Half Moon Bay's Dad's Luncheonette, a dining spot known for its unique setting in a historic train caboose, has been temporarily shuttered due to a burglary that resulted in substantial damage. According to a statement from the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office, obtained by The San Francisco Chronicle, deputies arrested a 46-year-old Santa Cruz resident last Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. after responding to an in-progress burglary call.
The break-in left the restaurant with broken windows and significant interior damage, requiring a complete floor replacement and repairs to electrical damage. As the co-owners, Alexis Liu and Scott Clark, grapple with the aftermath, Dad's Luncheonette signaled their closure last Thursday via an Instagram post, thanking their patrons for their patience and support.
The financial toll of the incident has not yet been fully assessed, but the impact is felt beyond the establishment's walls. A report by Coastside News mentions that the disruption also affects local suppliers, from whom the restaurant sources many ingredients. Since Dad's opening nearly a decade ago, the partners' contribution to the local food scene has woven their business into the community's fabric, emphasizing the broader significance of their potential absence.
Clark, whose resume includes chef de cuisine at a Michelin-starred San Francisco restaurant, and Liu face tough decisions about the future of Dad's Luncheonette. "Its already hard enough to own a restaurant," Clark told The San Francisco Chronicle, conveying the exhaustion and overwhelming nature of the situation. "But if I have to start over, then I’m just not going to do it," he added, indicating that the restaurant's fate hinges on insurance coverage for the damages.
