Lutticken's Deli and After 5 restaurant in Menlo Park will close its doors on September 30, marking the end of a 45-year run for the popular Bay Area establishment. General manager Judy Congdon confirmed the closure to The Mercury News, stating that all operations would cease by the end of the month.
The versatile eatery, which served as a coffee shop, sandwich shop, and Mexican restaurant, also featured an "After 5" component that offered beer, wine, live music, and karaoke nights. Prices for classic deli sandwiches like the Hawaiian, featuring ham, Swiss cheese, and pineapple salsa, were around $13.
Congdon attributed the closure to the business's inability to financially recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. "We're just not making the money we used to make," she said. "If it was sustainable, we would stay open. But it's not."
Lutticken's, which opened in 1981, was a neighborhood favorite and received recognition, including the California Senate District 13's Small Business of the Year award in 2024. The establishment also had a notable visitor in 2000 when Al Gore stopped by during his presidential campaign.
In addition to the Menlo Park location, Lutticken's sites at Stanford University and on Sand Hill Road will also close. The closure follows a trend of other Bay Area small businesses shutting down, including Home of Chicken and Waffles in Oakland and Hank & Frank Bicycles, which closed after 101 years in business.