Richland's Cala Lily Café closing its doors — for now
Cala Lily Café in Richland is closing its kitchen.
But co-owners Rick Rivero, 54, of Richland and Paul Anzaldi, 60, of Adams Township hope to soon relocate their 55-seat restaurant and reunite their more than 20 employees.
“We're all hopeful that we can find a place and come back together and work as a happy family again,” Rivero said.
“We were told we could not renew our lease,” Rivero said. “It was sudden.
“It was unfortunate.”
But real-estate agents and owners of other dining establishments keep calling to suggest a new location for the Cala Lily Café, which has been operating at 5499 Route 8.
“We've had three agents looking,” Anzaldi said. “We've looked at probably 25 locations.”
Sites in Hampton still are being considered, said Anzaldi, who also is looking for a new job in information technology after the Bank of New York Mellon recently eliminated Anzaldi's position as a process quality analyst.
“I lost my restaurant and my job all at same time,” Anzaldi said.
Fortunately for Anzaldi and Rivero, customers multiplied after Rivero and Anzaldi advertised the Cala Lily Café's May 31 closure.
“Our business has increased tremendously,” Rivero said.
“We'll probably have more specials than our regular menu,” he said about the final days of the restaurant.
Recent specials at the café included Chilean sea bass, Chesapeake oysters on the half-shell and New York strip steak with stuffed banana peppers.
“It's pretty eclectic,” Rivero said. He described the cafe's cuisine as American European.
Rivero, who was born in Spain to Mexican parents, prepared the menu with fellow chefs Ron Jelinek of McCandless and Bill Wehrer of Hampton.
“It's fantastic food,” said caterer John Marshall of Richland. “He does a great job with seafood, especially sea bass,” Marshall said about Rivero.
Richland Supervisor Barton Miller always took his wife to the Cala Lily Café for special occasions.
“Everything was excellent,” Miller said. “It's disappointing to see what's transpired.”
Herb Dankmyer, president of the Richland's supervisors also gave the restaurant high praise.
“I think they have the best food in the North Hills,” Dankmyer said.
Co-owner Anzaldi — who was chef of the former Red Bull Inn in Ross — originally oversaw the Cala Lily Café's dining room.
Years ago, a mutual friend introduced Anzaldi and Rivero, who then developed a friendship that led the pair to open the Cala Lily Café in May 2001 at Route 8 and Ewalt Road.
“We've been there for 13 years and our customers have just been wonderful,” Anzaldi said.
More than a decade ago, Pittsburgh Magazine named the Cala Lily Café “best new restaurant.”
“The flower is simple and elegant, and that's what I wanted the restaurant to be,” said Rivero, who honed his culinary skills at Rico's Restaurant in Ross.
Deborah Deasy is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-772-6369 or ddeasy@tribweb.com.
