After 40 years on Southeast Morrison Street, Zell’s Cafe will close on May 2, according to a sign posted at the restaurant. The statement attributes the closure to “increased labor and food costs,” saying “the Zell’s Cafe model does not work in 2023.” Zell’s has been a neighborhood favorite for decades, known for its German pancakes and scones, served warm while customers wait for their food.
In 1983, Tom Zell opened Zell’s in a brick building once home to a shoe store, pharmacy, and soda fountain. In 1996, Zell sold his cafe to Judy Sacheck, the former owner of legendary Portland restaurant Besaw’s, who passed on the business
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