Nearly two years after its prior location was destroyed in a fire — and following several delays caused by repeat inspections and other issues — Papa Dan’s Pizza & Pasta has a reopening date for its new spot within the same Palm Desert shopping center.
The pizzeria plans to open its doors to the public Monday, March 16, following a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by the Palm Desert Area Chamber of Commerce that morning. The restaurant, which first opened in 1984, will be in a larger space located near the old restaurant in the Plaza de Monterey Shopping Center, on the opposite side of Bristol Farms.
The restaurant near Monterey Avenue has been closed since it and three other businesses were destroyed in a strip mall fire in the early hours of April 14, 2024. A 30-year-old reportedly homeless woman, who was arrested and charged with setting the fire, has since pleaded guilty and was ordered to serve several weeks in jail.
Ira Mosley, the restaurant’s owner, initially aimed to open the new location in late 2024, but said he faced delays due to funding and design work challenges. In early 2025, the Palm Desert City Council agreed to contribute $200,000 to the rebuild, with some conditions.
Among the requirements was for Papa Dan’s to begin operating by July 1, 2025, and to stay in business for at least five years, with a provision allowing the city to demand a repayment of $100,000 if those conditions aren’t met.
With the restaurant missing the reopening deadline, the city has granted an extension for the funding, and city staff stayed in contact with Mosley as work progressed, according to Thomas Soule, the city’s public affairs manager.
Mosley told The Desert Sun the recent delays were due to repeat inspections of the new kitchen’s fire suppression system by the Riverside County Fire Department. With final inspections now complete, he’s excited to finally show off the new space to the public.
“It really hasn’t sunk in yet, but I couldn’t be more thrilled. I just truly couldn’t,” Mosley told The Desert Sun, adding he’s received tremendous support from the community.
What are the new hours for Papa Dan’s Pizza & Pasta?
The new location will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, as well as 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
The earlier weekend hours are for new breakfast offerings, including breakfast pizzas and Italian quiches, that will be offered only on Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The new restaurant also features a full bar that seats 25 people, as well as a private dining room available for reservations.
Tom Coulter covers the cities of Palm Desert, La Quinta, Rancho Mirage and Indian Wells. Reach him at thomas.coulter@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Palm Desert pizza spot Papa Dan’s to reopen nearly 2 years after fire
Reporting by Tom Coulter, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
