Radici Market Announces April 28 Closure

Sad news: the Italian Market at the corner of Seventh and C Streets SE will say arrivederci on Sunday.

Radici Market (303 Seventh St. SE) announced via Instagram that their last day of business would be April 28, 2024.

Bridget Thibodeau Sasso opened the “slow-food” market in 2014, choosing the former site of Marvelous Market and Silver Spork for it’s European vibe. Food was imported directly from Italy, as were wines. Radici added wine to the dine-in menu in 2018, making the establishment ideal for weekend brunch-hour stops.

 

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The market hosted wine-tastings and private events, with the patio becoming a place to see and be seen next to the Eastern Market corridor. Baristas served former First Lady Michelle Obama in addition to of Congress and of Cabinet.

Radici continued to serve customers through three years of construction on the Hine project, now 700 Penn, across the street as well as through the COVID pandemic.

In the post, Radici cites “endless maintenance issues, and increasing crime,” as part of the reason for the closure, saying the decision to close their doors was “not made lightly.”

“Over the past six months we have tirelessly explored every avenue to ensure the continuation of Radici at our current location,” the team wrote. “We considered various options to sustain our operatons and engaged in lengthy negotiations with our landlords, but, despite our best efforts, difficulties with the extension of our lease and condition of the building proved impossible to overcome.”

In a statement, Vice President of Stanton Development Alejandro “Alex” Golding said that Stanton was sad to see Radici go. “We bent over backwards to get them to stay but ultimately they decided to leave the Hill for other opportunities,” Golding said. “We wish them the best.”

The closure is, as one commentator wrote on Instagram, “a devastating loss for the Capitol Hill neighborhood.”

But there is hope: the letter closes with an “arrivederci for now while we find a new home for Radici and look forward to the day when we can welcome you back to our table.”

No word yet on how far along those plans are; the Hill Rag has reached out to Radici for comment.

We look forward to a possible day in the future when we can say bentornato –welcome home!

This story has been updated to include comment from Stanton Development.