CA's Oldest Chinese Restaurant For Sale

WOODLAND, CA — California’s oldest continuously run Chinese restaurant is for sale.

Chicago Cafe in downtown Woodland has been feeding customers for well over 100 years, according to the sale listing, which said the eatery serves American-style Chinese food as well as diner classics.

Paul and Nancy Fong decided to sell their business after UC Davis professor Gabriel “Jack” Chin as part of a research project determined Chicago Cafe could be the oldest Chinese restaurant open in the country, yielding a spike in media coverage and customers that proved challenging for the aging couple and their one employee, The Sacramento Bee reported. The Fongs say the eatery was founded in 1903 but the earliest year Chin could verify is 1910 because city directories did not include Chinese-owned businesses the year the Fongs say the restaurant opened, according to the newspaper.

“The restaurant is beloved by the community and has a great history and foundation for the next owner to build upon,” the listing said. “The current owners are the 3rd generation to operate the restaurant and they look forward to retirement after making Chicago Cafe their life’s work while raising children, now launched in professional careers.”

The business is priced at $50,000 with eight months of free rent to offset required remodeling to bring the Main Street building up to code, according to the listing, which said that once rent kicks in it will be $4,000 per month.