Two and a half years after opening Le Bistro in Vienna, acclaimed chef Roberto Donna and his wife, Nancy Sabbagh Donna, announced they have closed its doors and sold the restaurant.
“Roberto and I want to express our heartfelt thanks for your wonderful support and for being part of the Le Bistro family,” Sabbagh Donna wrote. “We are deeply grateful for the beautiful experience of hosting you.”
The decision came quickly after what Sabbagh Donna described as a unique opportunity involving the restaurant’s lease. “We got an amazing opportunity, and it just moved quickly,” she says. “With all the legal pieces involved in a transaction like that, it happened fast.”
A Personal Space
Le Bistro quietly closed earlier this month. It was located just down Church Street from the couple’s other acclaimed restaurant, Roberto’s Ristorante Italiano.
Le Bistro marked a notable departure for the Italian-born chef. Known for his classic Italian cooking, Donna launched the restaurant as a French-inspired concept, bringing traditional bistro fare — think steak frites and escargot — to the neighborhood dining scene.
“It really is just a comfortable place to come in and have a good meal, gather around and have a glass of wine in the neighborhood,” Sabbagh Donna told Northern Virginia Magazine when the restaurant opened.
For the couple, the concept was a personal one.
“A bistro was always a passion of ours,” Sabbagh Donna says. “We both grew up going to bistros, so we wanted to share that experience with the Vienna community.”
The couple emphasized that their nearby restaurant Roberto’s Ristorante Italiano, which was first named one of our 50 Best Restaurants in 2022, will remain their primary focus.
“Roberto’s is strong and kicking,” Sabbagh Donna says. “That’s our flagship. It’s our baby.”
Donna, a longtime figure in the Washington-area dining world, has spent decades shaping the region’s culinary reputation through his restaurants and cooking. Le Bistro’s closing also comes at a moment when the chef is considering his next project.
Looking Ahead
“We’re concentrating again on Roberto’s and the next things Roberto is thinking about,” Sabbagh Donna said. “It’s an exciting and optimistic time for us.”
The space will soon be home to a new restaurant concept, Sheeba Restaurant, which will feature Yemeni and Mediterranean cuisine. For now, the Donnas say they are grateful for the support they’ve received from Vienna diners and from the restaurant community around them.
“If you don’t love what you’re doing, this business is very tough,” Sabbagh Donna says. “But when customers come in and hug you and tell you they love the restaurant, you know you’re doing something right.”
And while Le Bistro may be closing, Sabbagh Donna hinted that Donna’s next idea may not be far away.
“Stay tuned,” she says. “We’ll have something new to share soon.”
Feature photo of Roberto Donna and Nancy Sabbagh Donna at Roberto’s Ristorante by Rey Lopez
Dawn Klavon
Contributing Writer
Dawn Klavon is a seasoned writer and reporter with more than 20 years of experience in print and broadcast journalism. She contributes to a wide range of publications, including Northern Virginia Magazine, PEOPLE, Virginia Living, Bethesda Magazine, Arlington Magazine, and several military-focused outlets. Earlier in her career, she reported for multiple San Francisco Bay Area television stations, including KLXV, KKPX, and KFCB. She holds an MLA from Harvard University and a BS from Boston University.
