San Francisco Chronicle critics.
• Pomella’s staff have been retained through its final month, with a farewell weekend sale planned for spices, pantry items, and frozen goods.
• Talmor is exploring potential partnerships to revive Pomella in the future but currently lacks the financial resources to sustain the business independently.