2023 was another turbulent year for Salem and Mid-Valley restaurants and food carts.

This year was a big one for highly-anticipated chain restaurant openings, while some surprising cuisines and concepts made their way to the area. Yet with all the openings also came closings of a few longtime staples.

Here are the most impactful openings and closings this year.

Top openings in and around Salem in 2023

Checkpoint 221

Checkpoint 221 opened with great excitement in West Salem. The food pod sports more than a dozen food carts, the most of any of the other Salem-based pods. Its accompanying pavilion is now offering heated patio seating as it finishes up construction on the interior.

Current food trucks stationed at Checkpoint 221 include The Salty Shack, Bobablastic, Cherry City Wings, Dreaming of Sushi, Eddy's Phillys, Gardenia Thai Kitchen, Gyropoulos, Los Argentinos, Nanay's Ba-Hi, Pastatastic, Quesadilla Wizards, Sweet Seoul, Taqueria Arandas and Tin Roof Bistro by Street Sweets.

For more on the food cart pod, check out the Facebook page.

Address: 233 Riverbend Road NW

Icarus Wings and Things

Icarus Wings and Things shook up the bar scene by becoming the first women's sports bar in town. The bar champions women's sports on air and locally, while also serving up gluten-free chicken wings. The bar is Oregon's second women's sports bar, joining the Sports Bra in Portland.

The operation is co-owned by Jonathan Jones of Epilogue Kitchen alongside his partner, Maura Ryan, and friends Kelli and Aaron Gilliland. The Gillilands are passionate about sports, Kelli especially so as a former collegiate athlete, and man the sports-side of the operation.

To keep up with the bar and women's sports viewing schedules, check out the website, icaruschicken.com, or the Instagram page, @icarussalem.

Address: 130 High St.

Angel's Share Barrel House

Angel's Share Barrel House is back in action after reopening under new ownership. The Turner restaurant closed last year after one of the owners died from cancer, but the renovated church-turned bar and restaurant legacy lives on.

Now owned by Christopher "Toph" Holland, he's brought back to life former owners Chad and Melissa Casady's project of love. The two originally wanted to create a community pub, but faced difficulties during the pandemic and when Chad was diagnosed and later died from cancer. Holland hopes to make the barrel house a beloved community spot.

To keep up with the bar and restaurant, check out the Facebook page.

Address: 5420 Denver St. SE, Turner

Pacific Standard

Pacific Standard threw downtown Salem into a frenzy when the popular Portland bar opened its second location inside the new Holman Hotel. The chic spot brought elevated Northwest aesthetics with classic bar staples from owners and award-winning bartenders Jeffrey Morgenthaler and Benjamin Amberg.

Pacific Standard is bringing the same experience from the bar's first location in Portland. The food options are also an homage to the Pacific Northwest. If you are into low ABV or non-alcoholic options, they have that too.

For more on Pacific Standard, check out the website, theholmanhotel.com/salem-oregon-bar-restaurants, or Instagram page, @pacificistandardsalem.

Address: 195 Commercial St. SE

Dave's Hot Chicken

One of the hottest hot chicken chains opened in Salem, joining the likes of Chick-fil-A that also opened earlier this year. The Los Angeles-based chicken chain is well known for its hot chicken tenders and chicken sandwiches. The franchise is owned by Alex Karcher, who said the location had been in development for two years.

The chain restaurant began in Los Angeles in 2017 and has grown in popularity since then. Salem is the fifth Oregon city with a location, after Tualatin, Beaverton, Portland and Clackamas. Even though the restaurant's specialty is hot chicken, there are also no heat sauces. For those with bold taste, the restaurant also has a sauce for the Carolina Reaper, the world's hottest pepper.

Address: 3817 Center St. NE

Biggest closures in and around Salem in 2023

Kitchen on Court Street

The Kitchen on Court Street once was Salem's only 24-hour restaurant downtown. But after the pandemic, adding in a wine shop and still struggling to bring folks back in, owner Bernard Malherbe decided to close in February.

The restaurant was well known for its diner-esque interior, counter tops and reliable meals at all hours. Malherbe opened the restaurant in 2014 and transitioned to being open 24-hours a day in early 2016.

Now, Palominos restaurant has taken its place with a modern Western theme inside.

Address: 466 Court St. NE

Campbell's BBQ

Campbell's BBQ moved into a new space on State Street in March. Owner Andrew Campbell originally began his venture in a food truck, then moved into a north Salem space before settling on State Street. The spot joined the growing number of restaurants just outside of downtown offering barbecue.

Campbell served up barbecue meats, sides, combination plates and even dessert. One of his specialties was burnt ends, which he offered only on the weekends.

Campbell closed the restaurant in mid-July. He is still offering catering for those who miss his barbecue, and is reachable on his social media pages.

Bargarten

The Bargarten's closure earlier this year marked the end of Gustav's, a German chain restaurant, along with its sister concept, Bargarten. The Keizer location was the last location to close among the other Oregon locations.

The location opened in April 2015 to much excitement. The restaurant was a deviation from the original Gustav's concept, which modeled the restaurant after Bavarian bargartens, which are outdoorsy and social settings.

Months after Bargarten closed, Brix Tavern opened in its place.

Address: 4064 Keizer Station Blvd.

Great Harvest Bread

Great Harvest Bread in downtown Salem closed its doors for the final time in May, after 34 years of operation.

Franchise owners Ian and Lonna Hagen wrote online they were thankful for the business over the decades and to the other businesses downtown.

There are still two other locations of the Oregon bakery business chain in town. One is in South Salem at 3405 Commercial Drive SE and the other in West Salem at 525 Taggart Drive NW.

Busick Court

In one of the most surprising announcements this year, longtime downtown restaurant Busick Court abruptly closed and packed up everything inside in just a couple days in early December. The breakfast and lunch spot was well-loved by Salemites, especially for its banana nut stuffed French toast and being one of the few places open on major holidays.

The restaurant was opened by Rick and Edna Keith in 1980, according to Statesman Journal archives, and was even featured in a 2005 broadcast of Rachael Ray's "$40 A Day" on Food Network.

Former owner Jim Madden said the closure was due to issues with securing a new lease and the building owner. Madden bought the restaurant on Court Street 28 years ago and had run it with a dedicated staff.

Em Chan covers food and dining at the Statesman Journal. You can reach her at echan@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @catchuptoemily.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Top restaurant openings, biggest closures in Salem in 2023