Streetlevel: Bye-Bye Boerum Hill Food Company
There’s another one down on Smith Street. Gowanus Lounge reports that Boerum Hill Food Company, a beloved fixture in the neighborhood, shut its doors yesterday. Apparently the restaurant was owned by Saul and Lisa Bolton, owners of the Michelin-starred Saul restaurant down the street. That one’s still open. GMAP
There’s another one down on Smith Street. Gowanus Lounge reports that Boerum Hill Food Company, a beloved fixture in the neighborhood, shut its doors yesterday. Apparently the restaurant was owned by Saul and Lisa Bolton, owners of the Michelin-starred Saul restaurant down the street. That one’s still open. GMAP
I live in blocks from BHFC and only ate there once..it was okay, but nothing great. Please do not open yet another underwhelming French bistro type place, we have enough of those around. Wait, a wings place? are you kidding? Nooooo! We don’t need wings. Talk about decreasing my property value. And, yes, having a Trader Joe’s 3 blocks away does increase my property value. Not $3mm, though.
I’ve always had superb food/service/portions at Saul, and always felt that, under the guise of being comfort food, BHFC was total dreck. With a hard-to-place attitudinizing on top of the crappy food, this has been a long time coming. Don’t know what Planet Wings is, but I’m preparing to be v depressed. By the way, how does this stick in the craw of all the dimwit hypers who thought Trader Joe’s coming to Court Street made a townhouse around the corner worth three million bucks? Do shuttered stores finally get the message through to DIBS? Stay tuned.
I’m sort of not surprised by Margaret Palca. We had been going there every Sunday on our way to the farmers market for a cup of coffee but as soon as there is more than one person ahead of you in line it takes them FOREVER to get to you. We have walked out of there numerous times because we were sick of waiting and have now stopped trying. I’m sure we are not the only ones…
Secrets out people, the location was sold to Planet Wings…hold for laughter/tears. Saul and Lisa sold out to the highest bidder after unsuccessfully tinkering with a formula that worked for so long. Maybe if they had listened to their customers instead of acting like they could tell them what they wanted Saul and Lisa would still have this treasured neighborhood establishment. Yes times are tough, but it seems like little was done here to turn business around, if not quite to the contrary. Again, a shame, more for the workers of this spot and for the regulars who called BHFco a home away from home for so many years.
THAL, you’ve already got Wade’s. What do you want, a Hooters? Talk about what Smith street doesn’t need…
Ok — and I had an uneeded apostrophe too. I cannot type — never could, never will. Brain-finger coordination sucks.
“Right up there with Gotham, 11 Madison, Toqueville, Garmmarcy Tavern etc.
BH76, is “Garmmarcy” Tavern anywhere near the Marcy Houses?
I will miss the Boerum Hill Food Company that might have been. The actual incarnation always disappointed. It was comfortable, with friendly staff, and an easy menu. But the food was almost never very good. Recent changes only made the situation worse. I hope they are actually just reconsidering the whole thing.
I always missed Trout and whatever that thing was that proceeded it. Great concept and completely dreadful execution.
The marginal places will go, but I hope the great places like Saul continue. In fact, I think I will vote with my reservation this week!
I heard that they were just shutting it down for a makeover. The owners just weren’t happy with the menu, etc., and felt that a clean slate was better than trying to tinker. That was half a year ago, so not sure if its still true.