A beloved Alabama restaurant unexpectedly announced on Tuesday that it is closing it doors after nearly 20 years in business.

Sarris Cafe, a “meat-and-two,” cafeteria-style restaurant in Pelham known for its daily menu of Southern classics with Greek-inspired flavor, shared the news on Facebook Tuesday night that it is going out of business, saying “after nearly 20 wonderful years, we are closing our doors.”

George Sarris, who immigrated from Greece, opened Sarris Cafe in Pelham in 2025. He passed away in 2015 and left the restaurant to his brother, Kostas Sarris, who passed away in 2016. Nick Sarris, the son of Kostas, then took over the restaurant.

Sarris, who also works full-time at Grandview Hospital, said the decision to close ultimately came down to the profits going down and costs going up steadily over the past several years.

“The profit margins aren’t there like they used to be,” said Sarris, “ and margins for food are up higher than they were, so it’s kind of a break-even restaurant right now. I was keeping it open for the employees, but I just got to a point where it was too much for me to not have anything coming back from it.”

The closure was effective immediately with Tuesday being Sarris Cafe’s last day of operation, and many customers commented with surprise and disappointment to learn that the restaurant would no longer be open.

“We are incredibly grateful for the love, support, and memories shared with each and every one of you,” the post shared on the Sarris Cafe Facebook reads. “Your loyalty made this more than a cafe — it became a community, a family and a home.”

This is not the first time Sarris Cafe has closed. In 2021, the restaurant closed for two weeks after having their power cut off due to an unpaid bill. However, the community raised the money to help pay the bill and get the eatery back up and running through a GoFundMe page.