Notable Closings
Two Chefs Seafood Oyster Bar — Two chefs were apparently one too many.
Citrus — Developer Craig Ustler is reducing his participation in restaurant ownership.
North Quarter Tavern — See Citrus.
Emeril’s Tchoup Chop — Celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse’s Pacific Rim restaurant called it quits at New Year’s ball drop.
Spanish River Grille — Michele and Henry Salgado sold their popular New Smyrna Beach restaurant and the new owner closed it shortly thereafter.
Nova — Ivanhoe District restaurant had shown improvement in cuisine after its first year. There won’t be a second.
Baoery — Greg Richie’s Asian bistro just couldn’t find a crowd.
Mucho Tequila and Tacos — Closed to make way for Muddy Waters.
Scratch — Scratched.
Millenia 106 — I have to think the location did this one it — great visibility in front of Mall at Millenia, but difficult to get to. (The name sucked, too.)
The Peppy Bistro — Could have been peppier.
Rossi’s Pizza and Pasta — One of Central Florida’s oldest restaurants said goodbye at the end of the year.
Conway Cafe — It was struggling already when Hurricane Irma did it in.
Paris-Bistro — It had a good run in a hidden location off Park Avenue.
Mitchell’s Fish Market — How can you not make a fortune in this Winter Park Village location?
Pincho Factory — South Florida eatery tried to duplicate its success in the Restaurant Row district.
Polonia — Popular Polish restaurant closed twice if you count Polski’s, which was supposed to take its place in a space just behind the Longwood location.
Luigino’s — I predicted this ostensibly Italian restaurant in Heathrow that started out as Pasta Lover’s wouldn’t last — it just took a couple of decades for me to be right.
Wolfgang Puck Cafe — Once wonderful, it flagged when Puck sold the concept.
Park Plaza Gardens — This Winter Park institution technically closed in 2016 and was meant to reopen. Owner Mary Demetree finally pulled the plug last year after negotiations with the landlord to address certain issues failed.
PR’s Taco Palace Winter Park — Another institution, this one done in by SunRail. When the road along the tracks that patrons parked on was closed, numbers declined. PR’s was known for its shot specials whenever a train would go by. So, irony.
