Roost, an Oregon District staple since November of 2011 operated by owner/Chef Dana Downs, showcased a menu of Italian dishes with a modern approach. This past August they rebranded as Culina, offering a small plates with a “fine casual” service model.
After just 3 months Downs announced November 14th “While the change to the Culina concept from Roost has been well received, our loyal customers have spoken -So much so, that the decision has been made to return to the Roost Italian offering classic Roost entrees and sneaking in some of Culina’s most popular small plates.”
Fast forward to January 2025, the restaurant closed for a week long winter break. Then suddenly the social media presence for Roost/Culina disappeared, reservations were turned off on the website and posts on the Instagram accounts were taken down and then the entire site was taken down. We reached out to Chef Downs, but have heard nothing back.
Just a bit ago we were able to confirm the following communication was sent to Roost staff from owners Dana & Katherine Downs:
“Thank you all for your hard work and dedication during the holiday season. We deeply value the effort each of you has contributed to Roost, and it has been a privilege working alongside such a talented an committed team.
After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to terminate al employment relationships at Roost, effective immediately….We are currently engaged in discussion with potential buyers for the restaurant, and they have expressed interest in retaining the current staff.”
The email continued with info about final paychecks and W2’s and wished them the very best in their future endeavors.
After so many years of great food and service, we hate when a restaurant goes out like this and we hope the entire staff lands on their feet quickly.
