Jay’s Cheesesteak, a 30-year-old stop for beefy sandwiches in San Francisco’s Mission District, will close for good at the end of the month.
Owner Jay Nazzal told online news outlet Mission Local he will close his restaurant, in business since 1995, because the landlord is not renewing his lease. He also cited a general decline in business over the past few years along rising operating costs, which include labor and ingredients, as factors making it increasingly difficult to operate.
Nazzal was not immediately available for comment Saturday, but a worker at the restaurant confirmed the upcoming closing by phone.
The shop at 3285 21st St. was best known for its namesake Philly cheesesteaks, a sandwich made with thin slices of beef, melted cheese and grilled onions placed on a long roll. Popular variants include cheesesteaks with mushrooms and vegetables, or replacing the steak slices with turkey breast or Beyond plant-based meat substitute. The menu also included chili cheese hot dogs, sandwiches with cold cuts and hamburgers made with plump, 6-ounce beef patties.
The closure of Jay’s Cheesesteak follows the departure of We Be Sushi, another decades-old neighborhood spot, which closed in February after 39 years so chef-owner Andy Tonozuka can retire.
Ryen Motzek, president of neighborhood business promotion group Mission Merchants Association, has been a Jay’s customer since the mid-aughts, when he had an office at a nearby building. His go-to: a cheesesteak with seitan, a meat substitute made from wheat protein.
“It is a blow to the community for sure. I’m sad that he did not see enough numbers to justify him staying,” Motzek said.
Motzek recognizes safety concerns at the 16th Street and 24th Street BART stations, where police are increasing their presence, but he said pedestrian activity on the Mission District’s corridors seems to be improving from recent years.
“When businesses are bustling and people are out, it provides an overall feeling of, like, this is a good neighborhood to be in,” he said.