ALTHOUGH RESTAURANTS meet their demises with discouraging regularity, it still stung when Cafe Pettirosso closed on February 6 after nearly three decades on Capitol Hill.

Faced with hardships endemic to their industry, sisters and co-owners Yuki and Miki Sodos’ decision to call it quits shocked the community. Fans mourned the imminent loss of  favorites like the grilled cheese and tomato soup, carrot cake, and Shawn’s vegan mac–its name and recipe both courtesy of Yuki’s husband.