A high-end pizza and tapas restaurant that opened in Erie County about a year and a half ago has announced it has closed.
In a post on Facebook, the owners of A. Francisco’s, which opened in downtown Erie in January 2025,
“There’s no easy way to say it. A. Francisco’s is closed,” the post read. “This is not where we wanted to be, and in some ways, the timing makes it even harder.
“Over the past several months, we’ve had some great nights, welcomed new faces, watched regulars return, and felt the momentum we worked so hard to build finally beginning to take hold,” the post continued. “But restaurants are unforgiving businesses, and momentum alone isn’t always enough.”
The post said that it took “more time, more energy, and significantly more money” to get the restaurant started and some recent “slower stretches” in foot traffic made the business difficult to sustain.
“After looking at everything in front of us, we’ve reached the point where we simply can’t keep operating,” the post said.
“From the beginning, A. Francisco’s was built to discover something new, stay a little longer than you planned, have a great drink and a great meal, and feel like you had found somewhere different,” the owners wrote. “We’re incredibly proud of what we built here. We’re especially proud of our staff, who believed in this place and gave so much of themselves to make it what it became.”
They then thanked all their customers including those who “made A. Francisco’s part of their life in any small way.”
“We wish we had more time. But we’ll always be grateful for the time we had, and for everyone who understood what we were trying to create,” the post concluded.
Fans of the restaurant voiced their sorrows about the closure in the comments section of the post.
“This place was so amazing and one of the most unique spots in Erie, I always recommended people go there. So sad we can’t seem to keep things that are a little different from the norm and cool here,” one person wrote.
“This is a huge loss to the regional dining scene. Your restaurant was one of, if not the best restaurant in Erie. Thank you for all the effort you made. You will be sorely missed,” another opined.
“What?! Instant tears. My favorite pizza ever. Much love and best wishes for the future, so much talent, can’t wait to see what you do next,” a third wrote.
The social media post did not clarify if the restaurant had already closed or had a future closure date planned.
Dining and Cooking