Tora Hennessey, Tom Siegel, and Joe Heffernan
Capitol HIll’s Dacha Diner is closing but its Madison Park cousin The Independent Pizzeria will carry on, a decision co-owner Tora Hennessey says is a product of putting people before profit.
The E Olive Way eatery’s final day of business will be March 27th.
Hennessey announced the decision on social media, saying the choice to close emerged from changes with co-owner Joe Heffernan’s decision to take a tech job and her husband and fellow co-owner Tom Siegel’s health concerns. Hennessey said she and Dacha employees will shift to help run the Independent.
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The Jewish and Eastern European-flavored Dacha was born in December 2018 in a “Tbilisi grey” overhaul of the wedge-shaped restaurant space along E Olive Way at E Howell as a daytime spot specializing in Eastern European and Jewish foods like knishes, borscht, matzo ball soup, latkes, and vareniki. “This isn’t fine dining, this is comfort food,” Hennessey said at the time.
Like many Capitol Hill restaurants, Dacha weathered the pandemic through the various restrictions and shifting business models. Now, as the survivors of the food and drink economy are looking forward to more stable ground and with the world suddenly feeling much more connected — and worried — about the lands its foods represent, Dacha will close.
“Quality of life and happiness is everything,” Hennessey writes. “We feel good about these choices. We are really proud of Dacha but people before profit. YOLO.”
Dacha Diner is planned to provide its final service on March 27th at 1416 E Olive Way.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CbOMnkrPzGj/
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I had always planned on going back with my friends real soon.
“time keeps on slipping into the future” Steve Miller Band
That location is so amazing, but so far no one has seemed to hit the sweet spot. Plus pandemic sure but I feel like one of these days it’s gonna find the cafe or bar that makes it feel as funky and central as it is. Best of luck to the Dacha crew!
I wonder what the building’s next color is going to be
I mean, I think Dacha Diner really did hit the sweet spot. Sounds like they’re closing because of the owner’s health, not because the business was going under or anything. Really good food, and while the space is beautiful, I really appreciated them keeping their employees safe by having things be to go.
An incredible loss for the neighborhood. I loved this place, and I’m glad I got the change to eat the khachapuri on-premises before covid. But hey, yeah, people over profit. Best of luck to Tora/Tom.
They should put a Wing Dome there