Southport Grocery and Cafe to close Dec. 31 after 23 years in Lake View

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

For 23 years, Southport Grocery and Cafe has been a Lake View breakfast anchor. On Dec. 31, it serves its last meal, and Dollop Coffee Co. takes over the space at 3552 N. Southport Ave.

Owner Lisa Santos, 63, isn't walking away clean. She keeps a stake in the new Dollop Finer Diner, and her recipes stay on the menu. Her roughly 40 employees get jobs at the new diner and, for the first time, the option to opt into healthcare.

Why it matters

A 23-year neighborhood institution becomes a local diner chain outpost—the owner stays on, recipes survive, and staff gain health coverage.

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Key Indicators

Years Southport Grocery operated

Open from 2003 until Dec. 31, 2026.

Employees at Southport Grocery

All have jobs at the new Dollop Finer Diner with healthcare options.

Feb. 1, 2027

Target opening for Dollop Finer Diner

Dollop hopes to open the new diner at the Southport address Feb. 1.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

People Involved

Lisa Santos

Owner and chef, Southport Grocery and Cafe

Sold business to Dollop; retains small stake in Dollop Finer Diner

Dan Weiss

Founder and CEO, Dollop Coffee Co.

Leading the takeover of the Southport location

Keith Kreuser

Director of food and beverage, Dollop Coffee Co.

Designing Dollop Finer Diner menu with Southport's kitchen manager

Noemi Rojas

Kitchen manager, Southport Grocery and Cafe

Moving to Dollop Finer Diner as menu collaborator

Judy Sutton Taylor

Longtime customer

Planning farewell breakfasts before Dec. 31

Organizations Involved

Southport Grocery and Cafe

Restaurant and grocery

Closing Dec. 31, 2026

A 23-year Lake View breakfast and lunch spot with a specialty grocery and preserves operation.

Dollop Coffee Co.

Coffee roaster and cafe chain

Opening Dollop Finer Diner at Southport location

Chicago-based roaster and cafe chain with about 10 locations across the city.

Timeline

2003 February 2027

6 events Latest: Today

Tap a bar to jump to that date

February 2027
Dollop Finer Diner targets opening
Upcoming Opening

Dollop hopes to open its second diner at the Southport address with a blended menu.
February 1st, 2027
December 2026
Southport Grocery serves its last day
Upcoming Closure

The restaurant closes after 23 years. Dolpp ownership transfers to Dollop Coffee Co.
December 31st, 2026
October 2026
Neighbors count down final breakfasts
Today Community

Regulars like Judy Sutton Taylor plan farewell patio breakfasts before the Dec. 31 closure.
Today
Closure announced in Instagram video
Announcement

Santos posts 'Special Announcement' video confirming Southport Grocery will close at year's end.
October 17th, 2026
2022
Santos partners with Dollop on pastry
Partnership

Santos meets Dollop leaders and begins a wholesale pastry partnership after closing her Damen Ave. bake shop.
2022
2003
Southport Grocery and Cafe opens
Opening

Lisa Santos opens the breakfast spot and grocery at 3552 N. Southport Ave. in Lake View.
2003

Scenarios

Dollop Finer Diner opens Feb. 1 and keeps Southport's spirit

Likely Resolves by Mar 15, 2027

Discussed by: Dollop leadership; Chicago food media

The new diner opens on schedule in early February. A menu blending Dollop's house-made donuts with Southport signatures (biscotti, longganisa, chilaquiles) plus Santos's consulting keeps regulars coming. The employee transition with healthcare options is a bright spot.

Opening slips or the diner flops under the weight of expectations

Possible Resolves by Mar 1, 2028

Discussed by: Reddit commenters who called the change a 'downgrade'

Construction or permitting delays push the opening past early spring. The menu drops signature items like banana pudding pancakes, fueling complaints that the neighborhood traded an institution for a chain. If it struggles financially, Dollop could close or sell the location within a year.

Santos launches a new venture after the transition

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Santos herself

Santos has teased a Substack presence or 'a book, but not a cookbook' after the diner transition. She retains the Southport Grocery name and recipes, giving her a built-in brand. Her Instagram following and food media profile give her a platform to launch something new.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2026

Wishbone closes in the West Loop (2026)

Wishbone, a West Loop diner known for Southern-inspired comfort food, announced it would close in 2026 after decades of operation. It was part of a year that saw several upscale Chicago diners with long histories shut down.

Then

Regulars mourned the loss of a decades-old institution in the West Loop.

Now

Wishbone's exit marked another step in the transformation of West Loop dining, where longtime independents give way to newer concepts.

Why this matters now

Cited directly in the Southport Grocery article as a 2026 parallel, showing a pattern of beloved Chicago diners closing after decades.

2020-2023

Post-pandemic restaurant consolidation in Chicago (2020-2023)

COVID-19 pushed many Chicago independents to close or consolidate. Santos shut her Damen Ave. bake shop and moved operations to her Montrose location, then met Dollop leaders about a wholesale pastry partnership.

Then

The partnership kept both businesses afloat during a difficult period.

Now

It grew into Dollop buying out Southport Grocery, turning a partnership into a takeover.

Why this matters now

This history shows how a beloved independent ended up sold to a local chain after years of collaboration.