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Photo by ColumbusFoodie.com
The Columbus Dining scene is constantly changing, which means that new restaurants are always opening, and sadly, some restaurants end up closing. The national economic recession took quite a toll on many businesses throughout 2008 and 2009, and some were unable to recover from the financial loss. Below are eight local restaurants that we will miss the most after their 2009 departures.
8. Happy Greek – The second Happy Greek location opened at the South Campus Gateway in May of 2006, and has been through a turbulent three years. Early reviews were mostly positive, but less than a year after opening, the owners were accused of running a mortgage fraud scam out of their restaurant. The investigation continued through 2007 and one of the owners was arrested and charged in early 2008. The business came to a close in September 2009, when the doors were shut for good. The original Short North location remains open for business.
7. Wolfgang Puck Express – This fast casual chain entered the Columbus market in late 2004 at the newly renovated Shoppes at Lane Avenue. Reviews over the past five years were mixed, but generally positive. In October 2009, the general manager at the restaurant announced that they were closing with plans to relocate to a larger space. No location has been announced, and no reopening date has been set.
6. Rosendales – In late 2006, award-winning Chef Richard Rosendale announced that he would be opening his first restaurant in the Short North to quite a bit of local fanfare. Rosendales opened in March 2007 immediately hit the Dispatch Top 10 list in its first year and received plenty of additional praise. Rosendale went on to compete in the 2008 Bocuse d’Or, helping to place Columbus on the national culinary map. 2009 saw a series of menu changes and rebranding efforts to help combat the national recession’s impact on fine dining establishments, but it ultimately wasn’t enough to keep the business afloat. Chef Rosendale left town and his restaurant closed shortly afterward in October 2009.
5. Maca Cafe – The Maca Cafe was opened in Powell in 2007 by Norman and Susan Carmichael. Reviews were mostly positive, even enticing folks to drive quite a distance to visit. The owners recently announced that due to economic hardships, their closing day will be on December 19th at 9pm, so fans of Maca still have two more weeks to stop in for a last meal.
4. Thom’s on Grandview – Thom Coffman opened Thom’s on Grandview in early 2006 and quickly jumped onto the Dispatch Top 20 List. In 2007, Coffman revealed plans to renovate his other restaurant The Clarmont into an 8-story mixed-use development. The sagging housing market and recession has delayed those plans, but Coffman has continued to pursue them while putting Thom’s up for sale in July 2008 and turning the restaurant into a private event-only space in May 2009.
3. Trattoria LaTavola – Rick and Krista Lopez opened LaTavola in Powell in 1999, and later moved it to Riverside Drive in Dublin. Despite rave reviews, the couple closed the doors in February 2009. Rick and Krista are already hard at work on opening their next concept Knead Downtown near the North Market.
2. Details – Only a year after opening Rosendales in the Short North, Chef Richard Rosendale was ready to expand, and in July 2008, Details Minibar and Lounge was launched in space next door. The concept quickly became a Columbus Underground favorite for their more casual atmosphere and upscale take on bar food and classic cocktails. Unfortunately, when Rosendales closed in October, Details went along with it.
1. Handke’s – Chef Hartmut Handke may be one of the most nationally acclaimed chefs in the city of Columbus, and his restaurant was recognized several times as the top restaurant in all of Ohio by Zagat. In July 2008, Chef Handke sold the restaurant after being semi-retired from the business already. The national recession had an impact on all fine dining establishments, and the new owners attempted to combat this by launching Encore, an upscale small-plate bar business similar to Details, in March 2009. It wasn’t enough to keep the business running though, and Handke’s closed their doors in June 2009.
Long Live DeepWood…great food all around!
Everywhere in the area was packed on Saturday night for Holiday Hop. It’s a great event and is great for all of the local businesses. If you weren’t busy that night, then you’re in REAL trouble. Don’t get me wrong, I am not wishing for any of the restaurants to close. I just don’t see the economy getting much better soon, and some of the already struggling restaurants will face even more challenges in 2010 unfortunately.
That’s all terrific re: DeepWood. Makes me very happy, and my stomach.
I think Barrio’s in terrific shape, just based on similarly anecdotal evidence.
I wish Handke’s would come back. Or that someone would resurrect two items off his menu: the cream of celery soup; the cheese “basket” he would prepare and in which he would serve the once-best Caesar salad in the city.
All these closings are so depressing. Here’s hoping 2010 is better for the restaurant industry. In light of the recent meter rate increases, I fear that our restaurants in the urban core will only struggle more.
My partner loved Stoney River Steakhouse…GONE.
lizless Says: All these closings are so depressing.
Just wait… I’ve got the list of 2009 Restaurant Openings going up tomorrow and it’s like 4 times as long. ;)
It will be interesting to see how many of the new openings of 2009 are also on the list of the 2009 closings.
This is a sad article! I hope things get better for the industry!
La Hacienda Real, on Sinclair Road. Along with the standard chips ‘n’ salsa, they’d always serve up a small plate of refried beans and this wonderful cabbagey slaw as a free appetizer.
I really miss Stoney River as well. They were always busy when I ate there so not sure why they shut down. :-(
There is a Columbus patron who desires the downtown experience. “lizless” commented on the rate increase, which I know will have an impact. But my hope (and dream!) is that the increased development downtown will lure those who no longer view Columbus as a milquetoast surbanite dreamland, but instead a viable market for innovative restaurants to thrive in an urban environment! (is that too much to dream for?)
david3756 Says: It will be interesting to see how many of the new openings of 2009 are also on the list of the 2009 closings.
I was just looking back at the list of openings from 2007, and was pleasantly surprised to find that maybe 2 or 3 of them have closed since then. That’s really not that bad. Don’t they say that most restaurants fail within the first two years?
And just as a point of reference / trip down memory lane – Here’s the list of Top 10 restaurants closed in 2007. (I don’t think we compiled a list in 2008).
The Banana Bean Whittier location was closed (Greenlawn location still open). This location would later become the gathering point for Skillet.
Otero’s has closed as well :(
We dined at Rosendale’s this past summer while back in town and absolutely loved it. We promised to come back every time when we were in town. Unfortunately we won’t get the chance.
the closings are happening in every city. Here in Milwaukee we lost some very good restaurants and also had several open up. Let’s hope that it all balances out in the end.
@ ScooterMKE – I booked a few few Skybus Airlines flights out to Milwaukee, never made it out to your great city after they folded.
Did you have some sad losses this year as well?
You can add Shane’s Gourmet/ Catering to the list, they close Dec 21.
Ohhhhh! That’s a giant SUCK! Shane’s is awesome! :(
whoa…Shanes is closing?!?
Horrible news.
Just called to confirm. The Market is closed effective immediately… the catering side of the business is being restructured. MORE HERE