Tampa’s Ella’s Americana Folk Art Cafe will close on September 1

Eight months after hitting the market, staple Seminole Heights restaurant Ella’s Americana Folk Art Cafe seems to have found the right buyer—and will close on Sept. 1.

On social media, the restaurant—which has been a cornerstone of the neighborhood for 15 years—expressed deep gratitude and a heavy heart about the end of the road. It invited the community to share a last meal, drink and “celebrate the memories that have made our time together in Seminole Heights so much fun.”

As previously reported, the restaurant’s clientele since opening day has been eclectic as the neighborhood, and its menu has always been a surefire way to satisfy a craving for Southern comfort food. The Sunday brunches—which frequently saw lines form outside 5119 N Nebraska Ave.—were stuff of legend.

Late last year, co-founder Melissa Deming told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that it was time for her to start a new chapter in life, adding that putting the perennial Best Of the Bay-winning concept on the market was one of the hardest decisions she’s ever made.

“I feel honored to have had their support for so many years,” she said about the love from the neighborhood since opening day.

This is a developing post. Go cry into a BBQ rib bloody mary on Sunday, folks.

Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.

Follow us: Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

This article appears in Aug 15-21, 2024.