Homestead, the seasonally-driven restaurant known for its open-fire brick hearth and copper and green dining room, has officially closed after nine years on Piedmont Avenue.
Owners Fred and Liz Sassen’s pandemic pivot, The Humble Sandwich, which has been operating in the Homestead space since April 2020, will also serve its last ham and cheese on Sept. 30.
The Sassens shared the news in a heartfelt email to customers on Monday. They also said that they have moved with their three children out of state, but did not say to where or what they will be doing.
“We are proud of our accomplishments and we are proud of our resolve to move forward into a new path as well—to make difficult choices when faced with difficult situations,” the email said. It went on to thank the community for its years of support. “We love you and we thank you all for the great and transformative years we had on Piedmont Ave.”
The Sassens also named their successors, K&J Orchards of Winters, which will be taking over the space this fall, though it is unclear what the nature of the business will be. Kalayada Ammatya and James Beutel started their orchard in 1980 and grew the business into one of the most coveted suppliers of fruits and nuts in Northern California, serving high-end restaurants including Night Bird and Ernest in San Francisco, and of course, Homestead.
Today, Ammatya and her daughters, Aomboon (“Boonie”) and Onanong (“Ona”), and members of their extended family help on the 104-acre farm and with sales at farmers markets.
“They have provided us over the years some of the most amazing fruit we’ve ever eaten and we were proud to highlight their product on our menu almost every day since the day we met them,” the email said. “We know the owners of K&J Orchards will bring their consistent quality to the table every day. We have not only loved their produce, but conversation and time spent with them.”
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