In a bold move that exemplifies the growing trend of vertical integration in the hospitality industry, Portland's beloved Eastern European restaurant Kachka has expanded its empire with a sleek new cocktail and zakuski bar nestled within their production facility. Kachka Fabrika, which opened its doors on July 16, 2025, represents a masterclass in how modern food and beverage businesses can create cohesive brand experiences while maximizing operational efficiency and product innovation.
A Factory of Flavors: The Concept Behind Kachka Fabrika
The 2,500-square-foot "factory" in Northeast Portland houses three interconnected operations: a vodka distillery, a dumpling workshop, and now, an elegant cocktail bar showcasing these house-made products alongside a seafood-forward menu that pushes beyond Kachka's traditional offerings. This approach creates a seamless production-to-plate pipeline that few establishments can match.
"This is really the culmination of so many things we've hoped to do for a long time, all under one roof," explains co-owner Bonnie Morales. "It's been a longtime dream to offer Portland another concept, to stretch our culinary wings, and we're so excited to highlight the incredible seafood from this region alongside our house-distilled vodka cocktails." www.kachkapdx.com
For industry professionals, Kachka Fabrika offers a compelling case study in how restaurants can expand beyond their original concepts while maintaining brand cohesion. Rather than simply replicating their successful restaurant, the Morales team has created a complementary experience that allows them to showcase new culinary directions while leveraging existing production capabilities.
Space Design: Industrial Chic Meets Soviet Constructivism
The physical space brilliantly balances industrial functionality with sophisticated design elements. The ground floor features an intimate 8-seat horseshoe-shaped white marble bar accented with emerald green tiles, with a glass wall offering views into the copper-clad distillery. This transparency about the production process taps into the growing consumer interest in seeing how their food and drinks are made—a trend that continues to gain momentum in 2025.
High-top tables fashioned from wood salvaged from the original Kachka location create a connection to the brand's history, while a striking floor-to-ceiling constructivist geometric mural by Portland's High Order Collective dominates one wall. The second-floor loft area offers softer lounge seating and space for larger parties, bringing the total capacity to 46 seats.
This thoughtful design approach creates multiple zones within a compact footprint, allowing the venue to accommodate different types of guest experiences—from quick post-work drinks at the standing bar to more leisurely gatherings in the upstairs lounge. For operators looking to maximize revenue per square foot while maintaining ambiance, Kachka Fabrika provides an instructive template.
The Liquid Offering: House-Distilled Excellence
The drink program at Kachka Fabrika centers around the restaurant group's newly released house-distilled wheat vodka—a premium product specifically engineered to shine in martini applications. The cocktail menu features six original martini variations, including their signature "From Kachka with Love" (Kachka Vodka, Dolin Dry vermouth, orange bitters, lemon twist, Alphonso olive) and the "Scandinavian Martini" (dill Aquavit, Lustau Manzanilla sherry, house brine, celery bitters and Gordal olive).
The bar program extends beyond martinis to include seasonal cocktails like the "Da D'na" (spruce tip-infused Cimarron tequila, Dolin Genepy le Chamois, Maraska Marachino, lime, caramelized pineapple, Scrappy's NW Alpine Bitters, cherry), vodka flights, house infusions, and thoughtfully crafted non-alcoholic options.
This vodka-forward approach comes at an interesting moment in the spirits landscape. While RTD cocktails continue their explosive growth, we're simultaneously seeing a return to classic spirit-forward cocktails like the martini in high-end establishments. Kachka Fabrika positions itself at the intersection of these trends, offering both traditional and innovative approaches to vodka service.
Seafood-Centric Zakuski: A Pacific Northwest Interpretation
While Kachka Restaurant has built its reputation on hearty Eastern European classics, Fabrika's menu takes a distinctly different direction, focusing on lighter, seafood-driven zakuski (Russian-style small plates) that showcase the bounty of the Pacific Northwest.
The menu begins with refined small bites like steelhead jerky, cod liver "foie" with rye toasts, and oyster shooters spiked with house vodka infusions. It continues with a curated selection of "konservy" (imported tinned fish) with accompaniments, and an impressive array of domestic and imported caviar options.
The raw and chilled seafood section features elevated presentations like scallops on the half shell with corn milk foam and buckwheat furikake, alongside more traditional offerings like oysters and marinated mussel salad. These items can be ordered individually or assembled into impressive seafood towers for larger groups.
The "other zakuski" section rounds out the menu with seasonal salads, vegetable dishes, and heartier options like the intriguing "clam poutine." Kachka's famous dumplings make an appearance as well, including a Fabrika-exclusive Brandade Vareniki filled with salt cod and potato.
This menu evolution reflects broader industry trends toward lighter, more shareable dining experiences while maintaining a strong sense of place and culinary identity. For restaurant operators contemplating menu expansion or concept evolution, Kachka Fabrika demonstrates how to introduce new culinary directions without abandoning core brand values.
Operational Innovation: More Than Just a Pretty Space
Beyond its culinary and beverage offerings, Kachka Fabrika represents significant operational innovation. The integration of production, retail, and hospitality under one roof creates numerous efficiencies—ingredients can move directly from production to plate, staff can be cross-trained across operations, and the business can capture value at multiple points in the supply chain.
The venue's hours (4pm-11pm Thursday/Sunday/Monday and 4pm-12am Friday/Saturday) are strategically designed to maximize profitability during peak evening hours while giving staff consistent schedules—a growing priority in an industry still struggling with labor challenges.
Perhaps most notably, Kachka implemented a groundbreaking Wage Equity Program in 2022, eliminating tips in favor of sustainable living wages and growth opportunities for all staff. This approach has not only helped the business attract and retain talent in a competitive market but has positioned Kachka as an industry leader in addressing systemic inequities in restaurant compensation.
As labor concerns continue to dominate hospitality industry discussions, Kachka's integrated approach to staffing, scheduling, and compensation offers valuable insights for operators seeking sustainable business models.
The Future of Integrated Hospitality Experiences
Kachka Fabrika represents a growing trend in the hospitality industry: the creation of integrated, multi-faceted venues that combine production, retail, and experiential elements. This approach addresses several challenges facing modern restaurants:
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Diversified Revenue Streams: By incorporating distilling, retail products, and on-premise consumption, businesses can weather fluctuations in any single segment.
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Enhanced Brand Experience: Guests can engage with the brand on multiple levels, from watching production processes to sampling products to taking items home.
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Operational Efficiencies: Shared spaces, equipment, and staff create economies of scale not possible with separate facilities.
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Product Development Agility: The close proximity of production and consumption allows for rapid testing and refinement of new offerings.
For food and beverage professionals contemplating expansion or concept evolution, Kachka Fabrika offers a compelling model of how thoughtful integration can create distinctive guest experiences while addressing operational challenges.
Visit Kachka Fabrika
Kachka Fabrika is located in the Bindery Annex Building at 2117 N.E. Oregon Street, Portland, Oregon, 97232. The bar operates Thursday through Monday from 4pm, closing at 11pm on Thursday, Sunday, and Monday, and at midnight on Friday and Saturday.
Limited reservations are available through OpenTable, with many seats held for walk-in guests. Follow their Instagram @KachkaFabrika for updates and special events.
For restaurant and bar operators visiting Portland, Kachka Fabrika offers a masterclass in concept integration, design cohesion, and operational innovation that's well worth experiencing firsthand. And for everyone else, it promises an exceptional evening of vodka, seafood, and Eastern European hospitality with a distinctly Portland twist.
As the hospitality industry continues to evolve, operations like Kachka Fabrika demonstrate how traditional culinary heritage can be reimagined for contemporary audiences without losing authenticity. By combining production transparency with experiential dining and innovative business practices, they're creating a blueprint for the next generation of food and beverage establishments.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral. Politz is also the founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
