DePalma’s downtown Athens outpost is set to close at the end of the month, wrapping up a 38-year run as a late-night standby for UGA students and longtime locals. Owner Dave Cappi shared a public note on Tuesday saying he is ready to slow down and spend more time with family, with the downtown restaurant scheduled to serve its final customers on Friday, Feb. 27.
Owner's message and timeline
In his note, Cappi reflected on how running the restaurant shaped his life and wrote that “the people, the conversations, and the connections in life were the real gift,” according to WSBTV. That reporting also notes that Cappi plans to stay involved with DePalma’s other locations even as he steps away from the downtown operation.
New concept lined up for March
Per WhatNow, the downtown lease will pass to local operators who expect to open a new concept called Pompeii in March. That coverage adds that the incoming team has offered to retain the existing downtown staff, a detail Cappi highlighted in his announcement.
Other DePalma’s locations will stay open
The company’s website confirms that the Eastside and Timothy Road locations will remain open and lists the downtown site at 401 E. Broad St. in Athens. According to DePalma’s, the two sister restaurants will continue normal service while the downtown space changes hands.
Community reaction
Longtime patrons and former employees have crowded comment threads with memories and well-wishes, with several people calling DePalma’s a generational touchstone, as documented by WhatNow. Many are framing the closing as the end of an era for the downtown late-night scene and a place that helped spark friendships and careers across decades.
What this signals for downtown
Local coverage has cast the closing as part of broader churn in Athens’ dining landscape as operators recalibrate after the pandemic, according to reporting from Flagpole. The change joins a run of openings and concept swaps that have reshaped blocks around the university in recent seasons.
Through Feb. 27, the downtown location is expected to maintain normal service while Cappi and the incoming operators coordinate the handoff and staffing plans. Customers looking for final hours or reservation details can check DePalma’s for updates and for information on the other locations.
