DUNDEE, Ore. — After 26 years of serving wine country visitors and locals alike, The Dundee Bistro has closed its doors. The final dinner service was held Sunday, Nov. 17, according to a post on Instagram.
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The post was brief and did not provide an explanation for the closure of the restaurant, located at 100 SW Seventh St. in Dundee. The bistro’s Facebook page is deactivated, and representatives did not respond to requests for comment.
However, the post indicated that something new may be on the horizon.
“Hello friends — The Dundee Bistro had its last dinner service on Sunday night. We are now closed and making way for something new and exciting,” the Instagram post read. “While it’s the end of an era, it’s the beginning of a new wave of Oregon wine country talent and supporters. Thanks for 26 years as the place for vintners and friends since 1999.”
Founded by the Ponzi family in 1999, The Dundee Bistro aimed to offer a casual yet refined, wine-friendly dining experience, according to its website. It combined locally sourced ingredients with a curated wine list featuring Oregon Pinot Noirs, rare vintages, and international selections.
The Ponzi family has been a significant presence in Oregon wine, beverage, and hospitality since 1970. Nancy and Dick Ponzi planted their first grapes in the Willamette Valley in 1968 and opened Ponzi Vineyards in 1970, becoming the fourth winery in the state, according to the Ponzi Vineyards website. They also founded the now-closed BridgePort Brewing Company in Portland, Oregon’s second craft brewery which is widely credited with helping spark regional and national interest in India pale ale, or IPA — then a lesser-brewed style.
The Dundee Bistro reflected the family’s decades of experience and passion for the region’s wine culture both inside and beyond its walls.
That influence can be seen in the chefs and restaurateurs who started or honed their careers there. Wooden Heart Kitchen owners Yvette and Ryan Clark worked together at the bistro before launching their food truck, which later grew into a full restaurant in Dundee in 2024.
Luca and Marco Ponzi, grandsons of Dick and Nancy, opened Merenda Italian Deli in an adjacent building. Luca also served as the bistro’s wine program manager before its closure.
Correction December 3 at 11:55 a.m.: The original article stated Luca Ponzi served as general manager of the Dundee Bistro before it’s closure. Luca left the general manager role in 2023 when he started working on Merenda Deli. Newsberg regrets the error.
