Pepper’s, New Healdsburg Restaurant, Prepares to Open Where Adel’s Used to Be

We could be getting a replacement for the Adel’s diner near the Dry Creek Road freeway exit, which shut down last November, as soon as this weekend — and it doesn’t seem like it’ll be too far a cry from the classic diner model we’ve gotten used to in that particular roadhouse. The Best Western Dry Creek Inn, which owns the space, says on its website: “Our newly remodeled on site family restaurant is opening on June 1, 2024. This brand new traditional American diner is located just across our parking lot, making it easily accessible for all our guests. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 6:00am until 9:00pm daily. They will serve delicious food in a casual, family-friendly dining room and have a large selection of local wines and beer. We are looking forward to their grand reopening.” One possible hiccup: There’s a city-issued “stop work order” currently posted on the restaurant’s front window, claiming that the Pepper’s crew went ahead with “construction and installation of signage/electrical” without a permit. I spoke with the restaurant’s manager yesterday, and for what it’s worth, he seems pretty confident that the whole thing will get cleared up in the next few days, in time for the June 1 opening date. (I’ve also reached out to the city for more info; will let you know what I learn.) Adel’s lived at that spot for more than three decades, but owner Danny Ibhrahim was struggling to make ends meet in recent years, and wasn’t keeping the diner open past 3pm — a setup that didn’t jibe with Best Western owners, who wanted hotel guests to be able to eat dinner there. In a press release issued last month, the Restaurant Realty Company said the space, where rent had been listed at around $10,000 per month, would be going to a restauranteur named Osama “Steve” Attalah. His family actually used to own Adel’s before the Ibrahim family took over around 15 years ago, according to the press release, and Steve himself “worked there many years ago.” More from the Restaurant Realty announcement: “Steve is an endearing man who is very friendly and often smiling. He is the owner of Pepper’s Restaurant in Fortuna and also Café Bellini in Garberville. … Steve will bring his Pepper’s concept to Healdsburg and reinvent the restaurant space at the Dry Creek Inn. He plans to modernize and upgrade the space and open it for extended hours, serving early breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch. Additionally, Pepper’s will as serve the hotel guests within an appealing in-room breakfast offering.” The Pepper’s up in Fortuna is known for its cheeseburgers ($12), chicken strips ($13) and milkshakes ($7), according to the DoorDash app — again, pretty aligned with the Adel’s vibe. We’ll have the latest on the Pepper’s opening in this week’s issue of the Healdsburg Tribune; stay tuned! (Source: Dry Creek Inn & Restaurant Realty Company & Healdsburg Tribune & Healdsburg Tribune & DoorDash)