For eight years, Brian Konefal and Paola Fioravanti cooked some of Arizona's most inventive and exciting food from a small but sunny strip mall restaurant in Flagstaff.

At the couple's restaurant, Coppa Cafe, Konefal turned out exquisite Arizona-focused cuisine and Fioravanti offered exquisite handcrafted desserts. The fare was enough to inspire Republic dining critic Dominc Armato to declare the spot "one of Arizona’s essential restaurants" in a 2017 review.

Those who want to experience it for themselves, however, will have to act quickly.

On Friday morning, Konefal confirmed to The Republic that the restaurant at 1300 S. Milton Road will close following dinner service on Sunday, June 9.

"We are closing our doors at this location," Konefal said. "But we're not closing the door on everything."

Why Coppa Cafe is closing

Konefal says the restaurant has been listed for sale for a number of months, but he didn't receive many offers to purchase it until recently.

"This came along," Konefal said. "So 'yes' is what I'm saying to it. I want to move on."

The deal allows Konefal to retain the Coppa Cafe name, and he'll have to look for a new home for the restaurant.

On a more personal note, Konefal also says running the restaurant has been "quite difficult" since his wife was diagnosed with cancer several years ago. Fioravanti died earlier this year.

Do you need a reservation for this weekend?

The restaurant will be open special hours from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. for lunch and dinner June 7-9.

Konefal and his staff are planning a "marathon weekend of cooking" to offer guests some of the most popular dishes served at the restaurant over the last eight years. According a post on the Coppa Cafe Facebook, Konefal also plans to empty the restaurant's "extensive cured meat closet," where he's been crafting housemade prosciutto, coppa and bresaola.

According to the post, the restaurant also will offer drink specials including:

$2 beers and wines by the glass.

50% off bottles of wine.

Bottomless mimosas.

Seating will be available all weekend on the restaurant's back patio, allowing Coppa Cafe to accommodate a maximum number of guests. Reservations are not required, Konefal said Friday morning.

"But we're filling up fast."

What's next for chef Brian Konefal

Though Coppa Cafe will close, Konefal isn't taking a break from cooking. For the summer months, he plans to host a series of pop-up outdoor diners in northern Arizona.

"For now, I'm going to rock veggies and cook outside," Konefal said.

He also will focus on his food truck, Square Root Burger, which operates in Flagstaff. Konefal partnered with two local farmers on the project to create a build-your-own burger concept. Guests can choose either vegetable or meat patties and top their burgers with local products including vegetables, eggs and cheeses.

Konefal will search for a new location for Coppa Cafe — and he isn't ruling out the possibility of relocating the restaurant closer to Phoenix.

"I will never leave Flagstaff ... but that could always be part-time. I love to cook and I'd like to cook for a larger audience.

"To be continued for sure."

Reach the reporter at lauren.saria@azcentral.com. Follow her on Instagram at laurensaria, on Twitter at lhsaria and on Facebook at facebook.com/lsaria.

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