Pok Pok Will Permanently Close Most of Its Restaurants in Portland

Pok Pok, the iconic restaurant that introduced Portland to the cuisine of Northern Thailand when it opened on Southeast Division Street in 2005, is permanently closing nearly all of its locations in the city, save its flagship dining room and Pok Pok Wing in Southeast Portland.

The closures include Pok Pok NW on Marshall Street, both Pok Pok Wing locations, and Whiskey Soda Lounge, which has long acted as the original restaurant's unofficial waiting room at 3131 SE Division St.

In an Instagram post, owner Andy Ricker blamed several factors related to the coronavirus pandemic and Gov. Kate Brown's subsequent order shuttering restaurants across the state.

"These closures are necessary so that the original Pok Pok on Division Street may have a chance of reopening when it is safe and financially tenable to do so," Ricker wrote. "It is not clear when that might happen."

On Thursday, Brown rejected Multnomah County's application to reopen the Portland economy, which would have allowed restaurants to resume some dine-in service, citing a lack of decline in coronavirus cases.

Pok Pok joins a growing list of high-profile food businesses to permanently close as the pandemic stretches into its third month. David Machado closed all five of his restaurants last month, including Nel Centro and Altabira, while doughnut franchise Blue Star has drastically downsized, closing multiple shops, including its flagship outpost in downtown Portland.

Ricker's message goes on to thank customers for their support and encouraged people to order meal kits and merchandise through the Pok Pok website. He also stated his personal and professional support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Read Ricker's full statement below:

Related: The Restaurateur Behind Nel Centro and Altabira Permanently Closes All Five of His Restaurants.