Heart’s Coffee Shop, a Valley comfort-food icon, serves up its final meals

A tradition came to a heartfelt but tasty close on Sunday.

Heart’s Coffee Shop, a long-lived Van Nuys diner that has served customers for five decades, served its final meals Sunday.

“There is so much love in this restaurant,” said Angelique Pagani, from Van Nuys, a customer since her childhood in the mid-1980s. “The food is outstanding.”

The restaurant, at 16918 Saticoy Street near Balboa Avenue, was scheduled to close at 2 p.m. Sunday following breakfast and lunch service.

“Now that the restaurant is closing down, what’s going to happen next?” added Pagani. “We want another great family restaurant again in the Valley. I hope that’s going to happen again on this property, but who’s to say what’s going to happen.” A developer has bought the property and hasn’t disclosed any future plans.

“We had a great run and created a great legacy in the San Fernando Valley that we’re very proud of. But I feel very very sad, my heart is broken,” said Susan Wong last week.

She’s the daughter of Yuk and Sue Wong, who opened Hearts in 1979 at 16918 Saticoy St. near the intersection of Balboa Avenue. Wong said the permanent closure was a result of rising food costs, inflation, labor shortages and the economy in general.

The Wongs interacted with customers on Sunday during the eatery’s bittersweet final day, as diners were eager for one last plate of pancakes or country fried steak.

Over the years, Heart’s became a neighborhood icon, famed for its heart-shaped sign, plush old-fashioned booths and its deep menu of yummy American comfort food.

“We made the very heartbreaking decision to put it on the market,” Susan Wong said.

David Arutiunian and Meghedy Arutiunian, customers for seven years, returned Sunday to the site where they started dating.

“You can’t have another one like it,” David Arutiunian said.

“Home is where the Heart’s at.”