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Taste of Belgium Shutters Two More Restaurants

The Cincinnati-based restaurant chain also closed its Liberty Township, Kenwood and Clifton bistros in May.

Sep 5, 2024 at 11:23 am

Fields Ertel Taste of Belgium Photo: Google Maps

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Cincinnati restaurant chain Taste of Belgium announced the closure of two more of its restaurants. This comes just months after the closure of three of its other bistros.

Taste of Belgium shared on social media Wednesday that its Crestview Hills and Fields Ertel locations were closed. Jean Francois Flechet, the founder of Taste of Belgium, said both bistros' final days in business were Tuesday, Sept. 3, saying the closures are due to sales expectations not being met and the continuation of the chain's restructuring strategy.

"It has been a pleasure to serve the Crestview Hills community in Northern Kentucky and the Mason communities. [Taste of Belgium] is grateful for everyone who supported them and always made them feel welcome. We truly appreciate the dedication of our Taste of Belgium Team Members and the patronage of our Guests," Flechet said in a statement provided to CityBeat.

Taste of Belgium says it's helping its team members find positions at its other locations and at other local restaurants.

In May, the chain also permanently shuttered its Liberty Township and Kenwood bistros for the same reason. It also temporarily closed the Clifton location to rebrand it as a new student-centered concept to reopen this fall; that location remains closed at this time.

Slideshow

20 Greater Cincinnati Restaurants and Bars That Closed So Far This Year

York Street CafeA Newport classic, York Street Cafe was both a restaurant and an entertainment destination, offering both food and drink as well as an art gallery and lounge. Located in a historic 1880s building, the cafe opened in 1997 and served everything from pork chops and a filet to a veggie burger and "Terry's Famous Bloody Mary." York Street announced the closure on social media in July, writing, “We are so grateful to the guests who have supported us through all these years. The weddings, proposals, first dates, anniversaries, birthdays and countless other special occasions that were celebrated here we live on in our memories forever.” The owners told news outlets they struggled to bounce back after the pandemic.

The DrinkeryOver-the-Rhine bar The Drinkery is set to close permanently in August, but the space will remain under 4EG’s ownership and be rebranded as a cocktail lounge, called Nice Life. 4EG says when it purchased the popular OTR bar in 2023, it saw the potential to introduce a youthful, new experience to the neighborhood, which will include craft cocktails, dancing and Jell-O shots — a nod to The Drinkery. The bar is still temporarily open ahead of renovations, but it's being called The Setback, for now.

Cosmic GorillaCincinnati’s Gorilla Cinema, the immersive and thematic experience group behind bars like Overlook Lodge, Tokyo Kitty and more, closed its comic book shop/bar near Findlay Market in July to pursue a new concept for the space. The company says the decision to close the shop, Cosmic Gorilla, came after comic book sales dipped 70% year over year. Instead, it will pivot to Highball, a cocktail bar. Highball is expected to open this fall.

Goose & ElderChef Jose Salazar announced the closure of his Findlay Market restaurant, Goose & Elder, in June following the opening of his wine bar, Safi, and the announcement that his eponymous restaurant would move into the former Saks Fifth Avenue building on Fifth Street. Salazar cited the shift in his focus to these eateries as the reason behind the closure.

Nation Kitchen & Bar (Pendleton)Nation Kitchen & Bar officially closed its flagship location in Pendleton this past spring. The Broadway Street restaurant — which opened in 2015 and was Nation’s first location — first closed in October 2023 for renovations, but in May, ownership said it was time to focus on its new location at The Banks.

SolsticeSolstice opened in the former Suzie Wong’s space in East Walnut Hills in late June 2023, only lasting about nine months before closing in March this year. The restaurant, which served up taco-style dishes featuring ingredients from different tropical regions, was the second venture of 3B4D Hospitality Group, which also owns Anjou. 3B4D said Solstice didn’t experience the growth it needed to stay open.

The LittlefieldThe Littlefield, a Northside bourbon bar and restaurant closed its doors for good in February after 10 years in business. It opened in July 2014 and was best known for its unique menu and clever craft cocktails of the month. Lads Entertainment, who also owned and operated Branch in East Walnut Hills before its closure in 2022, owned the space, but did not offer a reason for its closing. However, The Littlefield’s neighboring bar, Second Place, remained open.

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About The Author

Katherine Barrier

Katherine Barrier is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s journalism program and has nearly 10 years of experience reporting local and national news as a digital journalist. At CityBeat, she oversees the digital and social media strategies, edits web and print content and writes for the dining and arts...