Il Fornaio’s location at 520 Cowper St. in Palo Alto, Calif., is set to close on Jan. 18, 2026.

A Palo Alto Italian restaurant once known as a favorite meeting place for Steve Jobs and other tech executives is closing after 36 years, as first reported by Palo Alto Weekly. Il Fornaio, located in the el PRADO Hotel at 520 Cowper St., is set to serve its final rigatoni alla vodka and wood-fired pizzas on Sunday, Jan. 18.

The storied restaurant first opened in 1989, mere days before the Loma Prieta earthquake. The timing was fortuitous, according to restaurateur Michael Mindel, who worked for Il Fornaio for 27 years (although he is no longer involved with the company). Michael is the son of Larry Mindel, the man who took over Il Fornaio in 1986 and turned it into a successful chain with restaurants and bakeries across the West Coast.

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