Food enthusiasts are expressing their disappointment as a renowned New York City restaurant, helmed by a celebrity chef, prepares to close its doors after 25 years of service.
Tom Colicchio, the celebrated head judge from “Top Chef,” has been delighting diners at his Flatiron District establishment, Craft, with its bold yet straightforward culinary offerings. However, the restaurant will serve its last meal on June 27.
In an announcement made on Wednesday, the 63-year-old chef shared the difficult decision to close the restaurant, admitting he is still “grappling with the situation.”
“Twenty-five years is a significant time in New York,” Colicchio told The New York Times.
He further explained, “The landscape has changed, with rents and costs for everything continuously rising. It’s becoming unmanageable.”
Reflecting on the restaurant’s early days, Colicchio noted that diners were more willing to try new things, reminiscing about a time when he could sell “26 squab a night.”
‘Now, I’m lucky to get two orders,’ Colicchio said.
Craft was given three stars by the outlet in 2001 and 2011. It was ranked among the 70 best restaurants to eat in New York as recently as 2024.
Tom Colicchio, best known for being the head judge on Top Chef, will close his lower Manhattan restaurant Craft on June 27
Craft has operated for 25 years but Colicchio said in a statement on Instagram he was struggling to pay its lease
Colicchio said that ‘doing things the Craft way came with a hitch’ as he discussed the imminent shuttering of his flagship New York City restaurant
Colicchio explained the reasoning behind Craft’s name as he shed light on the motives behind its shuttering.
‘My approach was food that was craft, not art,’ he told The New York Times.
In a statement published Wednesday on his Instagram account, Colicchio called his restaurant a ‘radical experiment that worked.’
‘It married daring austerity with communal warmth, betting on the idea that diners would enjoy having a shared, connected experience and the best food of their lives at the same time,’ he wrote.
Colicchio thanked his customers and staff before acknowledging that ‘doing things the Craft way came with a hitch.’
The well–known chef explained that the restaurant had struggled to pay its lease in a neighborhood that had turned into New York City’s ‘restaurant gold coast.’
He said it was time to usher in ‘new experiments that can compete in today’s attention economy.’
Users thanked him for the years of service as they lamented the closure of the restaurant.
‘Thank you Chef! You have been a part of all of my cooking days,’ one said.
Another added: ‘Many magnificent meals there. Craft will be missed.’
Colicchio told The New York Times that his approach ‘was food that was craft, not art’
Customers were attracted to Craft for their focus on seasonal dishes featuring locally–bought ingredients. Colicchio called his restaurant a ‘radical experiment that worked’ on Wednesday
Colicchio’s restaurant will discount all wines at 50 percent for the remainder of June ahead of its closure
The restaurant’s menu includes seasonal dishes featuring locally–bought, high-quality ingredients.
‘To this day my favorite restaurant,’ a third commenter said. ‘Will surely miss dining here in the future but cherish all the memories. Thanks for the ride.’
‘Loved every meal there,’ another added.
However, it has also been celebrated for its stunning and award–winning design.
Craft consists of an eighty–foot long room that features a steel and bronze wine vault, as well as a curved Brazilian walnut and leather–paneled wall, according to architects Bentel and Bentel.
The main dining room sits 100 guests, according to the restaurant’s website.
‘We left as many spaces unvarnished as we could – stripped of disguises, the building materials carried a rustic beauty all their own, just as a perfect mushroom or radish or sea scallop does before sauces and garnish,’ Colicchio said in his book.
Colicchio said the restaurant will offer 50 percent off wines during what he said would be a ‘month-long party,’ but as of Saturday, all Craft reservations through the month had been snapped up.
After closing Craft, Colicchio will still own other restaurants, including Temple Court and the Bar Room in the Beekman Hotel downtown and Craftsteak in Las Vegas.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Colicchio for further comment.
