In another disappointing end-of-year closure announcement in the local restaurant world, a restaurant that won national accolades is shutting its doors in Oakland after three years in business.

Daytrip, a self-described "party restaurant" which was named one of Bon Appetit's best new restaurants in the country in 2022, is closing in December, which is news that is sure to sadden its many fans. As co-owner Stella Dennig tells the Chronicle, the restaurant appears to be a victim of its own high standards, and the fact that the dining room is not consistently full.

"The reality of it is that we’ve been operating a business model that we just can’t get to work, and we’ve been losing money — especially this year — at such a fast rate," Dennig tells the paper.

Part of the reason is that its fermentation-driven food menu involves many labor-intensive elements and expensive ingredients, including small-batch misos from Shared Cultures and handmade pastas. Dennig's husband and the chef at Daytrip, Finn Stern, previously told the Chronicle that while a popular dish of linguine with miso butter was a relatively inexpensive dish, in terms of the pasta, it's a high labor-cost dish, requiring a day and a half to make it.

For a business that began as a natural wine bar with some creative food on the menu, it seems as though the ambition of the food got away from them.

Another reason is that sales are down — apparently 20 percent below last year — as the restaurant's customer base seems to be eating out less often.

The restaurant may also be a victim of its own generosity to its workers. From the outside, Dennig and Stern sought to pay workers equitably and they instituted a 20% service charge that was share with all the staff.

As Stern now tells paper, "In order to treat our employees financially the way we wanted to, it just didn’t add up."

It's a complaint that's been repeated throughout the local restaurant world in the last several years, and food and labor costs rise and as restaurateurs face inevitable complaints from diners — or just dwindling customer bases — if they raise prices too high.

This isn't the end of the road for Dennig and Stern in the food world. They tell the Chronicle that they plan to open a new restaurant concept in the space early next year with more "everyday food" and a counter-service model, serving both lunch and dinner, and offering delivery as well.

Maybe that means the celery salad isn't gone for good?

Daytrip's last day is scheduled for December 15, but the owners say it could come sooner depending on staffing.

Photo courtesy of Daytrip