Ristorante Italiano, located at 555 Soquel Ave. Ste. 150, part of Branciforte Plaza, was known for its outdoor wall that was painted to resemble a building from an Italian village, complete with crumbling stucco facade, line-dried clothes and a cafe scene at the bottom. Originally opened in 1982, the restaurant featured popular items like fried artichoke hearts, a hearty cioppino, lasagna, chicken saltimbocca and an eclectic dessert menu featuring tiramisu, mint pie and a “fried baked potato” dessert. The closure was first reported by the Santa Cruz Lookout.

“Oh, this is a huge loss for our community,” wrote Lisa Rosato. “I loved sharing the authentic Italian family restaurant experience of my youth with my daughter.”