Belcampo restaurants shut down suddenly amid meaty controversy

OAKLAND, Calif. - Belcampo Meat Co. has abruptly closed its doors after revelations showed the company misled diners about the source of food on the menus.

The company operated several upscale restaurants and butcher in the Bay Area and Los Angeles, but all were closed Monday, including the outpost at Oakland's Jack London Square. The company's headquarters were in Oakland.

The restaurant's website claimed it was the best farm-to-table dining destination, sourcing grass-fed and finished, pasture-raised meats from "regenerative farms" while seafood was caught by local fishermen.

So a controversy erupted when Belcampo admitted to serving inferior meat products at its Santa Monica location after claiming to procure cuts that met the highest standards, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The admission sparked outrage, as well as opened issues with the work culture at Belcampo. 

The company took to Instagram to offer apologies and refunds, reported the Chronicle. Now all the posts have been removed.

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Meat labeling controversy aside, the restaurant was also showing signs of struggle during COVID-19 pandemic.

In August, Belcampo manager Kevin Godfrey spoke to KTVU about a decline in reservations due to the delta variant.