Oregon’s latest restaurant losses come shortly after four other Portland favorites closed in June. The new list includes one of the state’s most historically important restaurants and two acclaimed Portland concepts.
Nick’s Italian Café in McMinnville
Nick’s Italian Café permanently closed in July, ending the latest chapter of an Oregon dining institution that began in 1977.
Founder Nick Peirano opened the restaurant when the Willamette Valley wine industry was still developing. Nick’s became closely connected with the region’s winemakers and helped turn McMinnville into a serious culinary destination.
That influence eventually earned the restaurant a James Beard America’s Classics Award.
Nick’s originally closed in 2023 before a group of new owners revived it in 2024. The reopened restaurant updated the menu while preserving its Italian identity and relationship with Oregon wine.
The revival ended after a report identified the kitchen’s ventilation hood as a safety hazard due to noncompliance with current requirements, and the restaurant said the hood needed immediate replacement. The cost and scope of the required system overhaul contributed to the owners’ decision that continuing operations was not sustainable.
What began as a temporary shutdown became permanent when the owners concluded that the expense was unsustainable.
Alpenrausch in Portland
Alpenrausch closed May 30 after approximately two and a half years in Southeast Portland.
The Olympia Provisions team opened the restaurant in November 2023 as a tribute to Alpine food and culture. Its menu included schnitzel, sausages, fondue, rösti, stews and other dishes inspired by Switzerland, Austria and the surrounding region.
Fire pits, heated patios and a cabin-like atmosphere made the restaurant feel especially distinctive during Portland’s cool, rainy months.
Alpenrausch quickly attracted national attention. Bon Appétit included it among the country’s best new restaurants of 2024, an unusually strong endorsement for such a young business.
Acclaim did not guarantee longevity. Olympia Provisions announced that it had made the difficult decision to end the concept, although the company’s other Oregon businesses continue operating.
Gracie’s Apizza in Portland
Gracie’s Apizza closed April 25, ending the latest run of one of Portland’s most admired small pizzerias.
Craig Melillo began Gracie’s as a food cart in 2018 before moving into a restaurant. The pizzeria eventually settled into a small St. Johns space where customers watched a tiny team produce wood-fired pies with carefully sourced flour, inventive toppings and house-made ice cream.
At times, Melillo operated the restaurant almost entirely by himself. That intensely personal approach made Gracie’s feel different from a growing pizza chain or high-volume neighborhood shop.
The closure came after Melillo agreed to sell the restaurant. The space quickly became Harmonies Pizza & Ice Cream, operated by his friend Will Fain, formerly of Handsome Pizza and Seastar Bakery.
Staff members were offered opportunities to remain, and the successor shares some similarities with Gracie’s. Even so, the original restaurant and Melillo’s singular version of it are gone.
Nick’s, Alpenrausch and Gracie’s earned recognition well beyond their immediate neighborhoods.
Their closures are reminders that history, awards and critical acclaim can bring attention to a restaurant—but none can eliminate the financial and personal realities of keeping one open.
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