Longa, a Cardiff Turkish restaurant known for drawing customers from across the UK, has announced the closure of its city centre venue with immediate effect.
The restaurant, run by sisters Gizem Yorgun and Simge Yalcin along with Pinar Ogun, shared the "difficult news" in a social media post, saying they were "heartbroken" that their time on Park Place "has come to an end".
Expansion and Immediate Closure
Longa first opened in Cardiff in 2019 as a breakfast and brunch café on Whitchurch Road. It expanded in March 2025 when its Park Place venue opened, serving dinner alongside its breakfast and brunch offerings.
In their announcement, the women behind Longa acknowledged the challenges of running an independent restaurant, noting that many small businesses across hospitality are "carrying that weight".
Gratitude and Future Plans
The team thanked everyone who supported them over the last year, expressing hope to continue seeing customers at the Whitchurch Road café.
"To everyone who supported us, came back, brought their friends and family, celebrated with us or simply made our tables part of their day: thank you," they wrote. "You gave this place its life. We'll carry the memories with us. We hope to keep seeing you at our Whitchurch Road café for as long as we can."
Background and Culinary Story
Simge, who oversees the food at Longa, worked as a teacher in Turkey for eight years before turning to cooking. After her mother was diagnosed with cancer, she began preparing some of her recipes.
Simge previously told WalesOnline: "I made them to make her happy because we all knew she wouldn't survive and I wanted her to trust me to look after the family. The first time I cooked one of her recipes she couldn't believe her eyes. She said: 'It doesn't even look homemade, how did you make it so perfect?'"
After losing her mother 11 months after the diagnosis, Simge used cooking to cope with her grief. When she moved to Cardiff, she sought to open a café, eventually setting up the restaurant alongside her sister, who had been studying a marketing degree in the city. Simge's dishes are known for their rich flavours, inspired by Turkish cuisine and elements of Greek cuisine such as olive oils and fresh vegetables.
