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Daisy’s restaurant on Tinakori Rd in Thorndon will close at the end of the month.
Owner Asher Boote cited economic challenges and the toll of the past five years.
It’s the latest in a series of Wellington hospitality closures due to similar issues.
Another Wellington restaurant has announced its closing, with the owner saying the past five years of business has been “particularly challenging”.
Daisy’s on Tinakori Rd in Thorndon will close at the end of the month.
It was previously run as the Tinakori Bistro for 30 years, before Daisy’s took over eight years ago.
It’s the latest in a string of hospitality shutdowns in the capital, with last year seeing a wave of closures, including cafes Bordeaux and Pandoro, due to economic challenges and construction disruption, as well as restaurants like Concord, and Mable’s.
Daisy's has been operating on Tinakori Rd for eight years. It was previously run as the Tinakori Bistro for 30 years before that. Photo / Instagram @eatatdaisys
Other establishments, including Myrtle bakery and cafe, Olive, and the Hudson also closed, with their owners citing numerous factors.
Daisy’s owner Asher Boote announced in a social media post that running a restaurant in the current climate has “absolutely taken its toll”.
“It’s no secret that times have been particularly challenging for restaurants as we mark 5 years since the first Covid lockdown and all the turmoil politically and economically since then, that continues to impact this city and the industry to this day.”
Boote last year told the Herald he had considered walking away from his Wellington restaurant Hillside Kitchen.
“It was a pretty deep, dark place when you think about stepping away from your life’s work, and all the turmoil that comes with that and the number of people you know you’d affect if you made that decision”, Boote said in a sit-down interview.
“I’m feeling incredibly emotional at the moment hearing about high-quality restaurants making the unimaginably hard decision to close,” he said at the time.
Hillside Kitchen owner Asher Boote outside his restaurant Hillside on Tinakori Road in Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell.
Daisy’s final day will be March 29, with Boote thanking his customers in the social media post, saying “it has been a privilege to be part of so many people’s special occasions, as much as it has been to be a casual place to drop in for locals”.
“No one could have predicted this or really have been prepared for it, it’s been a hell of a ride that we have navigated to the best of our ability but it’s time for the journey to end.”
Ethan Manera is a multimedia journalist based in Wellington. He joined NZME in 2023 and is interested in local issues, politics and property in the capital. Ethan is always on the lookout for a story and can be emailed at ethan.manera@nzme.co.nz.
