Weve just been losing money since the pandemic, the closing announcement reads. Pearl District cocktail bar Botanist has closed after just after its third anniversary. The Pacific Northwestern-themed pizzeria has moved out of its downtown space within the Hotel Lucia. The restaurants phone has been disconnected, as well as its website; the Instagram account for the restaurant doesnt note the closure. About 100,000 restaurants nationwide, nearly one in six, closed as a result of the pandemic, according to the National Restaurant Association. The decision to close was purely financial, wrote owner Liz Davis in the restaurants newsletter. A St Johns restaurant beloved for its vegan take on classic Southern dishes and soul food, Homegrown Smoker served its last faux-mac and cheese on December 19. For a full list of Portland restaurant and food cart closures, check out this guide. Liberty Glass, a North Portland fixture of a bar in a converted, multi-story Victorian home, announced its closure on April 16 via Instagram. After almost 20 years in the Pearl District, restaurateur Bruce Carey has announced the closure of Bluehour, one of his celebration restaurants. In the words of the websites closing announcement, the bar was eaten by the COVID monster after more than 20 years open. Owner Suzeanne Briede has made the decision to close Gustavs Clackamas location on July 11 and Bargartens Beaverton location on June 26. Restaurateur Bruce Careys downtown cocktail bar Saucebox has closed after 25 years of service. Chef and owner Maya Lovelace has closed the three-year-old Southern restaurant specializing in fried chicken and angel biscuits to transition the space into Hissyfit, a restaurant which will have roots in Southern cuisine, but with less adherence to tradition. The restaurant announced its closure in early June; its last day was June 26. Even though this is the end for Sharks Cove in Portland, I want to let you all know that the important concept of conservation behind Sharks Cove is not even close to ending, the Instagram closing announcement reads. Jos Chesa, Cristina Baez, and Emily Metivier known for their other restaurant, Ataula decided to walk away from the restaurant after multiple temporary closures and a tumultuous year. Really sad. Portland's Restaurant, Bar, and Food Cart Closures Read more about the closure here. We have made the decision to walk away from the restaurant industry and seek a more gentle, joyful, sustainable life and livelihood. Read more about the closure and Lovelaces decision to leave the restaurant industry here. When were strong again well let you know where we are and we will look forward to seeing you there!, This Killingsworth juice shop closed in mid-September following a planned one-month hiatus, which turned into a four-month one. During the first few months of opening we started making our own chai. The owners attributed the closure to drifting interests: Jeremy Garb is pursuing a PhD in molecular microbiology, and owner Tanna TenHoopen Dolinsky is now a practicing social worker. 2020 has consisted of brutal closure after brutal closure, and its destruction will likely carry on in 2021. Phillips has found a buyer for the building, and the Baileys team will move out within the next few weeks. Read more about the closure here. We asked Portland food writers and personalities for the closures that hurt them the most this year; these are the spots that hurt us the most. Read more about the closure here. New Yorkers said goodbye to so many restaurants this year. The bar had been temporarily closed for months; Bowler also closed Revelry, the restaurant and bar he co-owned with Seattles prominent Relay restaurant group. Beaux Berry anticipates kicking off its final season on the last weekend of April. The taproom went on hiatus in the fall, and owner Geoff Phillips put the building on the market. Portland Restaurant Closings - Eater Portland It was my little comfort corner in the inner Southeast, and the easiest way to get my hands on curry donuts. My hope is that me and my family will continue to revive ThiccBoi in creative ways moving forward! a closing announcement reads. We held on as long as we could through all of the shut-downs and service changes and our own emotional turmoil. The deli also served as a Japanese grocery and bakery. In a year of heartbreaking closures, these made us the saddest. Thanks for everything, Portland, the Instagram post announcing the closure reads. We had already struggled mightily to get it off the ground, the timing couldnt have been worse for the business, she writes in the closing announcement. There are so many added uncontrollable, arduous factors, let alone fundamental daily tasks, for one person to bear in this industry, writes owner Judith Stokes in an Instagram announcement. A cozy, vintage cafe with duck eggs Benedict and savory waffles, Trinket decided against takeout or delivery back in March, and wont reopen its doors again. The hit soul food cart announced its temporary closure on August 20. Montesacro Pinseria has closed its only Oregon location, and does not intend to reopen in Portland. Cheesemonger Steve Jones attributed the closure to the pandemic, and sold its last slabs of cheese on January 15, 2021. One closure that particularly hit our heartstrings was Cooperativa. We are hoping this is temporary, the team at Burger Cult wrote in a message to Eater. A celebrated Alberta restaurant, Aviary has closed after almost 10 years in the neighborhood. We are talking to some old friends about an exciting collaboration that will take over the space. Some boats just dont float, the closing announcement reads. Sanjay Chandrasekarans vegan Indian restaurant closed its Beaverton location on April 2. A posted sign says the cafe will close because of increased food and labor costs. As many have faced in the climate of modern day virus consequences our North Portland pub just has not been able to gain traction after the last couple of brutal years. Instead, a neighborhood market has opened in its place. After COVID closures, snow days, chronic staff turnover, a brutal slow season, and rising costs, the time has come to move on. The restaurants building is for sale. Gabrielle Quinez Denton and Greg Denton have decided not to reopen their downtown Portland bistro, as they just dont see a path forward without drastically changing the concept, according to a public statement. The vegan comfort food restaurant closed its doors on August 7. Yoobies and WanSook Thai Food Cart. That space has so many memories for me because (as most people know) prior to Ripe, it was Beast. The departures that gutted us, from food carts to fine-dining destinations. Its been a really rough several months for us and it seems like things are not going to return to the expectations or the vision we had planned for the space, Metivier wrote in an email to staff. After a few stops and starts during the course of the pandemic, destination cocktail bar and restaurant Clyde Common has closed permanently downtown. The NE Alberta food cart Grilled Cheese Grill, which once operated three carts around Portland, has announced its permanent closure after a year-long hiatus. Be kind to yourselves and to each other.. The upscale Mexican restaurant closed on March 14. Read more about the closure here. Pseudo-modernist, pop-up-turned-fine-dining-spot Holdfast Dining will not reopen in its SE 11th digs. The bar hinted at potentially reopening in a new location down the line via Instagram. With our lease at an end, we felt this presented an opportunity for change: time for more focus on well-being and family; time to consider new and inspiring projects. Read more about the closure here. We asked a group of local writers, restaurant industry voices . The vegan pan-Asian comfort food restaurant formerly known as Ichiza Kitchen shut down for service at the end of May, citing a dramatic increase in food and supply costs, the constant risk of COVID exposure, and serving food not conducive to takeout. Ed Sablans food channels the distinct culinary traditions of Guam, serving consistently delicious barbecue, coconut flatbread, shrimp fritters, kelaguen chicken salad, and particularly excellent pickles and kimchi. newsletter, Oregon Moves Toward Scrapping Styrofoam Containers by 2025, Sakura Brings Chicken Heart Yakitori and Season-Themed Sushi to Happy Valley, A Guide to Portlands Bar, Restaurant, and Food Cart Openings, Portland Leads the Pack at the 2023 U.S. Coffee Championships, Here Are the 2023 James Beard Media Award Nominees From Portland. Its unclear when Cruzroom announced its closure, but the Alberta Street bar has packed up its things and left the neighborhood. But there is always her food at Expatriate (hello nachos! Known for its drinking chocolate, Cacao was a leader in the local chocolate movement before bean-to-bar chocolatiers started to gain ground in Portland. -Janey Wong, reporter for Eater Portland "For me, the closure of Baby Blue was a sad start to the new year. Communion had just been open for a year and was finally finding some footing when the pandemic hit. It wasnt my favorite physical space, but the owners and staff more than made up for it: Excellent and affordable wine and cocktails, plus a bar menu that transcended the usual pub-grub style of dining with fresh bruschetta and other snacks. The group attributed the closure to complications, much like those of many others in the community.. Drink Mamey always has a specific purpose, mission, and goal that I feel I completely lost sight of amongst the craziness, she writes. Gabe Rosen, the former owner of influential izakaya Biwa, has closed yet another restaurant. Rally Pizza was more than just a pizza and frozen custard spot; they sourced ingredients from local farms and had amazing specials like their yearly Persian New Year meal and paczkis on Fat Tuesday. In May, Tiffin Ashas Instagram account posted an anniversary post, saying that the Tiffin Asha you have come to know will no longer be, and that owners Sheila Bommakanti and Elizabeth Golay would be beginning a new chapter with their business. After 12 years in the business, the brothers are relocating to Nicaragua to farm coffee beans. Our neighboring businesses have seen it, too and weve watched them close one by one over the past few years. The chill vibe and comforting food made me happy that I had moved to the Portland area. Though wildly different, Omas Hideaway kind of fills that void, though. -Krista Garcia, Eater Portland contributor, Biba Chamoru Kitchen. Per tradition, Eater Portland ends the year by reflecting on the last twelve months of dining in a series we call Year in Eater. 2020 has inflicted a series of gut-wrenching closures on L.A., so it's hard to know where to begin. Closing a restaurant is always a somber occasion and, unfortunately, Seattle saw plenty of places shutter permanently over the past 12 months. Consider this one new-to-us: After relative silence over the fate of its Northwest Portland cafe, another restaurant has claimed the space: Jojo will move in sometime this spring or summer. It has since expanded to open a second Portland location and locations in Seattle and California. Staffing is hard enough these days, (for everyone) but with the building rehab looming, its nearly impossible. Read more about the impending closure here. Alter Ego Cider closed its tasting room Saturday, September 4, just three years after moving in to the production facility. The team behind Foxy Coffee closed both of its locations March 31, according to an Instagram post. Originally opened in 1991 on Northwest 23rd Avenue, the deli is one of a few Jewish restaurants in the city and serves bagels, cured fish, and sandwiches. Hillsdale bakery Baker and Spices sister cake shop The Cakery is closing its doors on May 14. Soon, Helioterra will take over the tasting room space entirely. He said the space would remain open until the summer, but didnt set a date. In February, Hair of the Dog owner and founder Alan Sprints posted a video on Facebook announcing his plans to retire, which would mean the 29-year-old brewery and taproom would close in Southeast Portland. Going forward we restaurants have to be better, do better for our staff, our team, ourselves, but also as a financial business, he says. Homegrown Smoker served its last faux-mac and cheese under Ridabocks guidance on December 19, but should reopen soon under this new ownership. That grief is inseparable from an overwhelming gratitude to everyone who has made the past fifteen years and counting a time of immeasurable magic.. One closure that particularly hit our heartstrings was Cooperativa. The owners have decided to close this influential chocolate shop in downtown Portland, specializing in ethical and methodically sourced chocolate from around the world. We said goodbye to so many restaurants this year. It opened at such an unfortunate time and never got a chance to show off what it could really do. Read more about it here. I have made the tough but vital decision to close Drink Mamey on Killingsworth, writes owner Cydnie Smith-McCarthy. Beyond the lockdowns, the numerous other challenges ranging from staffing & supply chain shortages, illnesses, food & transportation costs (to name a few) have made it impossible to keep YaYa open. Read more about the closure here. The two Northeast Killingsworth restaurants, known for their passion for incorporating Pacific Northwestern flours and local produce into their pastries, breads, and pizzas, closed on August 14. This prix fixe seafood restaurant closed indefinitely on March 2020, but now, the former kitchen team has taken over the restaurant, turning it into the new, less-seafood-specific Tercet. Read more about it here. Today. Alley Mezza and Dingers Deli were the saddest closures as theyre both among my neighborhood favorites. Considering its brief tenure in Portland, I have so many fond memories of eating Holy Trinity beef ribs, those green chile grits, that *banana pudding.