Two Dishes Cookshop is closing its Charlotte Street restaurant as of Tuesday, March 1st after eight years in business.
Located at 261 Charlotte at the corner of Bethune, the neighbourhood restaurant focusing on local and seasonally inspired food and made-from-scratch baked goods was opened in 2014 by sisters Susan and Paula Houde.
On Monday (February 7), Susan posted a lengthy message on social media announcing the restaurant would be closing and explaining why.
“Change is tough but it comes whether we like it our not,” she writes. “There isn’t one reason we’re closing, there are many. As you can imagine the last two years have been hard for us, as they have been for everybody, and the pandemic-related issues have played a part in our plans and projections of where our business can go.”
“The cookshop has also been in the middle of a construction zone for the past year with another year to go, and while it’s not the primary reason, the reality is it’s made things much more difficult for us.”
“Change is rarely driven by just one factor though, and as much as those specific issues play a part, there is a natural timing of emotion and circumstance at play that tells us it’s time to try something new. We just feel it in our bones.”
We’re going through some big changes, it’s a sad day but an exciting one as well. Please read the note above and know that we appreciate each and every one of you ??
Posted by Two Dishes Cookshop on Monday, February 7, 2022
Although the Charlotte Street location is closing, Susan adds, Two Dishes Cookshop will still have a presence at local farmers’ markets. They also have plans to launch new ways of getting food to customers, including take-home meals, delivery options, pop-ups, catering, a new vintage food trailer, cooking workshops, and more.
“From the day we opened we’ve felt the love from people who valued what we do,” she writes. “The support we’ve had from our community over the last eight years (and especially the last two) has kept us going during late nights and early mornings. Making food we love, for people we love is why we get up at 5:30 a.m.. Nothing has changed about that, we’re just going to be finding new ways to do that beyond the walls on Charlotte St.”
“We’re excited about the possibilities and hope you’ll stick with us as we bring these ideas to life,” Susan writes, also thanking the staff who have worked at Two Dishes Cookshop.
