San Francisco's culinary scene is facing another withdrawal as Casa Borinquena, a vegan Puerto Rican restaurant, prepares to close its Saluhall food hall location at the start of the new year. Announced via Casa Borinquena's Instagram, the restaurant will cease operations on January 1, 2026, after battling inadequate location visibility and challenging operational conditions.
Despite the heartfelt efforts to provide authentic Puerto Rican flavors to the downtown community, the Nau family has decided to shutter their Saluhall outpost. "This business was my mom's dream," Emerald Nau divulged in an interview with CBS San Francisco. They originally began with pop-ups in Oakland before landing the Saluhall spot. However, significant challenges, including low foot traffic and safety concerns from potential diners, made it tough to sustain their San Francisco presence.
Ingka Centres, the parent company of Ikea and now the overseer of Saluhall after splitting with British developer Kerb Food, has not responded to inquiries regarding the closure. Casa Borinquena's departure highlights a broader issue facing the food hall, as several vendors, including Momo Noodle, Tacos El Ultimo Baile, and Kayma, shuttered earlier this year. Lulu Nau, chef-owner of Casa Borinquena, cited "unfavorable terms" in her contract with Ingka as a key reason for the exit. "I couldn’t come to a resolution with Ingka, and we decided that it was time to part ways," Lulu Nau stated to SFGATE.
The financial viability of the restaurant had been under strain, with Nau revealing that some days garnered only around $500 in sales. "When you’re in that place for 12 hours, and all you generate is $500 for the day, you know, it doesn’t make any sense," Nau said. The operational challenges, alongside Kerb's exit and impending layoffs for Saluhall employees, add to the food hall's tumultuous year. Nau shared her disappointment with SFGATE, noting the sense of community that had developed among the food hall workers who now face job insecurity just before the holidays.
