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El Cantito Café, located at 1550D Central Park Ave. in Yonkers, permanently closed its doors on Wednesday, April 9, after five years of serving authentic Puerto Rican comfort food to the Westchester community.
The heartfelt announcement came the following day via the restaurant’s Instagram account.
“After five incredible years, El Cantito Café has permanently closed its door yesterday — thank you to all of our amazing customers for your endless love and support,” wrote the restaurant staff, who added, “We’ve been so honored to serve you and be a part of your lives, and you will be deeply missed.”
While the restaurant has closed, Chef Julio will continue offering catering and private chef services, according to the post.
El Cantito opened in March 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic forced restaurants across the country to shut down or drastically reduce service. Despite the challenge, the café built a loyal following for its flavorful dishes like pernil, trifongo, mofongo de yuca, pork chops, and empanadas.
In November 2023, the café even landed on an episode of Gordon Ramsay’s revived “Kitchen Nightmares” series, as Daily Voice reported at the time. The show, which follows Ramsay as he helps struggling restaurants turn things around, spotlighted El Cantito’s pandemic-related hurdles and efforts to bounce back.
At the time, city officials said the show would bring well-deserved attention to a local gem fighting to survive in a tough industry climate.
Although the restaurant is no longer open, the owners say they will continue to post updates and memories on social media. A catering venture from Chef Julio is expected soon.
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