‘Heavy heart’: Popular restaurant closes its doors forever

The popular eatery has been in business for seven years but announced its decision to pull the plug right before Christmas, much to the dismay of locals.

South Australian eatery Miss Viet Kitchen is shutting its doors after seven “wonderful years” of service, much to the dismay of local residents.

The southeast Asian dining joint, based in Port Adelaide, first opened in 2018 serving up a mix of traditional Vietnamese fare with a seafood spin, and won the silver award 2023 Restaurant and Catering National Awards for Best Vietnamese Restaurant.

But in the years since, its fortunes have changed and the restaurant has decided to pull the pin.

In a statement posted to social media, the business announced its imminent closure with “a heavy heart.”

“It’s been an incredible journey, and we couldn’t have done it without your amazing support,” the Miss Viet team wrote.

Miss Viet Kitchen announced its closure on social media. Picture: @missvietkitchen/Instagram

The Vietnamese joint is ceasing operations in the next few weeks. Picture: @missvietkitchen/Instagram

The statement also encouraged patrons to come visit the restaurant “one last time,” as it prepared to close its doors forever.

“Come and enjoy your favourite dishes and create some final memories with us in these last few weeks. Your presence will mean the world to us as we say goodbye,” the post read.

“Thank you for making Miss Viet a part of your life. We hope to see you soon and share one last delicious meal together!”

Social media users were quick to jump into the comments to profess their gratitude for the local spot and several reacted with crying emojis.

“So very sad to hear this news. We have been going almost weekly since Holly and her team first opened. We hosted my husband’s 70th birthday at Miss Viet and was fantastic. Sending you all best wishes for the future,” one person wrote.

“I think I need to order 10x of my favourite menu items and pop them in the freezer so I can still get my fix. The only low so pho I know of, you’re my staple when I’m unwell, best in Adelaide (in my opinion),” another wrote.

The business announced its imminent closure with “a heavy heart.” Picture: Facebook

Locals hit the comments to speak highly of the food and how much they would “miss” it. Picture: @missvietkitchen/Instagram

Many other comments wrote of their “sadness” and how the dining spot was their “favourite.”

The business owners have been contacted for comment.

While it remains unclear why Miss Viet Kitchen is shutting its doors, it’s part of a larger trend venue closures that have been rattled by immense cost of living pressures.

Many small businesses have had to shut up shop as a result of labour shortages, staff costs, and navigating consumers’ lack of discretionary spending.

A May report from credit reporting bureau CreditorWatch found smaller hospitality businesses were bearing the brunt of the economic crisis in Australia and warned one in 13 could fail.

The business had been operating for seven years. Picture: @missvietkitchen/Instagram

At the time of the report, CreditorWatch’s chief executive Patrick Coghlan told news.com.au that conditions were likely to get “worse for businesses before they got better.”

“Hospitality is a high risk industry even in boom times unfortunately. It’s hard for hospitality businesses to pass on price rises compared to those in most other sectors. Consumers can easily ‘trade down’ to a cheaper venue or just eat at home,” he said.