Last Call at Dae

The minimalist cafe, restaurant and homewares shop known for its wood-and-chrome interiors and caffeinated indulgences will relocate, with details to come.

Minimalist cafe, restaurant and homewares shop Dae will close at the end of April, CSJ has learned.

Dae opened at 385 Smith Street in 2023. The cafe’s stainless steel and plywood interiors and expertly curated homewares selection distinguished it from other neighborhood staples, making it as much a place to linger as a stop for aspirational caffeinated indulgences.

“We are a respite from the hustle and bustle of urban life and within our walls, we ask guests to pause and savor the intention with which its bites, libations, and home goods were created,” the website reads.

Cafe staples include a purple sweet potato latte laced with uji matcha, a salted honey houjicha, a caffeine-free mugwort drink with cool mint undertones and a reishi hot chocolate infused with the so-called mushroom of immortality. The homewares section is equally considered, with white twisted candles, chainmail coasters, thin-stemmed coupe glasses and cloth-covered tissue box covers placed on wooden display tables.

In the evenings, the drink menu shifted seamlessly into fashion-forward cocktails, thoughtfully selected wines and well-crafted soft drinks, with a food offering to match. If you haven’t yet had the smashed burger and fries, consider this your last call.

Evoking cafes seen in Seoul, Korea, the interiors and stylized drinks were so carefully conceived that influencers began flocking there almost immediately, prompting management to institute a ban on indoor photography and video in an effort to preserve the atmosphere.

CSJ is told that Dae will relocate, though location and timing have yet to be determined. We will share updates as we learn more.