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Since the beginning of the novel coronavirus outbreak in Oregon, an ominous weight on the food and beverage world has been the potential for permanent closures: Which restaurants will be unable to hold out until the community settled back into normalcy? Which bars will succumb to the overwhelming debt of unpaid rent?
Now, more and more business owners are coming forward, announcing that they will not be opening their doors to customers again. From Southeast Portland breakfast cafes to North Portland watering holes, these are the restaurants that will permanently close as a result of the coronavirus crisis.
2023
The Latest
Lokanta
Southeast Clinton Street’s rustic Turkish restaurant will close at the end of June. From the closing announcement: “I would say it was never a financial failure but it was a conceptual mistake to open a meyhane in Portland,” writes owner Umut Matkap. “I love the concept, the passing of plates to each other, the talking for hours, sipping raki, listening to music, truly sharing an experience with the people around you. I’m super proud of what we have put on the plates at Lokanta. Dishes made with seasonal local ingredients employing traditional methods and recipes from Hatay to Samsun and from Izmir to Adiyaman crisscrossing the whole of Turkey. Dishes that haven’t been served in Oregon and even some I would venture have never been served in the U.S. It was not an easy decision for me but especially after the earthquake in Turkey, I realized I needed a little break from the industry.”
Hammer & Stitch Brewing Co.
This brewery in the Northwest industrial district is calling it quits. “After working super hard for the last five years to create an incredible, inclusive, exciting new brewery in Portland, we’ve reached the end of the road,” the closing announcement reads. “We are actively looking to sell the brewery equipment and/or the entire business.”
Rabbits Cafe
Rabbits, an all-vegan cafe serving bowls, salads, and smoothies, has closed its NE Killingsworth Street location. No reason for the closure was given. The cafe’s downtown location on SW Oak Street remains open.
Jerusalem Rose Market
This Palestinian market, specializing in pantry items and staples necessary for Southwestern Asian and Northern African cooking, closed on May 28. According to a closing announcement, the business wasn’t financially viable, and the woman behind the market’s prepared foods “wants to slow down.” “Unfortunately, the financial goals have just not panned out,” the post reads. “The reality is that our non-negotiable politics, our commitment to low prices, and our size do not work monetarily and expenses have far exceeded our income for quite some time.” The market will re-emerge as a pop-up in the back room of the Center for Study & Preservation of Palestine.
Rockabilly Cafe
This ’50s-themed diner in St. Johns announced its closure on May 22. “We are going to miss you our loyal customers,” the closing announcement reads. “Thanks to everyone. Onward and upward.”
Pho An Sandy
The Northeast Sandy Boulevard Vietnamese restaurant, which served dishes like pho dac biet, bun rieu, and salad rolls, has closed; Bridgetown Bites first reported the news. Javi’s Breakfast Cafe moved into the space and opened May 25.
Macaroni in a Pot
Rose City Food Park’s vegan mac and cheese food cart closed on May 14. “It was not my dream to come back from a surgery that changed my life and my happiness to say goodbye so soon to something I had wanted to work so badly,” owner Maya Huskee wrote in a closing announcement. “My best friends and I had a vision, and it just wasn’t time for that vision. And that’s okay, too. ... We came, we conquered delicious mac, and now it’s time to let this chapter end so we can all start new ones.”
Hemp Bar
East Fork Cultivar’s Hemp Bar, a cafe that serves CBD mocktails and doubles as the Southern Oregon-based brand’s retail space, will close in June. “We’ve put our heart and soul into Hemp Bar, and we hope this isn’t a goodbye, but a see you later,” a closing announcement reads. “From farm to Foster, thank you for supporting our family farm.” In the coming months, the bar plans to share its mocktail recipes.
Grain & Gristle
The thirteen-year-old farm-to-table tavern will close on May 29. Chef and owners Heidi and Jeff Whitney-Schile bought the restaurant in 2019 — they plan to focus on opening a new restaurant and event space called L’ecole, which will shift from a wine bar by night to weekend brunch in addition to offering cooking classes.
May
Castagna
The Hawthorne fine-dining destination Castagna, a launching pad of several notable Oregon chefs, has officially closed. The 20-year-old restaurant shut its dining room in 2020, and after three years of uncertainty, owner Monique Siu and chef Justin Woodward have decided not to reopen. Instead, Siu, Woodward, and sommelier Brent Braun are choosing to focus on next door restaurant OK Omens, which took over the space of Castagna’s sibling restaurant Cafe Castagna in 2018. Read more about the closure here.
Bolo
The Alberta Street food cart specializing in Portuguese dishes such as sandwiches made with bolo levedo, malasadas, and caldo verde, has closed. Owner Brad Dodson is selling the cart and moving to Hawaii.
Nightingale
It’s unclear when this cocktail bar and Mexican restaurant shuttered and if it plans to reopen down the line, but Google and Yelp mark the business as closed.
The Cakery
Hillsdale bakery Baker and Spice’s sister cake shop The Cakery closed its doors on May 14. “For more than a decade, it has been our joy and honor to bring sweetness to your celebrations, milestones, and cravings,” a closing announcement reads. “Alas, our lease is coming to an end, and we feel ready to pass our beautiful space on to someone new.”
Zell’s Cafe
Southeast Portland breakfast stalwart Zell’s closed on May 2 after 40 years of business. A sign posted at the restaurant cites “increased labor and food costs” as reasons for the closure. Read more about the closure here.
April
The Sudra
Less than a month after closing its Beaverton location, the fast casual vegan Indian restaurant’s last day on N Mississippi was April 30. The Sudra’s sole remaining restaurant is on NE 28th Avenue. “The Sudra Mississippi opened February 2020, and within a few weeks we closed our doors due to the covid outbreak,” the closing announcement reads. “It was devastating to put so much money, time and effort into opening and have to close so quickly. Since then we’ve done multiple pivots as we navigated the pandemic, inflation, labor shortages, and multiple pandemic related crises. After 3 years we still haven’t found our footing in the neighborhood and we’re ready to move on.” Also in the closing announcement, owner Sanjay Chandrasekaran revealed that he will be working with bar industry folks to turn the location into a vegan bar.
Ben & Esther’s
The vegan Jewish deli closed its original Northeast Sandy Boulevard restaurant on April 29. The New York-style deli opened its doors in 2019 with an omnivore menu before switching to an entirely vegan menu in 2020. It has since expanded to open a second Portland location and locations in Seattle and California. Ben & Esther’s Northeast Alberta Street location will remain open with “a new menu coming and some really exciting things in the works.” Denizens Cafe will take over the Northeast Sandy Boulevard space.
Food Front Co-Op
The Northwest Portland community-owned grocery store closed its doors on April 24. In a letter to its members, Food Front announced that its general manager has resigned and the current board also intends to step down. The store may reopen and has outlined potential paths forward such as shifting to a worker-owned model.
Coava
Popular Portland coffee roaster Coava closed its downtown cafe on April 13. In a public statement, the company cited break-ins and theft, employees being subject to physical violence, and property damage among the reasons for the closure. “We have brought all the resources to bear that we have access to: doubling up on shifts, locking one entrance, de-escalation training, hazard pay, and heightened management oversight,” a closing announcement reads. “This has proven to not be a temporary situation — and it is not a situation we can manage. Most importantly, it is not a situation where we can thrive. We cannot continue operation here as we cannot ensure the safety of our team and customers. Our neighboring businesses have seen it, too — and we’ve watched them close one by one over the past few years. Sadly, we now join them.”
The Sudra
Sanjay Chandrasekaran’s vegan Indian restaurant closed its Beaverton location on April 2. “Although closing is sad, it’s not all bad news,” a closing announcement reads. “We are talking to some old friends about an exciting collaboration that will take over the space. More on that to come.” The Sudra’s remaining restaurants are located on Northeast 28th Avenue and on North Fremont Street.
March
Kornblatt’s
Portland’s oldest Jewish deli closed at the end of March. 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. The Oregonian’s Michael Russell has reported that Henry Higgins Boiled Bagels will take over the space. Read more about the closure here.
Alter Ego Cider
Helioterra Wine’s Southeast Portland sister cidery Alter Ego Cider has decided to cease its operations, New School Beer’s Ezra Johnson-Greenough reports. “The pandemic was a difficult time for all of us, and for Alter Ego it came at a crucial time where we had just invested in the expansion of our business,” Hubatch told New School Beer. “Not unexpected, we operated at a loss during that first year after investing in our tap house and production facility with hopes of much more. The pandemic’s timing caused these losses to carry on for much longer.” Alter Ego is selling the remainder of its canned ciders at Helioterra Wine Bar.
Hotlips Pizza
The local pizza chain announced the closure of half of its locations on March 27. Hotlips’ Civic, Hollywood, and Killingsworth locations have closed effective immediately, with the restaurant’s Hawthorne and Pearl District locations remaining open. “We gave it our all,” writes co-owner David Yudkin. “Sustaining jobs through the entire pandemic by retooling to keep our staff and customers safe, but the ongoing economic effects hurt us profoundly, as with so many other businesses. It is little comfort that we are not alone in these hardships; we are also not alone in the drastic changes that must be put into place in order to carry on. We plan to move forward with a smaller crew, smaller footprint, fewer moving parts and realistic, attainable goals.” Read more about the closure.
Xico
The upscale Mexican restaurant closed on March 14. “The decision to close was purely financial,” wrote owner Liz Davis in the restaurant’s newsletter. “After COVID closures, snow days, chronic staff turnover, a brutal slow season, and rising costs, the time has come to move on.” The restaurant’s building is for sale.
Green Zebra
The Portland-based grocery-meets-convenience store chain closed all three of its locations on March 31. “We have been holding on by a thread since the pandemic started and have been in austerity mode since then,” says Lisa Sedlar, Green Zebra founder and CEO, in a press release. Read more about the closure here.
Menya Hokusei
The under-the-Hawthorne Bridge ramen shop Menya Hokusei, which made its noodles with Oregon wheat and barley, has closed. On March 12, owner Ryan Callahan posted a detailed statement on his personal Instagram, citing a lack of financial backing, fees levied by his leasing company, and other challenges. Callahan was stabbed in November, which necessitated the temporary closure of the restaurant — he set up a GoFundMe at the time to help cover employees’ pay and his medical bills. Although the ramen shop has closed at its location, Callahan writes: “This is not the end of Menya Hokusei. It’s goodbye for now but we will be doing kits, pop-ups, and much more cool stuff in the future. Also, we’re moving into production/sales of craft ramen ingredients for other ramen shops that are interested. We want to step back and help other ramen shops make the best ramen possible.”
Lucky Horseshoe
This dive bar, which sits at the bustling intersection of SE Clinton Street and SE 26th Avenue, closed on March 10. “Changes! Thank you to everyone who has been part of the Lucky Horseshoe,” an Instagram closing announcement reads. Portlanders didn’t have to wait long to find out about the changes the bar will undergo — the Oregonian’s Michael Russell reported on the day of the closure that Rally Pizza’s Alan Maniscalco and Shan Wickham will transform the lounge into an Italian-inspired cocktail bar.
City Bridge and Tunnel
This downtown cocktail bar has closed temporarily just ahead of their one-year anniversary. “After a difficult winter, we have made the decision to temporarily close our doors while we restructure and plan for the future,” an Instagram announcement reads. “We are hoping to re-open in a few months, so please stay tuned.”
Sandino Brothers Coffee
This Rose City Park cafe closed in early March, as first reported by Bridgetown Bites. After 12 years in the business, the brothers are relocating to Nicaragua to farm coffee beans.
Qiao Noodle House
It appears this Yunnanese restaurant, specializing in crossing-the-bridge noodles, has closed — though the restaurant has not noted the closure on Instagram or the website. Both Yelp and Google are reporting the restaurant as permanently closed, and the phone line has been temporarily disconnected.
The Ranger Station
The Ranger Station, a Hawthorne bar and restaurant, has permanently closed at its current location, according to the bar’s Instagram. The Ranger Station first opened in 2014, serving pub fare and plenty of local beer; over time, the restaurant became known for its live music. Bridgetown Bites reports that owner Matt Walker wanted a break from running a bar, and will reopen in a larger location down the line.
Straight From New York Pizza Burnside
It’s unclear when, exactly, Straight From New York Pizza closed its Burnside location, and if the closure is temporary; the website has removed references to the Burnside locale, but the restaurant’s Instagram still lists it as a location. Google is listing the business as temporarily closed. Eater Portland has reached out to Straight From New York for more information.
February
Malka
The maximalist Southeast Division Street restaurant Malka, known for its globetrotting menu, closed on February 26. Chefs Jessie Aron and Colin McArthur, who previously owned the food cart Carte Blanche, attributed the closure to the financial and emotional strain of running a restaurant right now. “We are still not making enough money to comfortably take care of the needs, health, and necessary rest for all who work here, ourselves included,” the closing announcement reads. “For people who haven’t worked in restaurants, I think it must be impossible to imagine the relentless toll of food service. The need for a steady wage and the bonds of friendship, plus a love of cooking and a dream of making something truly good will drive us to sacrifice more of ourselves than is health or right.” Throughout the pandemic, the restaurant shifted to a takeout-only model and later, a prix-fixe menu. Read more about the closure here.
Freeland Spirits
The women-owned distillery closed its Lake Oswego tasting room on February 25. Freeland’s Northwest Portland tasting room will remain open.
Fuller’s Coffee Shop
Pearl District cafe Fuller’s Coffee Shop has temporarily closed as of February 21. The restaurant suffered from a fire and is closed until further notice while the incident is investigated and repairs can be made.
Either/Or
This Sellwood neighborhood coffee shop closed on February 19. The cafe’s North Williams location will remain open. “It is with a heavy heart that I want to announce we are closing the Sellwood cafe,” owner Ro Tam wrote in an Instagram post. “During the first few months of opening we started making our own chai. It got very popular really fast and other cafes started asking us to wholesale it, which turned into our beverage brand @tanglewoodbevco. After the pandemic hit the Sellwood shop never really recovered, but Tanglewood has been steadily growing and we’ve grown out of our production space located in the courtyard behind the cafe. We are moving into a small warehouse close by the Williams location and it just makes sense for us to leave Sellwood altogether. This will allow us to put more energy into Tanglewood and the Williams cafe.”
Holler
The Sellwood sports bar and restaurant opened by Jen Quist and former owner and chef Doug Adams will close on February 26. “Sadly our industry has become all too familiar with this story, but opening during Covid and managing all that comes along with it as a brand new business, we did all we could, for as long as we could,” the closing announcement reads. “We have loved being part of this community and will be donating a portion of proceeds from the rest of this month to the schools/little league who have been HUGE supporters of ours.” The restaurant’s next door dessert shop, Holler Treats, plans to remain open.
Poboyz
It’s unclear when the downtown Cajun-Creole restaurant owned by former Oregon Ducks football player Randall Willhite closed, but the restaurant’s signage has been removed, the windows are covered with paper, and its phone line has been disconnected.
Psychic Bar
The Mississippi Street Victorian-turned-cocktail bar, once home to chef Diane Lam’s Prey + Tell and Sunshine Noodles, will close on February 19. “It’s with a heavy heart that we have to announce the closing of our beloved Psychic Bar,” the closing announcement reads. A group of owners from Victoria, Hey Love, and Villa Royale, a Palm Springs resort, will open a new bar in the space.
January
Charlie’s Breakfast Cart
The vegan breakfast cart at Rose City Food Park has closed as of January 21. “Unfortunately we have decided to close the food cart indefinitely,” a closing announcement reads. “We were so lucky to have had the opportunity to serve Portland and got to meet some amazing people.”
Sisters of the Road
Nonprofit cafe Sisters of the Road has closed its Old Town-Chinatown location with plans to reopen in a new location in the neighborhood. “Sisters of the Road has struggled to keep our cafe open since the start of the pandemic in 2020,” writes acting executive director Kat M. “Even as we continued to do advocacy work, our community sorely felt the absence of a reliable dining and community space. While the team worked towards reopening the cafe, the internal systems and work culture were suffering. We found ourselves with a cafe overrun with mold and asbestos with no avenues for restoration, our leadership destabilized, and a staff shortage.” The nonprofit hopes to purchase a building in Old Town, with updated amenities and a larger organizing and community support space.
Beaux Berry
Beaumont-Wilshire ice cream cart Beaux Berry, which sells handmade ice cream and blended-to-order New Zealand-style ice cream, will close after the 2023 summer season. The cart’s owners are looking to find someone who will buy the business, and are offering to teach the buyer about ice cream production and bequeath their ice cream recipes. Beaux Berry anticipates kicking off its final season on the last weekend of April.
Southland Whiskey Kitchen
It’s unclear when the decade-old Nob Hill Southern restaurant known for its extensive bourbon selection closed, but its phone line and website are no longer active.
Oak & Olive Restaurant
This Italian spot in Hillsdale appears to have served its last meatball sandwiches and house-made pasta. The restaurant’s phone line has been disconnected and its website has been taken down.
Marble Queen
This brand-new cart has permanently closed due to the new wastewater laws that are impacting Portland food carts. The state now requires food cart owners to either use the tanks on their cart or connect to a sewer line, which can be prohibitively expensive for cart owners. “I spent every penny i had on this setup & just sold my car to pay my rent so i could make it through to spring, but the universe had different plans,” the closing announcement reads. “Onwards. But, bummer deal.”
Lady Latke
The food cart slinging latkes at the Carts on Foster pod with various toppings, salads, and soup closed on January 8.
NOLA Doughnuts
The New Orleans-inspired pastry shop NOLA Doughnuts closed all of its Portland-area locations on January 5. “The slow rebound from the pandemic and the current economic conditions have led us to make this difficult decision,” the closing announcement reads. “We have enjoyed serving everyone our delicious New Orleans inspired treats over the years and we want to thank our amazing team members and our customers for being a part of this journey.” Read more about the closure.
2022
December
Oak & Olive
This Hillsdale restaurant appears to have closed, according to an Eater tipster, Yelp, and Google. It’s unclear when exactly the restaurant closed; the last Yelp review for the restaurant was posted in December.
Rocky Butte Espresso Bar
Rocky Butte Coffee Roasters’ cafe location closed on December 31. The company had been negotiating a long-term lease on the space with its landlord when it was “abruptly evicted” after attempting to clear up “troubling details” within the lease, according to a statement on the website. The coffee roaster is planning on continuing operations and will look for a new retail location.
Rally Pizza
Rally Pizza served its last frozen custard on December 31. Owners Alan Maniscalco and Shan Wickham attributed the closure to the ongoing economic burden impacting the restaurant industry. “We have such a supportive community of customers and a wonderful team, but it is no longer feasible for us to operate at this scale with the economic challenges restaurants are currently facing,” the announcement reads. The Vancouver pizzeria had been open for six years.
Sloan’s Tavern
Open since 1979 in the Eliot neighborhood, Sloan’s Tavern closed on December 30, after owner Shirley Sloan sold the property to a developer; she plans to retire. It was beloved by regulars for decades, a stalwart in a famously gentrified neighborhood. ”Sloan’s sense of time-swept dislocation has much to do with the décor, but its changing surroundings contribute as well,” Jay Horton writes for Willamette Week. “The bleak devastation wrought when the area was cleared out to make way for highway onramps and Legacy Emanuel Medical Center and its vast parking lots, Sloan’s was left utterly unmoored for a time but somehow never lost its following.”
Blind Ox Taphouse
After a move from Northeast Portland to North Portland, Blind Ox Taphouse is throwing in the towel. The taproom, owned by a liquid nitrogen ice cream company, originally opened on Northeast Fremont in 2020, before opening and eventually consolidating into a space on North Interstate. The last day of business was December 30.
Lucky Labrador Brewing Company
Lucky Lab closed its Northeast Killingsworth Street location on December 23. “It is with a sad heart that we will be permanently closing the Lucky Lab on Killingsworth,” the closing announcement reads. “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. Hawthorne, Multnomah, and Quimby will hopefully serve our loyal customers for many years to come.”
Papi Sal’s
Portland’s groundbreaking Philly-meets-Puerto-Rico sandwich cart served its last jawn on December 21. In a public statement, owner John Hatch attributed the closure to both the closing of its current beer garden and newly implemented regulations related to wastewater disposal for food carts. Instead, Papi Sal’s will be hosting pop-ups in 2023.
Nectar Cafe
Nectar Cafe, known for its vegan breakfast fare and juices, closed on December 19, after almost a decade in the Hollywood District. “This quirky little cafe has always had its challenges, and as hard as we’ve pushed and tried to adapt, we just can’t keep doing things the way we’ve been doing them,” the closing announcement reads. It appears the team may be revamping the business into something new; stay tuned for updates.
Sunshine Noodles
Sunshine Noodles, one of Portland’s only Cambodian restaurants, will have its final regular service Wednesday, December 14. “It is with much gratitude and a heavy heart to share that Sunshine Noodles will be closing its doors,” owner and chef Diane Lam announced in an Instagram post. “This was a tough decision to make, as I have learned from and grown so much from this experience. When I started Sunshine Noodles, I was passionate about bringing Cambodian cuisine to the Portland community. After over a year, I feel that we earned a place in your heart and I thank you for being our supporters.” Lam is planning to move to San Francisco. From December 16 to 18, the restaurant will throw a “farewell tour” of prix fixe seven-course dinners called “Sunshine Forever,” which will include dishes such as chili tamarind prawns and Khmer red fried rice. Tickets are available via Eventbrite. Read more on the closure here.
Kenny and Zuke’s
Downtown Jewish deli Kenny and Zuke’s closed its flagship location on December 18 and reopened a smaller shop on North Williams Avenue on New Year’s Day. “A combination of our lease drawing to a close, a need to downsize, and economics has necessitated a move to the Eastside,” owner Ken Gordon writes in an official statement on the website. Read more on the closure here.
23Hoyt
The Spanish-Mediterranean restaurant that sits at the corner of Northwest 23rd Avenue and Northwest Hoyt Street has shut its doors after 15 years. “There are many commonly cited factors that weighed into our decision, not least of all our ongoing difficulty staffing, and the rising costs of doing business,” owner Bruce Carey writes in a closing announcement. “We are happy to maintain full employment for all 23Hoyt staff at our sister restaurant, Clarklewis.”
Derby Kenton
The Kenton neighborhood brunch spot, market, and bar is calling it quits. “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. “From absurd food & supply costs, labor, taxes, putting out fires, violence/lack of safety, robberies to never being able to bounce back from losing the outdoor tent, my hail mary I desperately need during the long, rainy months… It’s been quite the three years.” A veteran of the food industry for 25 years, Stokes will step back to care for her mother for the time being, but teased that this is not goodbye: “I will be bringing you more. You knew that though…xoxo.” Derby’s final day was December 12.
November
Toffee Club
Beloved football pub Toffee Club shut its doors after its run of World Cup match viewings. “Our lease is up in January and after the challenges of the past three years it’s time for us to take a break, spend some time with our family and focus on growing @awaydaysbrewingco in the new year,” co-owners Niki Diamond and Pete Hoppins say in a closing statement.
October
Fills
The Berliner-style doughnut shop Fills closed its Mercato Grove shop in Lake Oswego on October 30, nearly a month earlier than its previously announced closing date of November 23 due to staffing. “The simple reality is that we could not get the traffic we needed to make it work financially,” an Instagram closing announcement reads.
Lac St. Jack
Lac St. Jack, the Mercato Grove location of chef Aaron Barnett’s French restaurant St. Jack, closed on October 29. “We’ve built some great relationships in the community, and to those friends we’ve made along the way — we’re sorry to say goodbye,” a closing announcement reads. The restaurant did not supply the reason for the closure. Sister restaurants St. Jack and La Moule remain open.
Renata
Celebrated Italian restaurant Renata announced its closure on October 23, citing struggles due to the pandemic. “Real talk: most people think life is back to normal,” a post on the restaurant’s Instagram reads. “The pandemic is a thing of the past and we’re all moving on. The reality is that the damage done to restaurants continues to be part of our daily life.” The restaurant will continue to host private events and its frozen pizzas are available at New Seasons Markets. Read more about the closure here.
Stanford’s Restaurant and Grill
The Pacific Northwest classic steakhouse chain has closed its original location in Lake Oswego. The closure was confirmed by the restaurant’s parent company, which also operates other landmark Portland restaurants such as Portland City Grill and Jake’s Grill. Two Portland-area Stanford’s locations remain open: one in Clackamas, and one in Tanasbourne.
Manzana Rotisserie Grill
This Lake Oswego waterfront restaurant, which belonged to the same parent company as Stanford’s, closed on October 19. A reason was not given for the closure.
Open Tandoor
The fast casual Indian spot, which serves tandoor-cooked chicken, naan, and vegetarian dishes, has permanently closed its North Williams restaurant, but it appears that it will reopen in another North Portland location. A new tenant, the Bend-based Bangers and Brews, will take over the former Open Tandoor space.
Rotigo
European-inspired rotisserie chicken restaurant and market Rotigo closed on October 22. The restaurant plans to reopen with a yet-to-be announced new concept.
Imjai Thai
This Belmont Thai restaurant closed October 17, according to the restaurant’s website. Imjai has been open since 2014, selling dishes like yen ta fo, also known as pink noodle soup. “We have sincerely enjoyed preparing every single dish for all of our customers over the years,” the closing announcement reads.
Ripe Cooperative
Lauded Portland chef Naomi Pomeroy’s all-day cafe and market closed on October 15. The chef will vacate the space home to Ripe, which was previously home to her groundbreaking restaurant Beast. “Yet it’s with a heavy heart that we announce, it’s time to move on. We aren’t quite sure what’s next, but the equation here will not solve. It has been a GORGEOUS experiment at 5425 NE 30th,” Pomeroy writes. “Instead of just moving to Europe, where cafe culture is alive and well, and people gather around small tables at all hours with friends and family, we tried bringing that spirit here instead. I think we more than succeeded, even as we retreat. We will see you further down the road, in some shape or form.” Read more about the closure here.
September
Captain Ankeny’s Pizza & Pub
Old Town pizzeria and pub Captain Ankeny’s closed on September 30, Willamette Week reports. Owner Jon Abrahamson stated that the “general poor condition of downtown played a major part in the closure” of the 38-year-old restaurant, in addition to a lack of workers returning to the industry. Abrahamson’s deep-dish pizzas will be available at the Portland Saturday Market for the foreseeable future.
Prescott Cafe
Cully diner Prescott Cafe, known for its homestyle cooking, closed on September 30 after 28 years in business — owner Rose Funk plans to retire.
Canteen
The decade-old juice bar and cafe is closing both of its locations: Lake Oswego closed September 28, and the Southeast Stark Street location will close on September 30. “Well, it’s been a radical journey but after a truly amazing decade, we’re turning off the juicers,” reads the closing announcement on Instagram. “Thank you for the opportunity to connect with you and feed you over the years, it’s by far the most rewarding part of what we do.”
Jinx
The occult-themed bar and restaurant closed after dinner service on Sunday, September 18. The restaurant opened on New Year’s Eve in 2018, and in an Instagram closing announcement, the team alluded to returning to the industry after a much-needed break. “To all our Jinx family, we regret to inform you that we just have to stop,” the closing announcement reads. “These past few years have been rough on everyone and we know life has not been easy on you either (and those challenges just kept coming). Personally, we need a break. ... When we’re strong again we’ll let you know where we are and we will look forward to seeing you there!”
Drink Mamey
This Killingsworth juice shop closed in mid-September following a planned one-month hiatus, which turned into a four-month one. A new, as yet announced tenant is already lined up for the space. “I have made the tough but vital decision to close Drink Mamey on Killingsworth,” writes owner Cydnie Smith-McCarthy. “The saying is ‘winners never quit, and quitters never win,’ but contrary to popular belief, I think quitting is for winners. Knowing when to stop and change direction, leave a toxic situation, or let go of what is no longer working is so crucial to the practice of discernment.” In the Instagram post, Smith-McCarthy hinted that Drink Mamey may continue on in some other form, more closely aligned with its roots. “Drink Mamey always has a specific purpose, mission, and goal that I feel I completely lost sight of amongst the craziness,” she writes. “I was struggling, it was no longer fun, and to be honest, I needed more support that I didn’t have. ... I hope you all stick around for what’s next.”
Portofino
Sellwood Italian restaurant Portofino closed on September 24, after 30 years of business. “It is through our great team & loyal guests that we have had such a tremendous run,” a message on the restaurant’s website reads. “It is with sadden [sic] that we say that run has come to its end. Thanks to all those who have supported Portofino’s over the years and many thanks to our Portofino family.”
Black Seed Burger Cult
Black Seed Burger Cult — now just Burger Cult on Instagram — has closed, but it’s unclear if the closure is permanent. “We are hoping this is temporary,” the team at Burger Cult wrote in a message to Eater. “To be honest, we just ran out of money. We tried our best to stick it out but just couldn’t hold our breath long enough to catch up with the momentum we had before COVID hit us all.”
Bark City BBQ
Eater Portland’s 2018 Food Cart of the Year closed on September 4, nearly five years to the day that it opened. Owner and pitmaster Michael Keskin plans to reopen Bark City in Arizona, where he’s moving to be closer to family. Bark City is selling its Portland operation turnkey, complete with the cart, smoker, “everything included to run a bbq cart,” and its lease at the Lot at John’s Marketplace.
Cooperativa
Owners Sarah Schafer and Anna Caporael shut the doors to their Italian market and restaurant Cooperativa on September 3. “As you all know, we opened during a time when uncertainty was the only constant,” an Instagram post reads. “We have faced a multitude of challenges over the past two years of being open and have fought hard to survive, and after much thought and discussion, we have decided it is time for us to take some time and step away.” Read more about the closure here.
August
La Parilla Kitchen
Mexican restaurant La Parilla closed its NE 82nd Avenue location in August, Bridgetown Bites reports. The restaurant’s Beaverton location remains open.
West Coast Grocery Co.
Buckman brewery West Coast Grocery Co. will close this summer, according to owner Charlie Hyde IV. Hyde attributes the closure to a lack community trust following to a sexual harassment incident within the company soon after the brewery opened, in late 2018. The brewery will close at the end of August, and is currently pending sale to a brewing team intending to open a new brewery within the space.
What’s the Scoop?
This North Williams ice cream shop closed for good on August 28 after 10 years in business. “We did the math and realized we’ve employed 197 Portlanders, sold close to 700,000 scoops of ice cream and helped raise tens of thousands of dollars for local charities,” a post on the shop’s Facebook page reads. “We hope we are leaving our neighborhood a little better for having been a part of it.” The post does not note a reason for the closure.
YaYa
The Cantonese barbecue spot on Alberta Street closed after a final dinner service on August 28. “When we opened 14 months ago, Portland was still in the depths of the pandemic,” writes owner Steven Chin in a closing announcement on Instagram. “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.
Pix Patisserie
Pastry chef Cheryl Wakerhauser closed Portland’s preeminent French pastry destination on August 22. After 21 years and three locations, Wakerhauser will retire, although she has plans to open a cooking school next year. The Pix-O-Matic, the shop’s 24-hour vending machines, will remain open onsite. Read more about the closure here.
Everybody Eats PDX
Details about this soul food restaurant’s closure are unknown, but it has vacated its Pearl District location and the building has a for-lease sign in the window. The restaurant was last active on Instagram in early July; owner Johnny Huff Jr. has not responded to requests for comment.
Erica’s Soul Food
The hit soul food cart announced its temporary closure on August 20. Erica’s Soul Food is currently doing catering and pop-ups while owner Erica Montgomery searches for a new location and plans a brick-and-mortar called Juke Joint.
Los Taquitos
It’s unclear when this North Tabor taqueria closed, but the front of the restaurant is boarded up and its phone number has been disconnected. Eater has been unable to get in contact with the owners.
Hissyfit
Chef Maya Lovelace’s short-lived Cully restaurant, which brought forth Southern flavors along globally inspired dishes, closed on August 15. “We make this decision with full hearts and exhausted spirits. The last few years have been very hard. Hissyfit was our hail mary, a chance to intentionally do everything our ideal way and see if it worked,” a post on the restaurant’s Instagram reads. “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 Lovelace’s decision to leave the restaurant industry here.
Seastar Bakery and Handsome Pizza
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. In early August, owners Annie Moss, Katia Bezerra-Clark, and Will Fain made a joint announcement on the business’s Instagram. Read more about the closure here.
South x Northwest
The vegan comfort food restaurant closed its doors on August 7. “We are closing SXNW, (we are open to selling if anyone is interested),” a closing announcement reads. “You may be surprised to hear it, but it was just the right time for us and what’s next in our lives. At the end of the journey, we know we created something special here and enjoyed serving you all. Being a part of this great neighborhood and community has been incredible.”
MF Tasty
The Southwestern-inspired food cart complete with a dining room inside a shipping container ended its seven-year run on August 5. Owners Eric and Nicole Gitenstein have sold their North Williams Avenue set-up to the Marble Queen and will transition to doing events and pop-ups out of a catering trailer.
Wild North
It’s unclear when the exciting, woodsman-vibed Wild North closed officially, but the Broadway restaurant’s Instagram now notes itself as closed in its bio. “It was a wild ride, Portland!” the bio reads.
July
Hogan’s Goat Pizza
The Rose City Park pizzeria and pastry shop closed on July 31. “We cannot say Thank You enough for all the years, memories, & sharing our love of food,” an Instagram announcement reads. “It may be the end of Hogan’s but it isn’t the end of delicious food coming out of this space… We would like to introduce @vincenzospizzapdx! As they take the time to make the space their own, we highly encourage you to follow the journey & get excited about this mouthwatering addition to Portland’s pizza scene.”
El Gallo Taqueria
This Woodstock taqueria, which hand-pressed its own corn tortillas and used locally sourced meats, closed on July 23. “While this was a difficult conclusion to come to, this is the best decision for the business and me personally,” writes owner Jake Brown. “Having the privilege to cook and serve the Woodstock Community for the past 13 years has been an honor.”
Pacific Crust Pizza Company
The Pacific Northwestern-themed pizzeria has moved out of its downtown space within the Hotel Lucia. The restaurant plans to reopen—Willamette Week reports that they are in search of a bigger space in a different neighborhood.
Gabagool
The St. Johns Italian restaurant serving handmade pasta and namesake capicola closed July 17. “Nine years ago we opened a food cart on Mississippi Ave. Five and a half years ago we turned it into a restaurant in St Johns. Today we announce our closure. We’ve been unable to reach an agreement on a lease for our space,” an Instagram closing announcement reads. Read more about the closure here.
Saff Ramen
The vegan noodle soup cart based at the Carts on Foster pod closed at the end of the month. The cart announced its closure on Instagram.
ThiccBoi
The cult-favorite fried chicken food cart closed on July 3. The closure follows a recent move and reopening at Metalwood Salvage. “I wish we could stay open longer for y’all, but between the extreme heat, the slim profit margins, and both me and my employee having scheduling conflicts soon, it makes the most sense for this week to be our last. My hope is that me and my family will continue to revive ThiccBoi in creative ways moving forward!” a closing announcement reads.
Tails & Trotters
Owners Aaron and Kelly Silverman closed their pork butcher shop and deli on July 2, citing COVID, rising costs, and other factors in their announcement. The business’s last day at the Portland State University Farmers Market will be July 9, but their ham and salami will remain available at Cooperativa and Market of Choice. Read more about the closure here.
June
Yonder
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. Read more about the transition here.
Hair of the Dog
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. He said the space would remain open until the summer, but didn’t set a date. This month, Sprints set a date for the closure: June 26. The webstore will remain open for “some time,” Sprints said in his latest announcement video. Read more about the closure here.
Gustav’s and Bargarten
Owner Suzeanne Briede has made the decision to close Gustav’s Clackamas location on July 11 and Bargarten’s Beaverton location on June 26. “As I continue to work through cancer recovery, I have concluded that it is time for me to take a different path in life, so after 34 years in the business, I will eventually be a guest rather than an operator!” a closing announcement on the website reads.
Brasa Haya
Helmed by chef Ian Muntzert, a vet of San Francisco’s now-closed Michelin-starred restaurant Commonwealth, this Spanish restaurant closed after brunch service on June 19. “We have reached a point where we can no longer be certain of our ability to pay our staff and vendors,” a closing announcement reads. “We’re incredibly proud of what our team has accomplished here. And incredibly sad that we can’t continue. This just wasn’t the restaurant that Portland wanted.” The team is still deciding what will become of the space, a historic American foursquare house that was previously occupied by Beech Street Parlor.
Fru Fru Terra
Formerly known as Vtopia Restaurant and Cheese Shop, this vegan cheese and wine bar will close on June 17. When it comes to why, the Instagram post announcing the closure didn’t get specific: “This was not an easy decision, by any means. In fact, it was many weeks of deliberation. There are/were many factors involved in determining which direction to go in. It was not just one,” the closing post reads.
Chaat Wallah
Desi PDX owner Deepak Saxena closed this Indian street food spot inside 503 Distilling on June 12, due to slow sales and wanting to focus resources on Desi PDX and upcoming restaurant Masala Lab. The spot may reopen “as a food cart in the fall/winter in the Cully neighborhood” with “a second cart in SE in a very pedestrian/bike oriented area,” according to the closing announcement.
May
Jade Rabbit
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. The restaurant has switched over to shipping their vegan dim sum and signature bowls locally and nationwide for the foreseeable future.
Kimura Toast Bar
Matt and Kayoko Kaye closed their toast-centric cafe on May 29. “We got off to an inauspicious start (lockdowns, forest fires, more lockdowns) and we just never managed to catch our stride. Some boats just don’t float,” the closing announcement reads. Kimura’s sister restaurant, Kayo’s Ramen Bar, will remain open and take over selling Japanese-style Basque cheesecakes.
Verdigris
Chef and owner Johnny Nunn is leaving Portland, and has sold his celebrated French restaurant Verdigris in the process. He plans to open a new project in Oregon City, though details are scarce at this point. Verdigris was open for eight years, and had its final meal on May 1. Read more about it here.
April
Suzette
This Belmont creperie closed its restaurant space on April 30, instead focusing on mobile catering. “We have been so honored to provide a little space to gather for your large and small events, watching the kids grow taller and taller,” the Instagram post announcing the closure reads. “Relaxation and trips to visit loved ones are on the horizon, as well as catering crêpe events!” The restaurant had been open for 12 years; a new vegan restaurant, Daily Fuel, will open in its place.
Mitate
Vegan sushi cart Mitate has closed at the end of April. The team was approaching the end of its lease at the CORE food cart pod, and instead of staying or even expanding, Mitate will roll out of the pod altogether. “With such leaping changes in the service industry regarding expectations and burn out over the past few years, it was important to us that what we do never outweighed the health and happiness of ourselves and those around us,” an Instagram post reads.
Park Avenue Fine Wines
Downtown wine bar Park Avenue Fine Wines has moved out of the venerable location at the end of April. “This was not an easy decision to come to, but it is the prudent thing to do at this juncture for our company,” a newsletter read. “We hope this is not the last opportunity we’ll [have] to serve each and every one of you.” Park Avenue had one of the best wine selections on the west side of the river, if not the city, including heritage wines and rare bottles.
Radar
After 10 years on North Mississippi, Radar closed on April 15. The restaurant, known for its inventive brunch and date night vibes, opened in 2012, named for the father of co-owner Lily Tollefsen. Tollefsen and co-owner Jonathan Berube announced the impending closure on Instagram, saying they have “decided to let Radar sail peacefully into the sunset.” They did not note a specific reason for the closure. Read more about it here.
Montesacro Pinseria
Montesacro Pinseria has closed its only Oregon location, and does not intend to reopen in Portland. Initially, when Montesacro shuttered earlier this year, owner Gianluca Legrottaglie intended to reopen in a new location; however, in April, he confirmed the restaurant’s permanent closure in Portland. Legrottaglie said he did not come to an agreement with his landlord after the lease expired, which instigated the closure. Read more about it here.
March
Char Pizza
A Portland-style pizzeria nestled in the Foster-Powell neighborhood, Char Pizza was beloved for its various pies named for neighborhood and friends’ cats. Its owners announced in late March via Instagram that they had sold the business and that another concept would be moving in, but offered no other details. Its final day was March 25.
Foxy Coffee
The team behind Foxy Coffee closed both of its locations March 31, according to an Instagram post. The cafe opened in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and, in the perspective of the team, never got the financial footing to keep things sustainable. “Opening a coffee shop in the pandemic was honestly super risky and we knew it was going to be a challenge,” the post reads. “We had some wonderful time with y’all, but ultimately finances didn’t match up to physical, mental, & emotional work that went into it.”
Precious Pizza
The fairly new pizza cart at the Barley Pod closed March 31 after less than a year open — though, according to an Instagram post, the brief tenure was intentional. “Initially this was supposed to be a 3 month trial period for my self to see if y’all would like my pies - 8 months later here we are,” a post on the cart’s Instagram reads. The cart will return in the form of pop-ups and farmers market stands in the near future.
Cafe Ponte
This Naito Parkway cafe closed March 31 after almost seven years downtown. “There are a myriad of reasons that led us to this decision,” the Instagram announcement reads. “As the world has shifted and changed, so have we - both in business and personally.”
The Roxy
This formerly 24-hour diner, known as a haven for LGBTQ Portlanders of all ages, closed on March 20 after 27 years in business. “We’ve just been losing money since the pandemic,” the closing announcement reads. “Staffing is hard enough these days, (for everyone) but with the building rehab looming, it’s nearly impossible.” Read more about the impending closure here.
Imperial Bottle Shop & Taproom (Alberta)
The Northeast Portland location of this beer bar closed March 19, according to a Facebook post. “After opening in 2017 and then a 2+ year-long battle with cancer, we really thought we would be able to get back on our feet in 2020,” the closure announcement reads. “Little did we know that we were staring down a 2-year long global pandemic! To say the least, we are exhausted.” The beer bar’s SE Division location will remain open.
Cup & Saucer
The Cup & Saucer location on Hawthorne closed in early March, after 34 years in Southeast Portland. Karen Harding, who owned Cup & Saucer, will be opening a second location of Fremont breakfast standby Little Griddle in the former C&S location, with Little Griddle owner Judd Harris.
Willow Restaurant
This hidden away tasting menu spot in Southeast Portland closed quietly on March 8, announcing via a posted sign and a voicemail recording. Owners John Pickett and Doug Weiler attributed the closure to burnout, related to working through the pandemic. “I know that these last couple of years have been especially tough for restaurateurs, and we’re no exception. It’s just taken its toll,” Pickett says. Read more about the closure here.
Gone, but not forever: Fills PDX
Readers have noticed that Fills’s downtown Portland location has quietly closed — a “for lease” sign has even popped up in the Fills window. However, the owners have communicated that the business will reopen in a new location. Chefstable CEO Kurt Huffman says the Fills team is focusing on the Lake Oswego shop, and will find a new Portland location in the future — likely next year.
February
Flying Elephants: Kruse Way
The Kruse Way location of Flying Elephants closed February 18 after a whopping 17 years in that location. According to a public statement, the Kruse Way Flying Elephants will be replaced by a larger Lake Grove location in the fall.
The Mocking Bird
The news of the Mocking Bird food cart closure is bittersweet: While the cart has closed in its Rose City Food Park location, the team behind the Mocking Bird is taking over Homegrown Smoker — and keeping it alive. Portlanders will be able to find Mocking Bird’s vegan fried chicken sandwiches at the St. Johns restaurant, as well as the Homegrown Smoker standbys. Homegrown Smoker developed a loyal following for its vegan take on classic Southern dishes and soul food, but owner, Jeff Ridabock, opted to retire after years of service. Homegrown Smoker served its last faux-mac and cheese under Ridabock’s guidance on December 19, but should reopen soon under this new ownership. The Beaverton location will stay open.
Tea Bar Southwest
The press team at Tea Bar has confirmed that the Southwest Portland location of Tea Bar, on the corner of Park Avenue and Yamhill, has closed permanently. Tea Bar owner Erica Indira Swanson signed an NDA that prohibits her from commenting on the details of the closure. Tea Bar closed its Killingsworth location of the tea shop in 2020, but the brand still operates two locations around Portland: one on Division, and another in the Pearl District.
Modern Times
On February 14, the San Diego-based brewery Modern Times announced that it would close four of its taprooms, including the Portland-based “Fermentorium” on Belmont. The brewery attributed the downsizing to the financial impact of the pandemic. The brewery had made a major expansion push directly before the pandemic began, and the combination of pandemic-related financial strain and the industry-wide decline of beer sales forced the brewery to scale back. The Belmont taproom is now closed. Read more about the closure here.
Parts and Service
The short-lived biker haunt, barbecue spot, and Alberta neighborhood bar closed for good after service on February 5. The team should be reopening a new business within the same space in the future, according to the Instagram post. The announcement does not name a specific reason for the closure.
January
Pixie Retreat
Vegan friendly cafe Pixie Retreat, known for its travel-sized bowls and desserts, has closed its front-facing cafe in favor of wholesale business. The restaurant closed January 25, but the business plans to bring its “Lil’ Puddins” to markets around Portland in the near future. Read more about the closure via the Instagram post.
Baby Blue Pizza
This groundbreaking vegan pizza cart closed January 30. “With the pandemic, an especially slow winter, and the rising cost of, well, absolutely everything- this just isn’t something we can pursue any longer,” an Instagram post announcing the closure reads. Read more about it here.
Clyde Common
After a few stops and starts during the course of the pandemic, destination cocktail bar and restaurant Clyde Common has closed permanently downtown. “The length of the Covid pandemic, along with ongoing decline in our downtown city core, are direct reasons that Clyde is closing for good,” owner Nate Tilden wrote in a public statement. “Indirect reasons include the extreme difficulty in finding people to work, the anemic economic support from both our local government and the federal government, and the sobering reality that it’s almost impossible to make a full service restaurant and bar in a high-rent district succeed without the tourism and office worker population required.” Read more about the closure here.
Acadia
Celebrated Cajun-Creole restaurant Acadia, often considered the city’s finest restaurant in the genre, closed permanently January 14. While the restaurant intended to close after weekend service, a COVID-19 exposure forced Acadia to close early. Chef Seamus Foran attributed the closure to extended pauses related to the pandemic, and “terribly slow” business when the restaurant was open. Read more about the closure here.
Bistro Agnes
After a lengthy pandemic-related hiatus, Bistro Agnes has permanently closed. Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton and Greg Denton have decided not to reopen their downtown Portland bistro, as they “just don’t see a path forward without drastically changing the concept,” according to a public statement. Read more about the closure here.
Dottir
The Scandinavian restaurant within the Kex hotel in Portland closed after its New Year’s Eve party — so, officially, New Year’s Day 2022. “It’s no news that this year has been hard for everyone in a myriad of ways, and we at KEX are in no way immune to the difficulties of the pandemic,” reads the closure announcement on the restaurant’s Instagram. “When we first opened Dóttir in November 2019, PDX came out en masse and we were so stoked for the love and the chance to prove ourselves. We only got 4.5 months to do so before the pandemic shut us down.” The restaurant reopened in June 2021, but unfortunately, in that brief reopening period, the management team decided to close Dottir and find a new concept for the hotel’s restaurant. A new restaurant will open in Dottir’s place in 2022, and Kex will remain open as a hotel.
2021
December
Hammy’s
A late-night pizza standby, Hammy’s closed for good on December 29, according to Willamette Week. The SE Clinton pizzeria, known for its cheeseburger pies and 4 a.m. delivery cutoff, never officially announced its closure on Instagram or its website, but a post on Reddit indicated that the location was about to close. Google is now indicating the restaurant has officially closed.
Chop St. Johns
The Northwest Portland butcher counter turned St. Johns deli closed for good on December 24, for “so many reasons,” according to an Instagram post. “It’s just time,” the announcement reads. The restaurant was beloved for its Italian-American deli sandwiches, with names like the Sofia Loren and the Italian Stallion.
Skidbladnir
A popular food cart specializing in inventive takes on Nordic cuisine, Skidblanir announced via Instagram that it would be closing in late December rather than renew the lease. “The cost of goods to run a business have gotten a bit out of control,” the post reads. “I feel like I’ve just been making other bigger corporations richer.”
Homegrown Smoker
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. Its owner, Jeff Ridabock, opted to retire after years of service. While currently shuttered, the restaurant is reportedly still for sale, so it might reopen in some form down the line. Read more about it here.
Stacked Sandwich Shop
The sandwich shop from Top Chef alum Gabriel Pascuzzi closed for good on December 19. Pascuzzi attributed the decision to close to rising meat costs and supply chain issues, though his other restaurants — chicken spot Mama Bird and bowl cafe Feel Good — remain open. Learn more about the closure here.
Sisters Gourmet Deli
This Williams neighborhood deli closed on December 17. A September Instagram post from owner Michaela McVetty indicated that she would be moving back to Maine, but was waiting to find a new tenant before announcing a closure date. “We love ya, we just can’t keep doing this,” the September Instagram post reads.
Botanist
Pearl District cocktail bar Botanist has closed after just after its third anniversary. Owner Robbie Wilson says that the events of the last two years — weather events, pandemic-related capacity restrictions and health crises — caused a level of financial stress and burnout that made it impossible to stay open. “Going forward we restaurants have to be better, do better for our staff, our team, ourselves, but also as a financial business,” he says. Read the full story here.
Local Lounge
This iconic Portland gay bar, known for its drag shows and live music, has closed, according to a post on the bar’s Instagram account. It appears that the COVID-19 pandemic and mounting conflicts between the owner of the bar and its staff are the impetus for the bar’s shuttering. “The colorful queer people that made Local Lounge what it was for the past 11 months through the ups and downs of Covid-19/closures were taken advantage of by the current (soon to be previous) owner of Local Lounge,” the announcement reads. “These individuals received a variety of false promises regarding their income. The owner has since moved out of state without paying what he owes to the workers.” The team at the Local has yet to respond to request for comment.
Shady Pines Food Court
Portland’s only 100 percent vegan food cart pod has permanently closed its doors, and many of its carts have similarly closed. Fatsquatch closed way back in October, Dirty Lettuce has opened its own restaurant, and Avocadamama has found a new location in North Portland. SushiLove is focusing on selling the business so it can stay open under new ownership, while Better Together and Saff Ramen are looking for new locations for their carts. Ramblin’ Rose has closed for the season, but may reopen in the spring in a new location. Read this story for a full rundown of the closure.
November 2021
Shark’s Cove
The vegan cart serving jackfruit sandwiches and “shrimp” tacos closed permanently on November 14, so the owner could focus on her two other carts (the two Mocking Bird locations). The cart was known for its vocal ocean conservation advocacy, both in financial donations and social media posts. “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.
Paley’s Place
Paley’s Place, the legendary restaurant that was instrumental in spearheading the farm-to-table movement in Portland, closed on November 27. “The face of hospitality has changed, and I don’t know if I want to be a part of it anymore,” Vitaly Paley says. “Physically and emotionally, we just need to look after ourselves a little bit more.” Read more about the closure here.
October 2021
Holy Trinity Barbecue
One of Portland’s finest Texas barbecue carts closed this month after a brief-but-mighty tenure in Southeast Portland. “Theres no foreseeable future where we make it through the winter,” he wrote in an Instagram post. The cart’s last day was October 23. Read more about the closure here.
Brass Tacks
Brass Tacks closed after 10 years in North Portland, according to a post on the restaurant’s Instagram. The shop’s last day was October 9. “After a decade of countless sandwiches, we’re ready to move on to something different,” the post reads. “Ten years is a long time to do anything in one place, but we’ve worked hard and have been lucky to weather all kinds of changes.” Read more about the closure here.
DarSalam Pearl District and Hawthorne
The small chain of Iraqi restaurants has decided to close half of its restaurants, focusing exclusively on its first two locations: Alberta and downtown. That means that the Pearl and Hawthorne locations of DarSalam have closed permanently. “The family has really struggled with coming to an agreement but after looking at the numbers we just can’t keep going,” the Instagram announcement reads.
Circa 33
Circa 33, the speakeasy-themed bar on Belmont, has permanently closed after a decade. The bar’s lease ended at the end of September, and restaurant group Independent Restaurant Concepts chose not to renew. Read more about the closure here.
Biba Chamoru Kitchen
The Guamanian restaurant within Oakshire Beer Hall closed October 2 after two years. “The reality is that we’ve been struggling since the pandemic began,” a statement from the restaurant reads. In that statement, the business says that the team attempted to pay full rent — including a rent increase — during the pandemic. However, it’s likely that Biba will return to Portland in some form. “We look forward to the future and being of service to all of you once again,” the post reads. “You haven’t seen the last of us... we just need some time.”
Roe
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. Roe has had a few stops and starts over the years: closing in its original location to move downtown, losing its opening chef and co-owner.
Alley Mezza
It’s unclear if this rising star Arab cart will reopen, but the cart has closed indefinitely after a conflict with one of its neighbors. “I’m afraid I’m even beginning to doubt that there is space for me in this town,” owner Khaled Alshehab wrote in an Instagram post. “For my mental health & wellbeing and until I can carve a tiny space for me again alley mezza will be closed.” Read the full story here.
September 2021
Ned Ludd
One of Portland’s leaders in the hyper-local movement, Ned Ludd officially announced its closure in September. “Bittersweet to say goodbye to the last 13 years of wood fired fun, farm driven fare and all the culinary adventures this little space on MLK brought me,” owner and chef Jason French wrote in an Instagram post. “I’m the man I want to be, the husband and father I’ve imagined since my youth and the chef I’ve dreamed of since 1986.”
Ruby Jewel
In June, Ruby Jewel, the ice cream sandwich and former scoop shop, closed its Mississippi location after more than 10 years on Mississippi. The lease ended, and owner Lisa Herlinger nudged Katelyn Williams, the owner of Kate’s Ice Cream, toward taking over the space. In September, the rest of Ruby Jewels’ in-person locations closed, sticking exclusively to retail ice cream sandwiches.
Cafe Reina
Erica Escalante’s exciting Alberta cafe, home to several pop-ups and a menu of cheekily named coffee drinks, closed in late September. In the closing announcement, Escalante says she “decided to move to Los Angeles to be closer to family.” The cafe had recently rebranded from its original name, the Arrow, and went through a new remodel. Cafe Reina remains open as a pop-up space.
Biga Pizza
The team behind Pizzicato opened a pizzeria in the Killingsworth neighborhood last year meant to be a departure from the original restaurant concept. But it seems Biga has closed just a few weeks past its first anniversary. “As we all know, the last several months have been challenging and unpredictable,” Biga says. “Although things did not work out as planned, we will treasure our time making pizza for you all.”
Sungari Pearl
This Northwest Portland Chinese American restaurant, known for its upscale seafood dishes, has permanently closed, according to its website. The restaurant’s last social media post, from December 2020, said that it would temporarily close in January, but didn’t make a clear permanent closing announcement. The restaurant has been open since 1999.
Aviv
Owner Tal Caspi has decided to close all three Aviv locations by the end of the month. So far, the Killingsworth and Madison locations have both closed, and the Pearl District restaurant will close before the month ends. The vegan Middle Eastern restaurants have existed in one form or another for almost 10 years. Read more about the closure here.
Brunch Box
Brunch Box, the food-cart-turned-restaurant known for its burgers with grilled cheese buns, has permanently closed, according to owner Derek Coughlin. “We’ve been holding on for dear life since the world turned upside down, but unfortunately, we just can’t hold on any longer,” a closing announcement on the restaurant’s Instagram reads. Brunch Box has served burgers in Portland for 12 years, starting as a downtown cart before opening brick-and-mortars on both sides of the river.
Random Order Pie Bar
For around a year, Eater Portland has been trying to determine whether Random Order Pie Bar, the Alberta Street coffee shop and bakery, would reopen at its original location. In May 2020, a representative from Random Order told Eater Portland that the team planned to reopen; however, there has been no public statement on the bakery’s Instagram since March 2020. However, it looks like Random Order will not reopen at its Alberta Street location, if at all: Bagel shop Ben & Esther’s will open a new location in the former Random Order space, according to an Instagram post. Random Order has not responded to multiple requests for comment.
Alter Ego Cider
Alter Ego Cider closed its tasting room Saturday, September 4, just three years after moving in to the production facility. Alter Ego shares the space with Helioterra, and has been operating its tasting room out of the facility since June 2019. Soon, Helioterra will take over the tasting room space entirely.
August 2021
Falafel House
This St. Johns falafel cart closed on August 28, after six years open. “Details about the next chapter aren’t yet clear enough to share, but this isn’t the end,” the Instagram announcement reads. Falafel House appears on Eater Portland’s list of restaurants and food carts to visit in St. Johns, and Willamette Week called Falafel House one of “Portland’s best vegetarian shawarma carts.”
Wolf & Bear’s
After 12 years selling falafel and sabich, Wolf & Bear’s is closing both its North Portland and Southeast Portland carts. 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. “Cooking is part of what makes us who we are but we might reserve it for our homes & friends for a while,” an Instagram post announcing the closure reads. “We have always considered ourselves part of what makes Portland special. We hope you remember us as such.”
July 2021
Jas Kitchen
The Hainanese chicken cart Jas Kitchen has closed, according to an Instagram post. The decision doesn’t seem to be related to the pandemic; the post says the closure was due to “internal issues.” Co-owner Andy Kou says he should be working on something else soon, and said those interested in his next move should follow his personal Instagram account, @dobiedaddy.
Chicken & Guns at CORE
Chicken & Guns, the old-guard chicken-and-potato food cart at Cartopia, opened a second spot at the new Collective Oregon Eateries pod (CORE) less than a year ago. However, Chicken & Guns is closing its second spot, citing hiring difficulties. “We just can’t find the employees to run two locations at once at this time,” an Instagram post announcing the closure reads. “ We wish all of our friends at the 82nd pod the best as it is full of some of the most wonderful owners I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.” The original location remains open.
Dinger’s Deli
Dinger’s Deli — the vegan sandwich cart known for its garlic-fennel veggie meatball subs, faux meat cheesesteaks, and reubens — closed July 8 after quickly selling out of its inventory. “I put a lot of heart and soul into the place, especially after the last year, it was really taking an emotional toll on my body,” owner Brian Steadham told Eater Portland. “It’s a long overdue break, to take a deep breath.” Read more about the closure here.
Bijou Cafe
Bijou’s potential closing had been on our radar for weeks, but the Oregonian got the confirmation: After more than 40 years in downtown Portland, Bijou Cafe has closed permanently, making way for Creole cart PoBoyz’s brick and mortar. Owner Kathleen Hagberg told the O that the lack of tourist traffic downtown, combined with a lingering desire to retire and the fact many breakfast foods don’t translate particularly well as takeout, made it so she felt she needed to close the cafe. Bijou — known for its omelets, egg-topped hashes, and hardcore biscuits and gravy — first opened in 1978.
Century
The sports-bar-meets-nightclub Century will not reopen at its current location; Jackie’s, a cocktail bar and restaurant, will take over the space later this summer, according to the bar’s owner. It’s possible Century will reopen in a new location — the bar’s Instagram account’s bio still reads, “Temporarily closed. Back when it’s time.”
June 2021
PieVino
This Sellwood-Moreland pizzeria and restaurant closed “indefinitely” in June, announced in a now-deleted Instagram post. Now, a new restaurant is preparing to open in that space. It’s still listed on Google as temporarily closed.
Communion Bakehouse
The Sellwood-Moreland bakery and restaurant from two San Fransisco pastry vets, Katharine Zacher (Bar Tartine) and Ryan Ostler (Jook Joint), will not reopen, according to an Instagram post. In it, Zacher explains that the emotional burden of both the pandemic and the industry as a whole eventually pushed them out of the industry. “Communion had just been open for a year and was finally finding some footing when the pandemic hit. We had already struggled mightily to get it off the ground, the timing couldn’t have been worse for the business,” she writes in the closing announcement. “We held on as long as we could through all of the shut-downs and service changes and our own emotional turmoil. We hoped a winter break would restore us, but it just crystallized our feeling that this industry is so broken, so out of step with the rest of the economy, so harmful to many of the people in it that have love and integrity to share. We are out of juice.” A new gluten-free and soy-free restaurant, Bastion, is moving into the space.
May 2021
Tiffin Asha
At the very least, we know this South Indian cart-turned-restaurant will not reopen at its NE Killingsworth location. In May, Tiffin Asha’s 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. Eater Portland reached out clarification at the time, and the owners did not respond. In July, however, the two posted an advertisement for the restaurant space. It’s unclear how — and if — Tiffin Asha will return.
Jackknife
The hotel bar and restaurant within the Sentinel hotel has closed temporarily to “re-imagine,” according to its Instagram bio, but it looks like the change will likely be permanent. Jackknife’s Instagram page has added a link in its bio to a Poached job listing, advertising for positions at Fortune; the address listed is Jackknife’s.
Heim
This charming, German-adjacent bakery with breakfast boxes and serious challah closed at the end of May. The shop offered weekly baked goods through the month before its departure, while pastry chef Rebecca Powazek slowly moved in. “I am humbled and honored by your continued support, before and after the pandemic, and I really couldn’t have survived this last year without you,” writes owner Jennifer Plitzko in an Instagram post. “I am so very grateful to have created a community in the Roseway neighborhood and I am happy that I got to share my craft with you.”
Persian House
After 30 years in downtown Portland, Persian House closed its doors in May. Owner Shahryar Houranpay attributed the decision to close to the financial strain of the pandemic, as well as vandalization and looting of the restaurant in the last year. “The past 30 years were filled with great memories with our customers and friends but also some amounts of pain,” he wrote on a Facebook post. “It is no secret that the last year’s looting and vandalizing, in addition to the pandemic, really took a toll on all small businesses, including us.” Read more about the closure here.
April 2021
Tonari
While Nodoguro looks around for a new space, chef and restaurateur Ryan Roadhouse has announced that the fine dining omakase spot’s sibling, Tonari, will not reopen. Tonari opened in the midst of the pandemic after a pricy remodel, and its tongue-katsu sandwiches and saba caesar salad couldn’t keep the space afloat. Read more about the closure here.
Ataula
The iconic Spanish restaurant from chefs José Chesa and Cristina Baez has permanently closed after a lengthy hiatus. “On top of COVID19, recent serious personal health complications made us take the toughest decision of closing permanently our doors,” a social media post from the restaurant reads. The restaurant group had announced the closure of its sibling restaurant, Masia, the month before. Read more about the closure here.
March 2021
Ciao Vito
This longstanding Mediterranean restaurant on NE Alberta has closed in its current location, after posting an Instagram announcement in March. The restaurant was a neighborhood favorite, also known as the place chef José Chesa’s introduced himself to Portland. “2004-2021,” owner Vito DiLullo writes in the closing post. “Thank you for being part of the show.”
Masia
After just a little more than a year open, the Spanish restaurant within the Hyatt Centric has closed permanently. José 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. “It’s 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. Read more about the closure here.
Delores
Delores, the Polish restaurant from chef BJ Smith, has turned into a vegetable-centric cafe and smoothie bar called Dirty Habit. Delores opened as an homage to Smith’s mother, with things like pierogi filled with truffles or foie gras.
Kachinka
Although it has been on hiatus since the fall of 2019, Bonnie and Israel Morales confirmed that this Slavic bar has permanently closed in March. The bar was meant to be closed for just a few months due to rain damage repairs, but when the COVID-19 pandemic began, the couple decided to let go of the lease and focus on Kachka and its sibling deli and market, Lavka. Read more about the closure here.
Grilled Cheese Grill
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. Owner Matt Breslow attributes the closure to COVID-19, but also to a number of factors, including work-life balance and the potential development on that land. Read more about the closure here.
February 2021
L’unico
A promising Italian cart in the Williams pod Cartside, L’unico opened in March of 2020 with a menu of Italian snacks and sandwiches. When it introduced its pastas, however, it began to turn the heads of diners across the city. Unfortunately, the couple at the heart of the business has decided to “take two different paths,” and the cart closed without warning after service on February 27. Read more about the closure here.
Bailey’s Taproom
One of the city’s best beer bars, Bailey’s Taproom and The Upper Lip will not reopen after the coronavirus pandemic ends, Brewpublic reports. The taproom went on hiatus in the fall, and owner Geoff Phillips put the building on the market. Phillips has found a buyer for the building, and the Bailey’s team will move out within the next few weeks.
January 2021
Cruzroom
It’s unclear when Cruzroom announced its closure, but the Alberta Street bar has packed up its things and left the neighborhood. Its Instagram and Facebook pages have disappeared, and a “for lease” sign now hangs in its window. However, the website still says that the bar is just closed “during COVID restrictions.”
Burrasca
A beloved Tuscan cart-turned-restaurant, Burrasca closed its doors for good on January 15. The restaurant has been a favorite among chefs in Portland like Cathy Whims, who found the restaurant reminiscent of old-school trattorias in Italy. “Certainly the past year has been challenging, but your love and incredible support have kept us on our legs, and you helped provide jobs and income for our staff through many months,” the closing announcement reads. “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.
Eatery at the Grant House
An historic restaurant in Vancouver, Eatery at the Grant House will not reopen. In a January 10 social media post, the owners explained that the events of 2020 made it untenable to remain open on Officers Row at Fort Vancouver. “2020 was not only an interesting year, it was devastating to many businesses large and small,” the post reads. “At some point emotions need to be put aside and one must look at situations with a logical mind.” It’s possible the space will reopen with a new concept under new ownership, however, according to a follow-up social media post: “We hope that the Grant House will open again for someone with a new vision and a new dream that respects the history of the beautiful building and the stories it holds secret to it’s heart.”
Cheese Bar
A Tabor neighborhood standby for cheese boards, snacks, and pantry staples, Cheese Bar announced that it would close in January 2021. Cheesemonger Steve Jones attributed the closure to the pandemic, and sold its last slabs of cheese on January 15, 2021. Read more about the closure here.
E-San Thai Downtown
This local Thai chain’s downtown location closed in early 2021. “We want to thank our past crew members and especially our loyal customers for supporting E-San in our 22 years of being open,” the Instagram announcement, posted January 9, reads. “We are devastated to see it go, but also extremely grateful for the connections and experiences it has brought us as a family business.”
Red Star Tavern
It appears Red Star Tavern, the downtown Portland hotel restaurant, has closed permanently. Its Facebook page has disappeared, Kimpton has removed it from its website, and both Yelp and Google are reporting the restaurant as permanently closed. It appears Hotel Monaco transitioned into a Royal Sonesta in the beginning of 2021, and the restaurant didn’t survive the flip. The restaurant recently appeared as a filming location for the new, Portland-based season of Top Chef.
2020
The Waiting Room
The Waiting Room never announced a formal closure, on the website or on Instagram. However, a dispensary has opened in the space. The Oregon Weedery moved into the former Waiting Room in September, and Google is reporting the Waiting Room is permanently closed.
Hobo’s
It seems very likely that the longstanding Jazz bar and lounge, Hobo’s, has closed for good. Both Google and Yelp are reporting the business as permanently closed, the website is down, the phone number has been disconnected, and the last Facebook post is from January 2020. Here’s hoping we’re wrong.
Tap & Table on 23rd
It appears Tap & Table on 23rd, also known as Avenue 23 Tap & Table, has closed permanently. Google is reporting that the taproom and bar has permanently closed, and Willamette Week reports Killer Burger will open its 13th location within the space this summer. The taproom and bar was decently short-lived, taking over the former Lompoc Tavern space in late 2018. Its sibling, Ankeny Tap & Table, seems to be running smoothly in its corner of the city.
Daily Cafe in the Pearl
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. Its cafe near the Tram continues to operate.
La Panza Cafe
New Mexican restaurant La Panza closed for good in 2020 with little to no announcement. The restaurant last posted in November, but an Oregonian story about an opening in its place indicates that the restaurant closed over the summer.
Sidecar 11
North Mississippi cocktail bar Sidecar shut down on December 23 after years selling barrel-aged cocktails and whiskey flights. The bar hinted at potentially reopening in a new location down the line via Instagram,
Monk’s Deli
This sandwich cart, known for its legit and heavy-duty Philly cheesesteaks, shut down for good on December 19. “It’s been a wonderful experience to serve everyone throughout the years and I’m filled with gratitude to have had the opportunity to live a dream I had years ago,” the closing announcement reads. The cart does hint at the possibility of coming back in the form of a pop-up.
Hak
It appears Hak, the Broadway Korean restaurant, has closed without announcement. The restaurant’s phone has been disconnected, as well as its website; the Instagram account for the restaurant doesn’t note the closure. The team has not responded to requests for comment.
Bar King
Despite its many pivots to different takeout models and a brief period of on-premise dining, the high-end steakhouse and bar Bar King was unable to weather the ongoing financial strain of operating during the pandemic. The restaurant has served its last meal, and the bakery closed January 2. Read more about the closure here.
Rocking Frog
An institution on SE Belmont Street for more than a decade, Rocking Frog was well loved for its library-like space and house-made doughnuts. The independent cafe closed its doors permanently in early December, but could not be reached for statement as the to the official reason for closing.
Meridian 7
The Cuban restaurant and bar opened in March of 2019, and closed for good in early December of 2020. However, those looking to enjoy the chef’s approach to Cuban cuisine can still find his food cart, Que Bola, at the Portland Mercado.
Ristretto Roasters
To attribute the closure of longstanding coffee roaster and cafe chain Ristretto to the COVID-19 pandemic would be overly simplistic: At least two of the brand’s cafes had closed in 2019, and the team hasn’t served their own coffee in a cafe for at least six months. But Ristretto announced that it would fold altogether in December 2020, roasting its last batch December 15. Read more about the closure here.
Poke Mon
This Hawthorne poke restaurant closed after service on November 25, according to executive chef Steven Woerdehoff. “Our lease was up,” the chef says, attributing the closure also to a drop in business related to the pandemic. Poke Mon opened in 2016 with chef Colin Yoshimoto, who went on to join the team at Eem; the shop called itself the city’s “first stand-alone poke restaurant,” with a menu of composed poke and customizable poke bowls. Yoshimoto left in 2018, which caused some conflict within the shop; still, the restaurant’s reliance on sustainable and wild fish and serious sake collection kept its devotees coming back.
Bridges Cafe
MLK breakfast cafe Bridges has permanently closed after 18 years in Northeast Portland. The cafe, a neighborhood favorite, used to be a casual and quaint haunt for bowls of grits and eggs Benedict. “Thank you to all of you who graced us with your business over the years, and to all of you that made our catering business thrive (back in the days when that was possible),” the closing announcement reads. “Good luck and stay safe.”
Kargi Gogo
This singular Georgian restaurant on Northeast Alberta closed for good November 22. One of Portland’s only places to find khachapuri and khinkali, the restaurant is selling frozen dumplings and take-and-bake bread boats online, for those looking to stock up.
Muu-Muu’s
The Northwest Portland cocktail bar Muu-Muu’s has shut down for good. In the words of the website’s closing announcement, the bar was “eaten by the COVID monster” after more than 20 years open. The cocktail bar was known as a neighborhood mainstay and a place to debrief movies after showings at Cinema 21 next door, over cocktails and world-pantry-style snacks.
Headwaters and Rosa Rosa
In case you missed it, Vitaly Paley is down to a single restaurant. After announcing the closures of Imperial and The Crown, Paley went on to close his seafood restaurant Headwaters and his most recent opening, a Mediterranean restaurant called Rosa Rosa. All of these restaurants were attached to hotels, and the COVID-related drop in tourism and traffic downtown impacted his business.
All Pok Pok Locations in Oregon
Ever-popular Thai chain Pok Pok dramatically downsized in June, shrinking down to just the original Pok Pok location and potentially the Southeast Pok Pok Wing. However, by October, every Pok Pok location in the state had permanently closed. Pok Pok owner Andy Ricker opened the original location in 2005, garnering national attention for his take on Northern Thai food and menu standouts like Ike’s Vietnamese Fish Sauce Wings.
Cardinal Club
This NE 28th bar closed quietly, making way for the soon-to-open Nightingale, a Mexican restaurant and cocktail bar. The bar chose to skip the big closing announcement post, simply writing “Going soon” in the bio of its Instagram and “Closed” on the website.
Quickfish (SW Stark or Harvey Milk)
The poke restaurant from the Bamboo Sushi brand has closed permanently without announcement, now that Micah Camden’s next venture — a French dip restaurant — has announced its impending opening in that space.
Cacao
The owners have decided to close this influential chocolate shop in downtown Portland, specializing in ethical and methodically sourced chocolate from around the world. 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.
Uno Mas Taquiza
This West Burnside taqueria served its last moronga taco Saturday, announcing its decision to close on Instagram. The statement attributes the choice to the dearth of Timbers and Thorns fans at the nearby Providence Park, in addition to the difficulty running a business during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Without Providence Park’s sporting events, inside seating at less than half our capacity, no covered and heated patio this winter and a sky rocketing rent, our business is no longer sustainable,” the post reads. The Glisan location has also closed, taken over by the new cocktail bar Tropicale. The restaurant has set up a GoFundMe to help support its newly unemployed staff.
Tube
Bar owner Eric Bowler has slowly closed several of his bars, including this club in the Old Town district. “As 2020 grinds on, there is no way for us to re-open,” the closing announcement reads. “With the end of the commercial eviction moratorium and inaction in DC, we have no other choice.” His only remaining bar, Century, is still open with outdoor seating.
OurBar
This beloved Washougal spot known for its breakfasts closed on October 31 after seven years open. Owner Alexandra Yost wrote an announcement on Instagram, saying that the restaurant would be “taking a bow (with no encore) on Halloween.” “Breakfast and lunch spot OurBar is one of Washougal’s finest dining options,” Kara Stokes wrote in Eater’s guide to the Columbia River Gorge. “With its warm color palette (think light yellow walls, wooden furniture, big windows), OurBar is a perfect pitstop for a quick coffee or a meal with friends before continuing to a secret river swimming hole.”
Untapped
This North Interstate beer bar closed at the end of October. “We feel incredibly fortunate to have had such a wonderfully supportive community of friends share our space, honestly it feels more like you’ve all become family,” the closure announcement reads.
Beast
It’s unclear if Beast will reopen in some other form or location down the line, but chef and owner Naomi Pomeroy has confirmed that the legendary fine dining restaurant will not reopen in its current space. Instead, a neighborhood market has opened in its place. Read more about the closure here.
Holdfast Dining
Pseudo-modernist, pop-up-turned-fine-dining-spot Holdfast Dining will not reopen in its SE 11th digs. “It just seemed to make more sense to move on with things,” says co-owner Joel Stocks. “That style of dining in general, I have no idea when that will come back... Who knows when people will be sitting for 2 ½ hours dining again, you know?” Read more about that closure here.
Hopworks Williams
This brewery has closed its North Williams pub, its second location. “Small spaces like Williams are particularly susceptible to Covid occupancy limitations and cannot easily break even,” Hopworks owner Christian Ettinger told New School Beer. “We are focusing all our energy on our 2 brewpubs and growing our wholesale business.”
Beech Street Parlor
A neighborhood standby tucked off MLK, Beech Street Parlor closed in late September. The two-story-house-turned-bar first opened in 2011, and felt like one of those truly Portland-y spaces, where regulars would drink cocktails and eat chile verde on the porch. “Sorry it had to be this way,” the closing announcement reads. “Thanks for everything.”
Tasty n Alder
After a tumultuous year, the future of the Toro Bravo restaurant group — namely, Tasty n Alder, Toro Bravo, and Tasty n Daughters — was up in the air. Co-owner Renee Gorham told the Oregonian that the three restaurants would not reopen in early July, and then told Willamette Week that she was actually unsure of her plans the next day. Well, we at least know that Tasty n Alder won’t reopen in its current location: Han Oak owners Peter Cho and Sun Young Park are taking over the space to open Toki in November.
Toro Bravo
Like Tasty n Alder, Spanish restaurant Toro Bravo’s future was uncertain, specifically because of how Gorham walked back her initial statement that her restaurants would close. However, there’s now a sandwich shop open in the former Toro Bravo space, so it seems extremely likely that the restaurant will not reopen; at the very least, Toro Bravo will not reopen in that location.
Brew Dr. Tea
Brew Dr. closed all of its Oregon tea shops in October. The company started with its Mississippi and Division locations; Alberta and Eugene followed on Oct. 18, with Bend closing on Oct. 31. Once known as Townshend’s, Brew Dr. has focused more seriously on kombucha in recent years, and the additional strain of the pandemic made the tea shops too hard to keep open.
Bunk Alberta
The Bunk Sandwiches location on Alberta Street has closed permanently, though it was never really announced; however, Hawaiian food cart GrindWitTryz just announced it will be opening a restaurant where the Bunk Alberta location is located. For now, it looks like Bunk’s Water Ave location is still going strong, and the brand recently opened a location in Bridgeport Village.
Saucebox
Restaurateur Bruce Carey’s downtown cocktail bar Saucebox has closed after 25 years of service. The late night spot was marked with controversy in August when a former server filed a lawsuit against the business, co-owner, and certain employees for alleged racial discrimination and harassment. Carey has not responded to requests for comments on the closure. Read more about the closure here.
Imperial and the Crown
Chef Vitaly Paley’s lauded steakhouse Imperial has closed permanently. The restaurant’s website simply stated that it was closed and that its adjacent pizzeria, the Crown, would be closing as well on October 8. Chef Paley declined speaking to the reasons at the moment. Read more about the closure here.
Crackerjacks Pub
A beloved dive bar and pizzeria in the Alphabet District for more than 30 years, Crackerjacks closed its doors permanently on September 27. “We are deeply saddened and sorry to say...Crackerjacks is no more.” a Facebook post reads. “...but you just never know what will happen in this weird world, CJ’s might pop up again somewhere!?!?”
Corbett Fish House
It appears to Corbett Fish House has closed, as reported by Portland Food & Drink and Yelp. The restaurant’s Facebook page has not reported its closure, but the phone line has been disconnected. This is also true of the Hawthorne Fish House.
Rogue Pearl
This Oregon brewery’s Pearl District pub has closed permanently after 20 years open. “This was a very difficult decision, but unfortunately challenges from the pandemic and rising costs have made it apparent that our only option is to close the Pearl Public House,” the public statement announcing the closure reads.
Beetroot Market & Deli
This Jewish deli — one of the city’s only Jewish delis — opened in 2019, and was one of the first to temporarily close to dine-in customers when COVID-19 appeared in Oregon. Beetroot permanently closed just a few weeks after its first birthday, finishing out some Rosh Hashanah orders and donating the rest of her inventory.
Maxwell
Another Old Town bar owned by Eric Bowler, Maxwell closed soon after Fortune. The bar had been temporarily closed for months; Bowler also closed Revelry, the restaurant and bar he co-owned with Seattle’s prominent Relay restaurant group.
Fortune
This DJ-centric bar in Old Town has closed after the owners’ years of legal battles with their landlord. “It’s hard to pay lawyers when you haven’t made any money in 7 months,” the closing announcement reads.
Giorgio’s
This Pearl District Italian restaurant closed quietly, deleting its website and reporting the closure on Google. The restaurant was known for its pastas.
Tea Bar Killingsworth
One of the locations of Portland’s hip, minimalist tea shop chain, Tea Bar’s Killingsworth location has closed permanently, making way for the incoming juice bar Drink Mamey. A few Tea Bar drinks may end up landing on the menu at Drink Mamey, however.
Ford Food & Drink
This casual Southeast Portland cafe has closed permanently, bad news for many of the community’s artists, comedians, and musicians who would perform in the Ford Building space. “We had a good run. Thanks for everything, Portland,” the Instagram post announcing the closure reads. “We love all y’all. Be kind to yourselves and to each other.”
Aviary
A celebrated Alberta restaurant, Aviary has closed after almost 10 years in the neighborhood. The restaurant was known for its crispy pig ears and lobster rolls, as well as its bar program. Read more about the closure here.
Grixen Brewing
This SE Division brewpub has closed its taproom, hoping to “give it another shot” down the line. The group attributed the closure to “complications, much like those of many others in the community.”
Thirsty Monk
The Portland outpost of this North-Carolina-based brewery has closed. The brewery was known for its Belgian-style ales.
No Bones Beach Club
This vegan restaurant — known for its beach-y decor and shark shots — has closed its North Mississippi location. The restaurant’s locations in Seattle and Chicago will remain open.
Neat
This Hawthorne whiskey bar has closed after four years, bartender Robert Volz confirmed today. Volz said that the layout of the bar didn’t allow for easy social distancing, between Neat’s long bar and the pool table. “I still respect Kate Brown a hell of a lot,” Volz says. “But I had to close.”
Toffee Club
This soccer-themed Hawthorne pub has decided to close up shop August 23. Since its opening in 2016, the Toffee Club has been the place to be for full English breakfasts, pies, beer, and soccer games. “This has been the most difficult decision we’ve ever had to make, but the Toffee Club relies on us filling our space with a lot of happy, cheering fans and that currently just isn’t possible,” the Instagram announcement reads.
Canton Grill
A restaurant self-described as the first Chinese restaurant on 82nd, Canton Grill closed in August after more than 75 years open. The restaurant’s third-generation owner, Cindy Louis, temporarily closed the restaurant in March, and after six months, decided to call it quits altogether.
Stella Taco
A taco shop lauded for its Austin-style tacos and its margaritas, Stella Taco closed shop for good on July 19. Co-owner Becky Atkins said the minimal amount of seating outside just wasn’t sustainable in the long term, and they wanted to make room for other restaurants to survive the pandemic.
Back to Eden
This beloved Alberta vegan cafe has closed its restaurant and bakery after 13 years. The company is currently selling its bake mixes online and at New Seasons, and the closing announcement on the website alludes to a potential cookbook and “video content.” Supernova Vegan has opened a cafe in its place.
Alma Chocolate
Alma, the 14-year-old chocolate and candy company known for its bonbons and salted caramel sauce, ceased operations in July. Founder Sara Hart sold the company to Moonstruck Chocolate in 2018, moving the main candy-making production to Moonstruck’s St. Johns facility. For now, there are still Alma products available on the company’s website.
Boxer Ramen Westmoreland
The Bybee location of Boxer Ramen, the chain of Portland ramen shops perhaps known more for its okonomiyaki tots, has closed, transforming into a Baes Chicken. Both brands are owned by Micah Camden, who is known for his chickpea-centric dessert brand Little Chickpea and his fast food chain Super Deluxe.
Shift Drinks
Industry hangout and beloved cocktail bar Shift Drinks will not reopen after the coronavirus crisis ends. The ownership team says the bar’s reliance on industry workers and large groups made the concept of reopening unsustainable.
Bluehour
After almost 20 years in the Pearl District, restaurateur Bruce Carey has announced the closure of Bluehour, one of his celebration restaurants. The restaurant was known as a place to spot celebrities, and was once considered one of the city’s most-high-end dining rooms.
Mi Mero Mole
This Mexican restaurant from internet personality Nick Zukin closed on July 3 in Old Town. In an announcement post, Zukin says the restaurant could not survive the economic impact of COVID-19: “The restaurant business has been hit especially hard by this pandemic, as everyone knows,” he writes. “We rely on office workers, tourists, concert goers, and the like in Chinatown. We don’t expect any of those customers to return until this pandemic is over.”
Sanborn’s
Southeast Portland breakfast holdout Sanborn’s will not reopen, after 15 years serving German pancakes and corned beef hash. “It is with the most profound grief that our family is announcing the permanent closure of Sanborn’s restaurant,” a Facebook post, written by Rebecca Sanborn, reads. “That grief is inseparable from an overwhelming gratitude to everyone who has made the past fifteen years and counting a time of immeasurable magic.”
Bistro Montage
This longstanding Southern-Cajun restaurant under the Morrison Bridge has permanently closed after 27 years in business. The restaurant was primarily known for its eccentric waiters, late hours, and elaborate tinfoil takeout sculptures.
Portland Seafood Company
A seafood restaurant in Mall 205, Portland Seafood Company has permanently closed “due to unforeseen business downturn related to the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to a statement on the website. Portland Seafood Company opened in 2011 in Restaurants Unlimited’s portfolio, which also owns restaurants like Portland City Grill and Stanford’s. The company closed a number of restaurants in the Pacific Northwest after filing for bankruptcy last year.
Ristretto North Williams
The Ristretto location on North Williams appears to have closed — its phone line has been disconnected, and the storefront has been cleared out. Over the last few years, Ristretto has closed the majority of its cafes; it looks like the roaster is still selling beans on its website.
Jones Bar
Jones Bar, the Old Town nightclub known for its ‘70s-’80s-retro vibes, has permanently closed, attributing the closure to COVID-19 in an Instagram post. “Jones Bar was a female owned nightclub,” says owner Nikki Jones. “I feel there are very few female owners in this hospitality space.”
Lapellah and Three Sixty Kitchen
These two Vancouver restaurants opened by restaurateur Brad Root have closed for good, after around 15 years in the city. Root left the businesses in 2012, but Lapellah’s wood-fired cooking made it a destination for Portlanders and others throughout Southwestern Washington.
The Bomber
This historic Milwaukie gas station and restaurant that once served as the perch for a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Bomber has closed permanently, after more than 70 years in business. The restaurant may return as a catering company down the line.
Revelry
The Portland outpost of celebrated Seattle restaurant group Relay, Revelry will not reopen after the coronavirus crisis ends. Chef de cuisine Diane Lam has moved to Mississippi cocktail bar Psychic, where she will revive her pop-up Sunshine Noodles through the end of the year.
Trinket
A cozy, vintage cafe with duck eggs Benedict and savory waffles, Trinket decided against takeout or delivery back in March, and won’t reopen its doors again. The space is too small for social distancing rules, and takeout just doesn’t work for its food, owner Gina Helvie told Eater. Trinket opened in 2013.
Irving Street Kitchen
The casual Southern restaurant in the Pearl district has permanently closed its doors due to COVID-19 and an impasse on lease discussions with the building’s landlords. Luckily, fans of the place can look forward to Cooperativa, an Italian market and food hall from Sarah Schafer and Anna Caporael, the partners behind Irving Street Kitchen.
The Hairy Lobster
An inventive and eccentrically named restaurant, the Hairy Lobster has served its last themed dinner. The Facebook post announcing the closure did not give a reason, but the restaurant has been closed since the dining room shutdown in mid-March.
The Nerd Out
This Southeast Portland bar known for its trivia nights, themed drinks, and tabletop games has permanently closed. The closing statement was, of course, littered with references to Marvel movies, Star Wars, and Bill & Ted, and the team said the bar’s social channels will stay alive with memes and, down the line, event postings.
David Machado’s Restaurants
On May 22, restaurateur David Machado announced that he would close all of his restaurants: Altabira City Tavern, Citizen Baker, Nel Centro, Pullman Wine Bar and Merchant, and Tanner Creek Tavern. Read the full story here.
Wong’s King
It seems very likely that longstanding dim sum restaurant Wong’s King has closed for good: The restaurant’s Facebook page and website have both disappeared, and a family friend of chef Fulai Wong told the Oregonian that the restaurant would not reopen. Wong’s King has been open for about 15 years.
Giraffe
Kana Hinohara Hanson and Gabe Rosen have said goodbye to their tiny Japanese convenience store, Giraffe. Only open for a little over a year, Giraffe quickly became a favorite for its Instagram-popular egg salad sandwiches, similar to the famous version from Los Angeles’s Konbi. The deli also served as a Japanese grocery and bakery.
Blackheart
The dive-bar-meets-breakfast-spot has closed its SE Belmont shop, though co-owner Justin King is looking for a new place to reopen. King says that the closure has to do with frustrations with the space, especially related to the potential guidelines associated with phase one reopening.
Noraneko
Gabe Rosen, the former owner of influential izakaya Biwa, has closed yet another restaurant. The Southeast Portland ramen shop Noraneko will not reopen after the restaurant ban is lifted, though Rosen didn’t tie the decision to close directly to coronavirus.
Joe’s Crab Shack
The Vancouver waterfront location of this seafood chain has permanently closed; the COO of parent company Landry’s said the inability to serve dine-in customers made it difficult to remain open. Joe’s joins other Vancouver closures like Sweet Tomatoes in east Vancouver and Low Bar downtown.
Off the Waffle
This Eugene-based waffle shop closed its SE Clinton cafe during the coronavirus shutdown, switching to frozen waffle deliveries on the weekend. While the SE Clinton cafe is gone, however, the owners hope to reopen some sort of Portland shop elsewhere, by the end of the winter in 2021.
Arleta Library Bakery & Cafe
One of Southeast Portland’s best spots for biscuits and gravy, Arleta Library Bakery & Cafe will close permanently after 15 years, says chef and owner Nick Iannarone. “New COVID-19 distancing restrictions will be burdensome or costly for some small restaurants, or simply impossible to achieve for others, as is the case for Arleta Library,” reads a press release from the restaurant. The cafe once appeared on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. For those who want to help out the cafe’s staff as it prepares to close, the cafe has a GoFundMe page for its employees and owner.
Blue Star Northwest, Downtown, Multnomah Village, and Progress Ridge
Blue Star has shut down four of its doughnut shops permanently: The NW 23rd location, the brand’s fourth store, permanently closed in early May, followed by the downtown, Multnomah Village, and Progress Ridge locations a month later. The doughnut brand is known for its brioche base doughnuts and posh flavors like passionfruit cacao nib. The company still retains four locations in the Portland area.
Sushi Ichidai
An understated sushi bar in the Foster-Powell neighborhood, Sushi Ichidai had been open for more than a decade when it closed its doors due to the coronavirus outbreak. Owner Akihiro Hirakiuchi wrote on the restaurant’s website that it would permanently close, but may return in another form or location sometime in the future.
Ladd Taphouse
This Ladd’s Addition sports bar closed with little announcement. It has since become a brewpub and pizzeria.
Helser’s
One of the earlier additions to the Alberta Arts restaurant boom, Helser’s opened 16 years ago serving breakfast and lunch in a bright and cheery space. However, on April 29, the cafe announced on various social media platforms that it would not be reopening its doors ever again. “This was a very hard decision for us to come to and we hope that you understand that we are heartbroken to be leaving,” the post reads.
Liberty Glass
Liberty Glass, a North Portland fixture of a bar in a converted, multi-story Victorian home, announced its closure on April 16 via Instagram. The bar had been open for more than a decade, focusing on homey comfort food and affordable cocktails, and was a regular haunt for neighborhood residents.
Tanker Bar
A dive bar fixture at the top of SE Hawthorne Boulevard, the Tanker Bar spent the last decade serving cheap well drinks and airing Blazer games. The Oregonian first reported that the bar announced on Instagram on March 17 that it would not be reopening. “We will miss the hell out of everyone,” the caption to the post reads.
Sparrows Coffeehouse
As first reported by the Oregonian, this Westmoreland cafe announced it would close on Facebook on April 14. “Due to many financial strains placed on the business we won’t be able to reopen our doors after the dust settles,” the post reads. “This was a challenging decision to make but feel it is the right one.”
Prosperity Pie Shoppe
Also caught by the Oregonian, Prosperity Pie Shoppe — a cafe and financial education center — has decided to close completely. The company organized a GoFundMe to pay off its final debts and payroll, and the cafe’s Facebook page is now listed as permanently closed.
Correction: This story has been corrected to show that Brad Root is no longer connected to Lapellah and Three Sixty Kitchen. Lance Killian, George Killian and Bob Lewis are the current owners. Robert Volz is no longer an owner at Neat. The team at Masia own Ataula.