A casual Italian restaurant that unexpectedly closed last fall is returning to its original post just a few doors down from Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard.
Portland staple 3 Doors Down Cafe suddenly shuttered without notice in November after 30 years in business. The restaurant, started in 1994 by owners Dave Marth and Kathy Bergin, left behind a legacy of tasty vodka sauce and top-notch cocktails.
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Six months later, 3 Doors Down is picking up where it left off — with a few new menu items.
The restaurant will reopen this summer in its longtime spot at 1429 S.E. 37th Ave., notably just three doors down from Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard, Marth confirmed to The Oregonian/OregonLive on Thursday. Bridgetown Bites first reported the news earlier the same day.
Marth plans to be back in business by the first week of June, he said.
The reopening marks Marth’s return to 3 Doors Down after he and Bergin sold the restaurant to Michael Galloway and Jeff Saulsbury in 2019.
“We’re looking forward to being back in the neighborhood again,” Marth said.
This version of 3 Doors Down’s menu will keep the classics — its beloved vodka sauce is here to stay — while also bringing back old menu items the restaurant hasn’t served in a few years, Marth said.
“There’s a lot of food that we had originally that’s coming back,” he said. “A lot of pasta dishes that we did, some pork dishes.”
The restaurant’s surprise comeback is already generating excitement online, with some Reddit users crossing their fingers for the return of 3 Doors Down’s mussels and happy hour bites, while others traded lyrics from the American rock band that shares its name.
“Crazy, just earlier this week I was wondering about that place,” one commenter wrote. “Glad to hear it’s rising from the ashes!”
—Veronica Nocera covers retail and recalls news for The Oregonian/OregonLive. Is a business in your area opening or closing? Reach Veronica at vnocera@oregonian.com.