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24 notable restaurant closures from 2020

From Michelin stars to James Beard Award winners to famous chefs, some restaurants could not survive the coronavirus pandemic

Holly Petre, Assistant Digital Editor

December 17, 2020

20 Slides
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In 2020, the restaurant industry suffered even more than some others. Nationwide indoor-dining limits for months on end forced the industry, which already runs on small margins, to evolve.

The decision to close isn’t easy, but for struggling businesses, the long-term dine-in restrictions were devastating. No one was spared, no matter how famous or critically acclaimed.

Thomas Keller closed two restaurants, David Chang’s Momofuku group closed two, and José Andrés also closed two – one of which held two Michelin stars.

Some dining institutions were forced to close. The Gem Spa – an East Village staple in New York City – closed because of financial troubles caused by COVID.

Some restaurants closed before COVID even hit. The Spotted Pig closed not because of COVID but after Ken Friedman’s $240,000 sexual harassment settlement in January. Friedman was brought down in the wake of the #MeToo movement.

The Spotted Pig was the first pub to receive a Michelin star.

The restaurants that closed this year held a combined seven Michelin stars, a James Beard Award and decades of memories.

See which notable restaurants closed this year.

About the Author

Holly Petre

Assistant Digital Editor

Holly Petre is a digital editor for Nation’s Restaurant News as well as the host of NRN’s podcast, Extra Serving, and producer for Informa Restaurant and Food Group’s other three podcasts, One On One by Food Management, Off the Shelf with SN and In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn. Holly holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Sculpture, fibers and Material Studies and Ceramics from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. A native New Yorker, Holly enjoys her place on staff as the resident pop-culture expert and millennial with a sassy attitude and great sense of style.

Holly Petre’s work on Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality often covers marketing and trends, either aimed-at or examined-through the millennial mindset. Holly is responsible for introducing TikTok and Twitch to NRN and RH readers as well as explaining terms like “Karen” to staff and readers alike. She also spends her time on staff trying not to make every headline a pun.

Holly Petre hasn’t spoken at any events or on panels, but she is readily available with a killer shoe wardrobe and several witty quips.

 

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