Popular Central New York Restaurant Forced to Close Utica Location

A popular Central New York restaurant has been forced to close down their Utica location. While the exact reason for the closure is not known, COVID-19 and staff shortages are the suspected culprits.

Many businesses and Upstate New York attractions have been forced to change their hours, close locations and make adjustments due to COVID-19 lock downs and the subsequent employee shortage due to an increase in unemployment benefits. One of my favorite breakfast spots to go to with family on Sunday morning is Raspberries in South Utica. Well, much to our surprise we arrived at the restaurant to find a sign on the door informing the public of the location closure.

The note on the door read, "This location is closed. We are sorry for any inconvenience. Please visit Raspberries Cafe of New Hartford on Commercial Drive and also in Rome. Thank you." We have reached out to Raspberries management/ownership for an additional comment of explanation on the closure of the South Utica location, but have not heard anything back.

Speaking anecdotally, I can't imagine the closure was due to financial hardship or a lack of customers. Any time my family and I would go in there for breakfast the place was packed and the tables were full. The one thing there was a shortage of was servers. I have to imagine it's hard to run a business without employees. Hopefully, this is only a temporary closure and soon the South Utica Raspberries location can be reopened. Love that Benny's Skillet and miss it terribly. I guess I can go to the New Hartford location.