Pi Gourmet Eatery is closing its doors after 20 years of serving pizza. The final day of operation will be Saturday.
Owner Meghan O’Dea expressed gratitude for the restaurant’s loyal customers and dedicated staff, many of whom have worked with her for over a decade. “So many people fell in love here. People got married here,” she reflected.
However, O’Dea cited the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, and the rising cost of living as significant challenges that the business could not overcome.
In an interview at the restaurant on King’s Road in downtown St. John’s, O’Dea and her father, Chris O’Dea, discussed how the pedestrian mall has impacted their business. The mall restricts vehicle access to parts of downtown during the summer, making it difficult for customers to find parking near the restaurant.
“The pedestrian mall created a boundary for people, encouraging them to stay within its limits and not visit businesses outside of it,” Chris O’Dea explained. He added that other businesses located outside the mall experienced similar declines, with sales dropping by about 30 percent.
“You can only increase your prices so much before people stop coming in,” he noted. “The city changed the competitive landscape by subsidizing the businesses within the pedestrian mall.”
The O’Dea family highlighted the restaurant’s legacy, including a sign honoring Meghan’s first-place win at a pizza competition in Las Vegas. “She has a tremendous product. It’s going to be missed by the community,” Chris said.
Meghan, who has lived with cerebral palsy and epilepsy her entire life, has faced many challenges, including recent nerve damage. “It’s never stopped me,” she said, with her father affirming, “It won’t stop her in the future.”
The restaurant holds many cherished memories, from loyal customers to couples who met and married there. Canadian broadcaster Stuart McLean once praised Meghan’s pizzas so highly that his sister visited the restaurant because of his enthusiasm. Another notable visitor was American chef Anthony Bourdain, who inspired Meghan to tattoo his words: “Serves the best pizza in town” on her arm.
“This is my home, and it’s my love,” Meghan said. Many fans expressed their support on social media, sharing their fondness for the restaurant.
“My main focus right now is to make all my loyal customers and staff happy and enjoy the week,” she said. “Then I will start a new plan.”
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