Ofena, Lakeside Village's hip Italian restaurant, will close on Sunday after struggling to become profitable.
Ofena was opened in September 2023 by business partners and longtime friends Tan Truong and chef Tim Humphrey, with assistance from hospitality expert Kaitlin Mitza. While the restaurant only offered dinner service at first, by 2024, they added lunch and brunch.
The restaurateurs took over the prominent Lakeside Café space, which had been vacant for many years, breathing life into a neighborhood rocked by the pandemic.
The San Francisco Business Times first reported the closure. The Ingleside Light's calls to Ofena were not immediately returned.
The Karsant Family Limited Partnership, the landlord, filed an unlawful detainer suit on Tuesday over more than $40,000 in back rent.
Truong, also a partner at Michelin-starred Ju-Ni and Handroll Project, said the business was a bid to invest in Lakeside Village. He had moved to the area during the pandemic and wanted to give back.
Truong, who signed a ten-year lease starting at $10,000 per month, told the Business Times that he is negotiating an end to the lease. Growing labor and food costs, plus slow foot traffic, led to too few sales to sustain the business, he said.
Truong has held a lease for the 2501 Ocean Ave., a corner space that he's intended to open as a cafe for two years. He said he would focus on that business.
Kath Tsakalakis, a leader with the Ocean Avenue Association, said she was grateful the restaurant made Lakeside Village its home.
"The neighborhood loved them and we wish their talented chefs and staff all the very best on their next adventure," Tsakalakis said.
While Ofena may be closing, another restaurateur is just getting started.
A branch of Ben Tre, a Vietnamese restaurant by the restaurateur behind Viet Gao, is set to open in Lakeside Village. However, its opening date has not been announced. The owner has joked about the length of time on social media.
Alex Mullaney contributed reporting.
