FALL RIVER — This weekend marks the end of an era for another Fall River restaurant staple.
Just one week after the closure of a famous North End eatery, O Gil Restaurant will be bidding a bittersweet goodbye at the beloved family restaurant, a go-to for Portuguese cuisine in the city’s South End for 34 years.
Looking to get a taste of their authentic no-frills, all-flavor fare before it’s too late? Better head to 915 County St. soon.
On Tuesday, longtime employee Debbie Esposito confirmed that Saturday, March 15, will be their last day of business.
“It’s very sad, I’ve been here 32 years,” said Esposito, a long time waitress and bartender who started there in 1993. “But everything good comes to an end.”
The Tiverton resident is a veteran among the O Gil staff whose tenure at the small neighborhood spot goes back almost as far as its inception.
Current owner Victor Fagundo opened O Gil in 1991, along with his brother-in-law Felisberto Sousa, who died in September 2024.
O Gil Restaurant — named after Fagundo’s father, Gil Fagundo, who is credited with bringing Portuguese steak to Fall River — garnered a reputation over the years for serving one of the best Portuguese steaks — and more — in a city packed with Luso options.
According to Esposito, among the things that made O Gil special was the family atmosphere and the love and care they poured into their cooking.
“Everything is homemade, our sandwiches are huge, our french fries are hand-cut, the soups are the best in the city, homemade chicken and kale,” she said. “They put a lot of heart and soul into it … it was always a family restaurant.”
Since Fagundo and Sousa announced their desire to retire and put the restaurant up for sale in late 2023, locals have been anxiously counting down O Gil’s final days.
And while the closure doesn’t come as a shock for patrons, it’s still a blow for the many who’ve long frequented the casual, homestyle spot tucked away on a Fall River side street.
“Everybody’s bummed out and upset,” Esposito said.
The sale of the County Street property is not yet official but is expected to change hands this month, according to new owner Kristin Teves.
Teves, co-owner of North South Property Management along with her husband, is no stranger to the Fall River restaurant fixture, having managed the South End property for over 20 years.
Her plans include leasing the County Street location and renovations to the restaurant space are also expected.
While her hope is that the O Gil spot will continue to operate as a restaurant, Teves indicated that is no guarantee and the future of the building remains uncertain at this time.
“It’s definitely a legacy here in Fall River,” Teves said in a late February interview. “Whenever you’re in a group of Portuguese people, everyone has their opinion on their favorite steak and favorite meal in the city, and O Gil’s is always in the top three. I’d like to keep it there for people that love it and for people that have grown up with it. It’s truly a part of the city and I’d like to see it stay a part of the city.”
