C’est Cheese, the popular fromagerie on Santa Barbara Street that opened in December 2003, is now closed, according to an email from owners Kathryn and Michael Graham sent to fans over the weekend.
“As most of you know, we had a big setback a few years ago during the Thomas Fire and resulting mudslides,” they wrote on Saturday. “Ever since, we have been working to recover from its impact, but the current pandemic has been more than we can overcome. We hung on as long as we could, but unfortunately the time has come for us to close our doors. With a heavy heart, we regret to inform you that today was C’est Cheese’s last day in business.”
It is not the first closure triggered by the shutdowns ordered to slow the spread of COVID-19, and it certainly will not be the last. But given that C’est Cheese’s opening more than 16 years ago symbolized the maturation of Santa Barbara into a culinary hotspot — and that the shop became a steady part of the lexicon for both celebrated chefs and occasional party throwers — Saturday’s closure sent waves of dismay across the region’s epicurean community.