Today we mark the loss of four downtown eateries. (I was going to say “mourn” but I won’t mourn three of them.) Here they are:

Roast Shop is shut. The little place on Bryant next to the UPS Store served up homemade corned beef and pastrami, and not a lot else. It was dismal inside, not at all like a real deli. It was strictly Kosher and thus was closed on Friday afternoons and all day Saturday; it’s pretty tough to meet downtown Palo Alto rents with that much loss of weekend business. Most people did not even know it was there, and therefore won’t miss it.

Rudy’s Pub, on the other hand, has been a downtown institution at 117 University for quite a few years. It’s not a place I frequented, its being too much into heavy imbibing or loud music, and seemed a rough joint (for Palo Alto), but it was the regular place for a lot of regular people. In a disturbing trend, Rudy’s is turning into office space. The good news is that the Patio @Rudy’s is alive and well around the corner at 412 Emerson, and the real Rudy’s is promising to reopen somewhere else on University Avenue before too long. Naturally I’m wracking my brain for what property they could be moving into. So I’ll keep my eyes open and keep you informed.

Mango Caribbean on Hamilton finally closed its doors. Having started out as the Mango Cafe, it survived for well over a decade, but never seemed to be a hot place or all that crowded. When I ate there I was underwhelmed by the experience. I guess I was not alone. Lovers of Caribbean food should be happy that Coconuts (on Ramona) is still open. In fact, I’d suggest they hustle down there with their custom to make sure it stays open.

And, finally, the one closing I lament: The old S.O.S. Grocery on Emerson, way down near Addison Avenue, has finally gone to that great mini-mart in the sky. My kids used to stop by after elementary school (at Addison) and high school (at Paly) for snacks; I would take them there for good sandwiches made by the nice couple that ran it. It’s a mess inside now, so I don’t expect it to turn into another entry on this website. I hope the couple left in good health and in the knowledge that you don’t have to be pretentious to be appreciated by the locals.