Lil' Shalom Closed April 30 in Portland

Food from Lil' Shalom. — Photo credit: Lil’ Shalom.

On April 30, 2025, the folks at Lil’ Shalom announced the restaurant’s closure. This short article is ICYMI for me as much as it is for you.

Some Lil’ Shalom History

Lil’ Shalom was part of the Sesame Collective and originally started as the downtown Shalom Y’all location. And if you look further back, Shalom Y’All and other Sesame Collective restaurants were part of the Toro Bravo Restaurant Group. In 2021, during the COVID pandemic, the restaurant was rebranded as Lil’ Shalom.

It really was a lil’ space—I remember eating there when it was Shalom Y’All and really feeling its small stature.

Lil’ Shalom offered “flavors of the Levant with a casual vibe.” Andi Prewitt at Willamette Week wrote about their re-opening at the time. It started with COVID: the pandemic closed Shalom Y’All down, and like a lot of restaurants, they operated as a takeout (and delivery) space.

When they could open again, and in their new identity as Lil’ Shalom, they changed things up a bit: quick meals during the day and full-service at night. From WW: “Expect dishes with a Mediterranean spin, with everything from kebab plates to a tribute to instant noodles with the Cup O’ Mejadara, which replaces the ramen with lentils and rice. There is also a full drink menu with Turkish coffee for the lunch crowd and cocktails come evening.”

They consider their closure after operating in that space for close to 10 years, “the end of an era.”

Why They Closed

They explained that on the Lil’ Shalom website: “With our lease set to expire later this year we’ve found ourselves at a crossroads. After weighing all the factors, we believe now is the most practical time to step away.”

Readers of their Instagram were alarmed at the sudden closure, wondering how this would impact their staff. The good news is that the staff knew about this closure before the general public did, and the following statement makes more sense with that in mind:

“We’re incredibly grateful to our team for all their hard work, dedication, and creativity. We’re working closely with them to support their transitions, and we’re looking forward to carrying pieces of what made Lil’ Shalom special into future projects.”

Further, in the Instagram comments, the restaurant said that they, “are working to absorb as many as we are able to our other locations.” I hope the process is going smoothly for the staff and everyone involved.

Lil’ Shalom Gift Cards—What To Do With Them?

Some of you may have gift cards for Lil’ Shalom, and are wondering what the heck to do with them. Good news from the Sesame Collective: “All Lil’ Shalom gift cards/certificates are still valid and redeemable at all other Sesame Collective restaurants. Simply present your gift card/certificate during payment and we’ll take care of the rest.”

The other Sesame Collective restaurants include Shalom Y’All in SE Portland, Dolly Olive and Bar Dolly in SW Portland, Yalla in Multnomah Village, Mediterranean Exploration Company in NW Portland, and Bless Your Heart Burgers in NE Portland and Vancouver.

Lil’ Shalom [closed April 30, 2025]
1128 SW Alder Street, Portland
Lil’ Shalom website | Instagram | Facebook