After Nildal: One Chapter Ends, Another Begins
With the passing of our beloved Nildal, a chapter has closed. The restaurant that carried her spirit, her love, and her laughter will no longer be ours.
We have passed it on to new hands.
For us, this place was never just a business—it was Nildal’s heart on every plate, her warmth in every corner, her joy in every gathering. Without her, we could not continue.
Though the restaurant will live on under new ownership, it will forever carry the memories of what Nildal created. To everyone who shared a meal, a smile, or a story within these walls—thank you. You were part of her journey.
Her spirit remains with us, and in the love she poured into this place, she will never be forgotten.
A Farewell to Nildal İstanbullu
A Heart That Fed the World, Now Giving Life Once More
On July 28, a light dimmed in the heart of San Leandro.
Nildal İstanbullu—a cherished friend, a radiant soul, and an extraordinary chef—collapsed suddenly from a catastrophic brain aneurysm. For days, her brave heart continued to beat in the intensive care unit at UCSF Hospital, as machines sustained the life she had once poured so freely into others.
Today, with breaking hearts, we share that Nildal has been declared brain dead.
But even in death, Nildal’s spirit refuses to fade. She was a registered organ donor—because of course she was. Her final act will be one of breathtaking generosity: giving the gift of life to strangers in need, just as she gave warmth, laughter, and nourishment to everyone who crossed her path.
Nildal was more than her talent in the kitchen. She was a woman of immense heart. With every dish she prepared, every conversation she embraced, she stitched herself into the fabric of her community. She listened, she healed, she fed, she gave. Always.
Now, as her family prepares to say goodbye, they face a mountain of sorrow—and the heavy costs that come with it:
• The extensive hospital and ICU expenses
• Transporting Nildal back to her beloved homeland of Turkey, to lay her to rest as she wished
• Supporting the spouse she leaves behind, shattered but grateful for every moment shared
This campaign is not just about money. It is about honoring a woman whose life was a love letter to service. It is about giving her the dignity she gave so freely to others. It is about helping her light travel one last journey—home.
If you can, we ask you: contribute, share, pray, remember. Even the smallest offering carries great meaning.
Let us gather around Nildal one final time. Let us show that her kindness did not disappear—it multiplied.
️ Her body may rest, but her legacy will move through the veins of others. Through every life she saves, she lives on.
With love,
The Friends of Nildal İstanbullu
