SAN FRANCISCO—Mama Papa Lithuania Restaurant and Tea House, located on Park Street in Alameda, will close on July 31, 2020 because the owner is running for a parliament seat in his native Lithuania.
Widely known as just “Mama Papa Lithuania,” the business has operated for nearly 7 years, and is the only Lithuanian restaurant in the Bay Area. As per its website, Mama Papa Lithuania’s chef has more than “30 years of experience in Lithuanian cookery” and “only the freshest and best receive his blessings.”
Vaidas Sukys, the restaurant owner, described Lithuania’s parliament as “the equivalent of Congress.”
“We are happy that we [spread] the real taste of summer borscht, cabbage rolls, bread kvass and honey cake to hundreds of thousands of people across the West Coast and US,” Mama Papa Lithuania said on Facebook. “We consider the goal of familiarizing others with Lithuanian food to be achieved!”
The restaurant currently remains open everyday for takeout or delivery services from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Those interested in placing a takeout order should call (510) 522-4100. DoorDash, Caviar, and Uber Eats all serve Mama Papa Lithuania.
For anyone who misses the restaurant’s food after July, Mama Papa Lithuania suggests flying to Lithuania to “refresh” their memories with “an even bigger variety of local dishes.” A roundtrip flight from San Francisco to Vilinia—the Lithuanian capital—typically costs anywhere from $900 to $1500.
“We appreciate all of our loyal customers and are so glad we have had the ability to share our Lithuanian cooking and hospitality with those who have dined with us,” Mama Papa Lithuania added. “We have been able to set the example that lesser known [cuisines] can be well accepted in our local community and possibly other Lithuanians might find the courage to continue on similar culinary journeys.”
