Beloved local family diner closing after nearly 40 years

The restaurant is known for welcoming regulars by name, and many staff have been there for decades.

Jun 3, 2025 - 15:02

Beloved local family diner closing after nearly 40 years

I love the Hulu show "The Bear." And considering the show has won multiple Emmys and Golden Globes and been renewed for a fourth season, I know I'm not alone.

There is nothing like a good restaurant drama, even though they all make working in a kitchen look like utter hell. "Burnt" — the film inspired by the life of Anthony Bourdain and his troubled past — the satirical "The Menu," or the British series "Boiling Point" ... all of these shows depict restaurant work as stressful, chaotic, and rife with mean people.

The restaurant business is so notoriously difficult that it's a wonder new restaurants open at all, especially considering the thin profit margins they generate.

In today's climate, with all of the elements necessary to run a restaurant — food costs, rent, transportation, labor — getting more expensive by the day, restaurant closings seem to be happening with the same frequency as restaurant openings.

A independent restaurant that can survive for 40 years is an anomaly in this day and age.
Image source: Siamionau Pavel for Shutterstock

A local landmark with a national fan base

While we often think of fine dining spots in big cities or celebrity chef ventures as the most at-risk, independent neighborhood restaurants, even the successful ones, face their own pressures. This makes the closure of Rick & Ann’s Restaurant, a beloved family spot in Berkeley, all the more bittersweet.

The East Bay institution, in the shadow of the historic Claremont Hotel, will serve its last meal on August 3, 2025, ending a 36-year run, as reported in the San Francisco Chronicle. Known for its comforting brunch fare, friendly staff, and loyal customer base, Rick & Ann’s has been a cornerstone of the Berkeley dining scene since 1989.

Founded by Ann Lauer and her late partner Rick DeBeaugrine, the restaurant quickly became a go-to destination for breakfast and brunch, drawing customers from across the Bay Area and beyond.

Menu staples like red flannel hash, potato-cheese pancakes, and gluten-free coffee cakes were perennial favorites. Over the years, the restaurant became known not just for its food, but also for its hospitality. Diners were greeted by name, and many of the staff had been with the restaurant for decades.

In August 1997, a local food critic wrote that the restaurant “maintains the feeling of someone’s home.”

The warm, casual vibe — paired with its proximity to UC Berkeley and the Claremont — helped Rick & Ann’s become a fixture for college students, families, out-of-towners, and the occasional celebrity guest. Alicia Keys reportedly dined there. So did Guy Fieri.

In an interview with Berkeleyside, Lauer explained that she’s ready to retire and that the restaurant’s lease is up. Rather than try to renew or relocate, she’s chosen to end on a high note.

A tough time for restaurants everywhere

Rick & Ann’s weathered the pandemic, staffing shortages, rising food costs, and the grief of losing co-founder DeBeaugrine in 2020. Through it all, the restaurant remained consistent and deeply loved by the community.

While Rick & Ann’s is winding down, Lauer is not stepping away from food entirely. Her catering company, Ann’s Catering, will continue and is building a new commercial kitchen to handle growing demand.

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For longtime customers, the announcement has been met with sadness and nostalgia. Generations of Berkeley families have celebrated birthdays, graduations, holidays, and weekend rituals at Rick & Ann’s. "This place is a part of our family,” one customer wrote on social media. “We’ve been coming since the '90s. It won’t be the same without it.”

Rick & Ann’s isn’t the only longtime restaurant to close in recent months. In San Francisco, the iconic Fog City closed in May 2025 after 40 years. Las Vegas has seen two celebrity-chef eateries close recently. And on a national scale, chains like Red Lobster and TGI Fridays have shuttered dozens of locations amid bankruptcies and declining foot traffic.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, just 34.6% of restaurants survive more than 10 years, as reported on Owner.com. So for an independent business to last nearly four decades — and go out on its own terms — is a rare achievement.

Fans still have a few months to stop by and say goodbye: The restaurant’s final day of service is set for August 3.