Via Lago, a locally-owned restaurant and catering business that has been a Lexington mainstay for 37 years, announced it will close its doors at the end of May through an email sent to the restaurants’ customers on Friday.
“There are no words to describe how much I appreciate you all [f]or your business, for your loyalty, for your friendship, and for your support,” Alan Jick, one of the owners of Via Lago, wrote in that email. “You folks, our amazing and hard-working staff of over 37 years, and this crazy place have been my life’s work and I thank you for that.”
Jick told LexObserver the restaurant is closing because its corporate catering business never fully rebounded after COVID-19. The end of Jick’s lease is coming up and he said he won’t be able to afford to re-sign because of how the catering business has underperformed.
“Just the restaurant was never going to pay the rent there…it needed to have all of those components to make the business work,” he told the Observer.
He also attributed the restaurant’s closing to economic uncertainty.
“Because of the way things are changing and because of the way, I consider, major uncertainty in the economy in the near future, signing a new lease right now would have been risky,” he said.
Via Lago’s closing comes at a time when the local government is working to increase the number of restaurants in town and limit the number of banks and real estate offices. Sandhya Iyer, the town’s director of economic development, told LexObserver the town and the owner of the property Via Lago inhabits, Linear Retail, hope the space will remain a restaurant. The retail space has been posted online.
Nonetheless, the sting of Via Lago closing remains among locals.
“Via Lago will be remembered as quintessential Lexington. It has been a place of choice for reliably good food and familiar, friendly, and interesting staff,” Elizabeth Rozan, a Lexington resident, said. “Whether it was for a decent omelette before an important meeting, a lunch sub and chips, or a quiet dinner with a friend over a glass of wine, Via Lago was a banner of community, and like the sun, a bright spot, shifting with the rhythm of the day.”
“Via Lago serves as a great place to meet up: whether for lunch or for a couple of casual drinks at the bar. Via Lago has done a really nice job: good food, good beer selection, good cocktail menu, and great bartenders,” Josh Raha, a Lexington resident who considers himself a Via Lago regular, told the Observer. “I remain hopeful that the town can attract another establishment that can serve as a casual bar…we need our version of The Heights in Arlington.”
“Via Lago has been important for community building in Lexington [and] has staff that take their time to get to know you,” Daryl Battin, a Lexington resident, said. “For lunch, Donna is such a gem — she welcomes our grandchildren when they come, knows them by name, and takes such good care of us anytime we come. The same for Joyce at dinner. Via Lago has become a ‘friend’ in many ways for all of our family — it will be sorely missed, so very much.”
Jick told the Observer he plans to take some time off after the restaurant closes. He thanks Lexington’s community for supporting his restaurant through the years.
“All the feelings are positive, especially toward my customers…thank you to the town, to the people,” Jick said through tears.
All the best Alan Jick. It was a very long run with quality remainig high. Always enjoyed the food and the staff. Thank you!
I was a teacher in Lexington for 32 years and Via Lago was always the go-to place to pick up lunch on elementary early release days before heading off to professional development in the days before tables–when it was just a one space sandwich bar–long wooden counter, long lines, staff swiftly punching out sandwiches by the dozen. Even then it was THE place. And oh yes, don’t forget picking up Friday Challahs. Via Lago, I will surely miss you. You have been a unique and high quality staple in Lexington for so many years.
There are not many restaurants where someone can dine solo
and feel comfortable. You can sit
at the little bar near the side door.
I was always greeted by Joyce’s
friendly face and some conversation.
Via Lago helped me survive the winter.
The food was excellent and fairly
priced. Many eateries that were once
reliable have higher prices and their
food has deteriorated, in my opinion.
Via Lago is a great loss for the community.
some can dine solo and be comfortable.
You can get a takeout and sit at
the little bar near the side door.
I was always greeted by Joyce’s
friendly face and some conversation.
Via Lago helped me survive the
winter.
It is a great loss for the community.
There are not many restaurants where someone can dine solo
and feel comfortable. You can sit
at the little bar near the side door.
I was always greeted by Joyce’s
friendly face and some conversation.
Via Lago helped me survive the winter.
The food was excellent and fairly
priced. Many eateries that were once
reliable have higher prices and their
food quality has deteriorated, in my
opinion.
Thank you Mr.Jick for this restaurant
for all these years .
I do understand why you need to close. It is such a loss for the community and for me personally.
This news is heart breaking for every Lexingtonian! I am relatively new in this town and every time I have craving for good food and a fantastic quality time with friends and family, Via Lago is the DESTINATION. It is so reasonable priced high quality food. “Most reasonably priced” is a rare little phrase to find out in any of our town center’s food places. All our restaurants are excessively expensive here. The quality and the kindness that every employee of Via Lago shows to their customers are unparalleled. In a nutshell, this news is devastating for a town resident and I only hope this is not true.
My first job as a highschooler was at Via Lago in the late 90s. It was a wonderful place to work. Donna was a fantastic manager, they were so generous, and I am thankful I was part of the team. Good times, and good luck to everyone in their next chapter.
Oh, I’m so disappointed . I just loved the full
breakfast Donna made me and pancakes !
My Dauchund , Olivia Rose and I so enjoyed sitting outside for lunch and dinner , and all our wait people brought Olivia water and little plates of tasty chicken.
We also think Colleen makes the best BLTs
and she always greeted me with a smile .
Via Lago is a wonderful Rstaurant !
Marsha catered an Open house for me years ago … I had over 100 people and the food was delicious! I actually was thinking of having another this Spring , so I’m sad .
Thank you so very much ,
Warmly , Julie Schauman and Olivia 🌹
Our favorite restaurant is closing? So hard to believe! The best menu around, good variety and reasonable prices. Alan, we will miss you and your friendly place. It always brought to mind Cheers, where “everybody knows your name!” Thank you for many wonderful years of Via Lago!!
Love you Al 🥰
Thankyou for all the great meals and your wonderful table side wit.
You had an amazing run despite all the cheapskates in Lexington 😊
Via Lago has been the heart and soul of our community for all of our years here in Lexington and we are truly heart-broken. Thank you so very much and best wishes.
I am so sad to see Via Lago go. It was absolutely my favorite restaurant in Lexington. There was such an excellent variety of food and it was excellent, Joyce, Donna and all the staff were so friendly. As another poster said, it was like Cheers where everyone knows your name. Truly a special place and I will miss it.
Friday night dinners wth Lois & David Wells as well as morning coffee with Jane & Richard Pagett were part of a wonderful routine for many years. Via Lago is a wonderful “townie” place. I shall missd it.
Paul Ross
paulrosslex@gmail.com
paulrosslex@
Since its beginning Via Lago has been a part of my existence in this Town. From being a teen at LHS to now a middle aged Mom Via Lago has been a delightful and delicious staple in our town center. Wishing the people of Via Lago, peace and success as you start this new chapter in life. You all will be missed. Cheers!
Picking up on Via Lago being THE townie place, I can’t remember a time going into Via Lago and not running into a friend or acquaintance (usually two or three). And I wasn’t even a regular — once or twice a month at most.
So I guess it must’ve been 1987-88 when I started working as a teen at the “new” Via Lago, then a small gourmet foodshop and not even a sit-down cafe quite yet. During the sports off-season, I’d walk there from a schoolday at LHS to this, my second-ever legal job, proud to be working at this cool place.
This was when bagels became popular among the masses, but Sunday mornings were the big day. At 5am, I’d make my way in the dark to VL to put the fresh bakery goods in the display case and help prepare the large bagel orders, including cream cheese and lox, for the Jewish families who would be lined up down the block by 8am opening. It was pretty intense, but by the end of our shifts, we got to take home all the unsold goodies to our own families as a bonus.
As I went off to college and moved out-of-state, VL grew into that cafe where we’d go for sit-down lunch on Merriam St. upon visits home. My parents have stayed in Lexington, and while I was away 15 yrs in Los Angeles, I’d hear of how it kept growing even more to become the day-to-night bar, takeout cafe, and restaurant where everyone in or around town would gather for business, to catch up with friends and neighbors, or to celebrate special occassions.
Upon returning to Lexington myself, it was the go-to place on Mass Ave where we went as a family for birthday dinners or a meal before concerts at Cary Hall. In fact, we had plans to go there for my Dad’s 74th, until he had a stroke and ended up in the ER and ICU instead for that weekend and the following Father’s Day. After a difficult and long year of recovery and rehab, however, to make a long story short, I recall that we made it to VL for his 75th.
Since my teens, I’ve had quite a few jobs, including a few in very busy and popular restaurants. And I’ve always marvelled at how VL kept going and thriving through the ups and downs of the decades, even as retail chains have come and gone. As everyone knows, especially through the pandemic, it’s one of the hardest businesses to operate longterm successfully, but VL did it and outlasted the rest – for 37 years.
So I congratulate them for this achievement, though it’s understandable that they’d want to move on now. Yet I’m saddened to hear of this Lexington community mainstay closing; maybe it’s the finality of it, the end of an era, or a foreboding sign-of-the-times. Whatever the case, I’d rather leave this message on a positive note by saying Thank You to the VL family and wishing them as much joy as they’ve given ours.
I’m so sorry to see you go, Alan and Donna, but thank you for the wonderful food and atmosphere you’ve provided all these years.
I have had many a meal at Via Lago and often had catered meals delivered to my conference room. Alas, my own need for catering did decline with covid and had not rebounded. Twenty-five years ago, one of my employees had the roast beef and Boursin sandwich every single time he went to Via Lago. My wife and I were just remembering that earlier this week. We’ll miss you.
When I first moved to Lexington, Vis Lago was just one long room and the front counter & register where you ordered a fantastic sandwich, maybe soup, or pasta. Al was just a kid who grew and grew and grew his restaurant which never failed to create wonderful , often unique flavors and dishes but not at exorbitant prices. The quality only grew higher over the years. I don’t know how Lexington will go on without Via Lago.
Cheers, Al. You & Donna & Joyce and also Dan will be sorely missed.
We loved VIA LAGO……. We had always gone there, however it was our COVID PLACE TAJE OUT. After Covid their hours were much less and we would wait til Thursday for them to open. Then it moved up to Wednesday.
The pizzerias were different from month to month.
But the pan seareded scallops top of the sweet potato pattie was a main stay dish for us. Great Mariner sauce!!!!!! Our go to.
We will
Miss Donna and Joyce and their other impracticable staff.
Thank you for making my 44 years in Lexington better. We will all miss you so much.
Please stay well.