After nearly a decade serving Juneau a range of fresh food, a beloved local restaurant is closing its doors at the end of the month. Zerelda’s Bistro was started by a couple who love food almost as much as they love each other.
Abby and Jeremy Barnett opened Zerelda’s together in 2016. It’s named after Abby’s grandmother, Zerelda LaForce, who fostered her love of cooking and baking.
The restaurant started as Abby’s dream, and when the two met online, Jeremy was ready to join her in it. He moved to Alaska for her and the business.
“I met her, and I dropped everything,” he said. “I loved what she was doing. I was like ‘I’ll come help.’”
“Yeah, and we fell in love,” Abby said. “And we just loved cooking together.”
Zerelda’s originally debuted on the Juneau food scene in a different location in the Mendenhall Valley, with sit-down table service.
A few years after opening, the couple decided to get married, rather spontaneously. They didn’t even close the restaurant.
“We had whiskey and we ate El Zarape,” Abby said, referring to a local Mexican restaurant.
“And shots and tacos,” Jeremy said. “Smoked ribs.”
“Then it was hilarious,” Abby said. “We opened for service two hours later.”
Zerelda’s moved to its current location in the Valley during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Barnetts turned what used to be a laundromat into a massive kitchen and bakery, and shifted to a primarily to-go counter. Soon, the demand for their food tripled, and they said it took a few years to find their stride.
But still, they prioritized fresh, local food, and a diverse menu.
It features decadent comfort food like fried chicken and burgers to veggie-forward noodle bowls and pho.
New specials appear on their chalkboard almost daily, and cookies, pies and croissants line the shelves of a case by the register. Abby Barnett said it’s the product of the people in the back of the house — the diverse cultures and ideas they bring to the menu.
“We love to see what people’s strengths are,” she said.
Abby Barnett said that rising costs and other fluctuations in the economy have given them the opportunity to be creative with their menu. She said they’re closing for health reasons.
In 2023, Jeremy had a severe heart attack, and since then, the couple has tried to find ways to step back from the restaurant without closing. But this fall, they decided it was time.
“It was a hard decision,” he said. “It’s emotional. It’s like, this is all we know. It’s what we built together.”
Abby said the hardest part for her is saying goodbye to her staff.
“They’re people that you’ve spent every day with for years and years and years,” she said. “And they’re who kept us going when we didn’t think we could go anymore.”
The Barnetts say they are seeking someone who is willing to take over the restaurant, and have had some promising conversations so far.
They’re planning to close on Nov. 22.
