Conflict Kitchen closes due to death threats, plans to reopen shortly

Schenley Plaza takeout restaurant Conflict Kitchen is closed indefinitely after receiving death threats, according to the restaurant’s Facebook page.

The post reads, “We have received a letter today containing death threats and we will be closed until the credibility of the letter can be established by the Pittsburgh police. We hope to reopen shortly.”

Pittsburgh police spokeswoman Sonya Toler said the Bureau is currently investigating. 

Conflict Kitchen has recently been under scrutiny by community members for its current menu of Palestinian food. The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh had criticized the restaurant for presenting only Palestinian viewpoints on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Conflict Kitchen rotates its menu every few months to reflect the culture of countries with which the U.S. government is in conflict. Before rolling out new cuisine, the restaurant has hosted special event discussions on the region to discuss relevant topics and questions on the conflicts.

Restaurant co-owner Jon Rubin declined to comment on the situation.