LA Jewish Deli Icon Nate’n Al’s Closes its Doors in Beverly Hills Tomorrow

Iconic Beverly Hills restaurant Nate’n Al’s is closing tomorrow, a source has confirmed to Eater. The historic Jewish deli has had a rollercoaster two years, having first been slated for closure back in 2018 before being saved by Shelli and Irving Azoff and a slew of LA celebrities. The restaurant was set to move to a new location in Beverly Hills after its building was sold, but now that deal has reportedly fallen through. At this point, it’s unclear if Nate’n Al’s will ever return, and if so in what form. The final day of service — albeit takeout and delivery only per California Governor Gavin Newsom, given the current novel coronavirus pandemic — is tomorrow.

Nate’n Al’s has long been one of the most famous restaurants in all of Los Angeles, playing to daytime power meetings between music, television, and movie industry titans. The restaurant first opened in 1945, and was purchased by the Azoff-led consortium in 2019, around the same time the Azoffs also bought separate restaurant legend Apple Pan. It was thought that Nate’n Al’s would relocate over to Canon Drive in the old Wolfgang Steakhouse space, but the insider says that is no longer the case.

Ownership has now confirmed the closure on its Instagram page, shown below:

The loss of Nate’n Al’s is a heavy blow to the Los Angeles restaurant scene, even as the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown continues to decimate other parts of the industry. Many restaurants have necessarily turned to cooking for delivery and takeout only per the state mandates, while others have closed in an attempt to weather the ongoing crisis.

Update: A rep for Nate’n Al’s sends along the following statement:

The media has incorrectly reported that Nate’n Al’s is “gone forever.” As we originally stated, we couldn’t fully guarantee the safety of both our customers and employees for take-out and delivery during this pandemic. We have chosen to cease that service. Our current lease is expiring shortly and we have encountered major difficulties with the city of Beverly Hills who would have been our new landlord on Canon Drive. It is the intention of the current ownership to get through this crisis like every other restaurant and make the right decisions at the right time. Our goal is to keep the Nate’n Al’s tradition alive.

• A Running List of LA Restaurants Offering Takeout and Delivery [ELA]