After a tumultuous couple of years in search of a new owner, a vegan and vegetarian restaurant in Vancouver's West End is closing.
Ofra's Kitchen, located at 1088 Denman St, served Israeli and Middle Eastern fare from a plant-forward menu that included falafel, shakshuka, soups, and salads.
"Ofra's Kitchen has been sold," announced owner Ofra Sixto on social media. "Be sure to visit and say 'till we meet again."
Having opened the business in 2019, Sixto shared recently she was closing, effective May 15. The plan is to relocate, though Sixto has not indicated where she will open up again, only that it will be a "better location."
Over the past few days, Sixto has shared her dismantling Ofra's Kitchen. The website for the restaurant is already offline.
Sixto has been vocal on social media about her support for Israel and proudly displayed an Israeli flag in her restaurant window, though it brought her a lot of negative feedback.
“I’m active on Facebook and Instagram. I voice my opinion freely without fear. Many people know where I stand. If they want to engage in conversation and I have time, I speak freely [about] how I feel about the situation," Sixto told Glacier Media in December 2023.
Ofra's Kitchen has employed staff from Iran, and Sixto has been adamant that anyone could dine at the restaurant.
“I serve amazing food. People of all countries come here, and they are all welcome. Palestinians are welcome, Iranians are welcome and all the other nationalities," she said.
"I just hope that everybody here is going to respect each other. We are not politicians, we are restaurant owners.”
Sixto said in her closing announcement the new business owners are "great people," but she doesn't know what they plan on serving at their restaurant.
"It has been a pleasure being here and serving so many of you. Thank you for your ongoing patronage and support. I will see you soon, I am sure," she concluded.
UPDATE JUNE 26: Foodie's Delight is the new concept that has opened where Ofra's Kitchen was on Denman. The business does not appear to have a website.
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