ōkta, the celebrated McMinnville-based restaurant known for its hyper-seasonal approach to dining, stunned its loyal followers this week by announcing its sudden closure.
The restaurant, located in the Tributary Hotel, was known for serving micro-seasonal, locally sourced ingredients from its onsite, regenerative farm and rose to prominence both locally and nationally for its Oregon-based ingredient list.
Chef Matthew Lightner, Katie Jackson and Shaun Kajiwara partnered to create the restaurant, which opened in July 2022.
The restaurant, which charged $295 per person, with an optional $190 wine pairing, gained notoriety for its ambitious use of regional ingredients like Oregon wagyu, sea urchin and squash blossoms.
It wasn’t enough to stay open, though.
In a message shared across its social media platforms, the ōkta team thanked its supporters and celebrated an “incredible” two-year run.
“We are proud of what our dedicated team accomplished and for all of the transformational dining moments we shared with our guests,” according to the social media posts. “We want to thank Chef Matthew Lightner for his talents and passion in bringing the ōkta vision to life.”