Autostrada started 2024 by announcing the closure of one of its three Vancouver restaurant locations. Now with the end of 2024 on the horizon, operators of the Italian restaurant have shared its original location will also close before the year is out.
After an eight-year run, the first Autostrada, at 4811 Main St, will cease operations in December.
The news was shared in an email to customers and echoed in a post shared on Autostrada's Instagram feed.
Owners Dustin Dockendorf and Lucais Syme (who is also the chef) expressed deep gratitude for the many loyal customers who visited Autostrada on Main over the years.
"To you, we extend our heartfelt thanks for the memories and the good times," they shared in their closure notice.
Additionally, they thanked all of the staff who contributed to Autostrada's long tenure.
Autostrada is known for its Italian osteria-style fare with laid-back "come as you are" vibes and top-notch hospitality. The menu includes Italian classics like bucatini with cacio e pepe, vitello tonnato, and burrata with prosciutto.
The Main Street restaurant was a casual alternative to Syme's more highbrow Cinara on Pender Street in downtown Vancouver.
Ultimately, as 2018 morphed into 2019, the business partners turned Cinara into an Autostrada outpost. They followed with the debut of Autostrada in the "Beach District" at Vancouver House.
The Vancouver House location will remain in operation; "the spirit of Autostrada lives on" there, along with at its sister spot, Capo and the Spriz in the Opus Hotel in Yaletown.
"We are encouraged by a remarkable run in business on Main and buoyed by our bustling Vancouver House location; in fact, we’re more inspired than ever, excited for the future of Autostrada Hospitality," the owners shared.
They also hinted that the business is already moving into new hands. "Now it’s time to pass the torch to a new crew of up-and-comers…and we do so happily, albeit with just a hint of sadness, and zero regrets," they write.
The last day of business at Autostrada on Main will be December 14.
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