Zell’s Cafe, a popular breakfast spot in Southeast Portland, will close early next month.
Employees who answered the phone Tuesday confirmed the 40-year-old restaurant was planning to shutter. A note posted on the door and shared on Reddit, said Zell’s, which is located at 1300 S.E. Morrison St., would close May 2.
“Due to increased labor and food costs the Zell’s Cafe model does not work in 2023,” the note read. “We are reimagining the space and will return with a different concept at some point.”
Employees who answered the phone were not able to talk about the closure due to a busy service.
In 2019, The Oregonian/OregonLive listed Zell’s corned beef hash as one of the top 10 in Portland. In 2010, The Oregonian/OregonLive named Zell’s the best breakfast restaurant in the city.
“With as much window space as wall,” the paper wrote at the time, “this quaint and inviting corner cafe has won the spot as top breakfast pick with incredible angel-light miniature scones, press pots of fragrant loose black tea, and creamy omelets and frittatas including the Hangtown Frittata ($10.25), packed with plump oysters, generous chunks of salty bacon, creamy Asiago cheese, and a dusting of scallions.”
According to Eater, Tom Zell opened Zell’s in 1983. The restaurant has changed hands several times since then. The restaurant’s website notes that most recently, in 2022, the restaurant was sold “to new owners who are carrying on the legacy of Zell’s while offering new food and traditions.”
Oregon business records show that it is currently owned by Grass Rabbit Eats Ltd. A representative from Grass Rabbit Eats Ltd. did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
— Lizzy Acker
503-221-8052; lacker@oregonian.com; @lizzzyacker
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