Aug. 4, 2021

Papa’s Pub & Eatery is having a two-day pop-up restaurant to satisfy customers who have been missing the food since the Dell Rapids business closed.

Papa’s will serve dinner Thursday and Friday at Gateway Bar & Grill in Sioux Falls.

It’s a temporary fix as owners David and Rebecca Ohayon work on financing to reopen in a building they bought across the street from Papa’s previous location. They closed the restaurant in February after deciding not to renew the lease in the historic opera house where they had operated for two years.

“The original plan was to reopen this fall, but things are a little more challenging than we anticipated,” David Ohayon said of getting the funding to set up the restaurant. “We’re not giving up on our goal. Hopefully, we’ll reopen something next summer if all goes well.”

In the meantime, Gateway owner Jackson Rentschler, Ohayon’s friend since high school, convinced the couple while watching a televised soccer game to use the west-side bar and grill for a Papa’s pop-up.

Ohayon said the abbreviated menu will include two of customers’ favorites: the spinach and artichoke dip and creamy Cajun chicken pasta.

Other items will be a caprese appetizer, cheeseburger, bacon cheeseburger, Papapeno burger and alfredo pasta with the option of chicken. There’s also a kid’s-sized alfredo pasta.

Orders are dine-in only, and it’s first come, first served.

Hours will be 4 to 10 p.m. Thursday and 4 to 11 p.m. Friday at Gateway, 3408 S. Gateway Blvd.

Restaurant to close this weekend but will return once it finds new home