Running a successful restaurant is tough at the best of times, whether it’s fine dining establishments, iconic diners and even behemoth chains. While many spots sadly shutter and disappear forever, there are some heartwarming stories of places that have been rescued by investors and, sometimes, by the customers who can’t bear the thought of losing them. Here are some of the restaurants that have come back from the brink.
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Ellen’s Stardust Diner, New York City, New York, USA
The curtains very nearly fell forever at this iconic diner on Broadway. Badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, which shut down the area’s famous theater scene as well as forcing eateries to close during lockdown periods, the 1950s-themed diner – known for its singing waiting staff – faced eviction. In July 2020, the diner was warned that it would be forced to close unless it paid $618,000 owed to its landlord.
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Ellen’s Stardust Diner, New York City, New York, USA
Management launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise money to help out-of-work employees and announced the diner would open again in late 2020 with social distancing measures in place. The diner, which has been a popular stop for people going to Broadway shows since 1987, has since temporarily closed again but plans to reopen later in 2021.
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Gourmet Burger Kitchen, UK and Ireland
Gourmet Burger Kitchen, which had more than 60 locations across the UK and Ireland, had suffered in the face of growing competition and underwent major restructuring in 2018. The chain, known for juicy burgers loaded with various gourmet toppings, had begun to see an upturn in its profits before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, devastating much of the hospitality industry. Its owner, South African company Famous Brands, started the administration process in summer 2020.
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Gourmet Burger Kitchen, UK and Ireland
It was scooped up in a rescue deal by Boparan Restaurant Group, which has bought several other casual dining chains out of insolvency including Carluccio’s. People can now order the burgers and sides for delivery, and many restaurants are set to reopen once lockdown restrictions are lifted. Not everyone will see their local GBK return, though, as restructuring under the deal will only save 35 of the 61 sites.
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Vapiano, locations worldwide
Vapiano was founded in Hamburg, Germany in 2002, and its restaurants serve Italian-style pizza and pasta prepared in signature open kitchens. At its peak, the global chain had more than 230 restaurants – including part-franchised locations – across more than 30 countries, with a large presence in the UK and six restaurants in the US. The COVID-19 pandemic hit the already struggling chain hard and the publicly traded company applied for insolvency in April 2020.
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Vapiano, locations worldwide
A group of investors was created to swoop in and save the chain, buying the bulk of the business including restaurants operated by Vapiano and the franchise business, although the franchised restaurants themselves were not included in the deal. What’s left of the company will be liquidated, though diners around the world should once again be able to feast on house-made pizzas, fresh pasta dishes and platters of antipasti.
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Bellanger, London, England, UK
Neighborhood brasserie Bellanger was opened in Islington, North London in 2015 by major restaurant group Corbin & King, whose portfolio includes icons such as The Wolseley in Piccadilly. Despite opening to rave reviews, the French-style restaurant struggled to pull in enough customers. In August 2019, Jeremy King announced Bellanger would close and said, “Much as it had been a great critical success this wasn’t matched financially.”
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Bellanger, London, England, UK
But, despite the COVID-19 pandemic causing huge losses in the hospitality industry, Corbin & King bucked the trend by reopening Bellanger in August 2020. It hopes the restaurant will be successful now more and more people are working from home, so are likely to dine out in a residential area. The decision was made after a local survey received 4,000 responses from people who wanted the restaurant back. Its new incarnation has a less formal, more relaxed style akin to a Parisian café.
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Carluccio’s, nationwide, UK
The blue awnings of Carluccio’s are a familiar sight around the UK and especially around London, where the original Covent Garden spot was founded by the late, legendary restauranteur Antonio Carluccio in 1991, originally as an Italian food shop. The chain operated separately to the flagship restaurant, which was forced to close by developers in 2012, but faced its own struggles in the face of growing competition, exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis. It went into administration in March 2020, soon after the first national lockdown was announced.
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Carluccio’s, nationwide, UK
Fans shouldn’t have to mourn the loss of their favorite pasta dishes and mushrooms on toast for too long, though, as Carluccio’s was saved by Boparan Restaurant Group in a last-minute rescue deal. The group, which already owned casual dining chains including Giraffe and Ed’s Easy Diner and recently snapped up Gourmet Burger Kitchen, plans to save around 30 restaurants – though the remaining 40 or so face closure.
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California Pizza Kitchen, locations worldwide
The first California Pizza Kitchen was a trailblazer when it opened in glitzy Beverly Hills in 1985, serving classic pizzas with toppings inspired by its home state. It quickly expanded with over 250 restaurants in more than 30 states, plus 11 countries including the UK. Like many other chains and restaurants, loss of profits due to COVID-19 led to CPK filing for bankruptcy in July 2020.
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California Pizza Kitchen, locations worldwide
California Pizza Kitchen looked destined to be confined to hospitality history, having failed to attract any bids for its assets and forced to hand over the company to bank lenders. But the chain announced in late 2020 that it had completed its restructuring process and will relaunch with reduced debt and new innovations in place, including a focus on healthier, lower-fat and plant-based menu items.
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White Horse Tavern, Newport, Rhode Island, USA
This Newport institution claims to be the oldest operating restaurant in the US, the 10th oldest restaurant in the world and… home to a resident ghost. But it might not be around today at all had it not been for determined efforts to preserve its history. The White Horse was opened by William Mayes, Sr in 1673 and it’s his son – a pirate who inherited ownership – whose ghost some say lingers around the bar. But by the mid-20th century, the neglected building faced demolition.
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White Horse Tavern, Newport, Rhode Island, USA
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Blackfriars, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, UK
Newcastle upon Tyne is known for its medieval streets and equally old taverns, and Blackfriars Restaurant claims to have the oldest dining hall in the country. Its banquet hall dates back to the 13th century and was used by King Edward III to welcome Scottish royal, Edward Balliol, to the city in 1334. The building – originally home to the Dominican Order or Black Friars – fell into disrepair after Henry VIII ordered the dissolution of monasteries in the 16th century.
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Blackfriars, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, UK
The church itself was flattened and later rebuilt, and for centuries the priory buildings were looked after by tradesmen who were granted use of them. The site was restored in the 1970s and housed various businesses before returning as a place of feasting in 2001. Andy and Sam Hook opened it as a restaurant, refurbishing it in 2010. The main dining room serves refined pub grub, while the banquet hall – with dark wood, chandeliers and intricate wall coverings – usually hosts weddings and events.
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Gabrielle, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Chef Greg Sonnier and wife Mary opened Gabrielle in 1992 and quickly won widespread praise for Creole and Cajun dishes like rich gumbo and barbecued shrimp. Their signature slow-roasted duck (pictured) inspired an entire feature in The New York Times and Greg was a finalist in the 2005 James Beard Awards. Just months later, that August, Hurricane Katrina hit, followed by devastating floods. The restaurant was damaged and the couple sold the building.
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Gabrielle, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Despite many other setbacks, the Sonniers didn’t give up on their dream of reopening Gabrielle – and they eventually did in late 2017. The new location is near Mid-City, a little outside the center, and the building was painted in the same bold shades of blue and yellow as the original Esplanade Avenue spot. They also combed through old menus to decide which dishes to bring back, with the duck dish among the returning favorites. The restaurant is staying afloat through the COVID-19 pandemic by offering takeout dishes.
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Sbarro, locations worldwide
Pizzeria chain Sbarro was founded in Brooklyn, New York in 1956 and today has around 600 Italian-style restaurants worldwide, with its biggest presence still in the US. But it certainly hasn’t been a smooth ride, with the company filing for bankruptcy twice – first in 2011, when it underwent a reorganization, and again in 2014. The restaurants were primarily found in shopping malls and it was suggested this reliance – along with losing its focus by expanding its menu too widely – led to its downfall.
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Sbarro, locations worldwide
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Pier Brasserie, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
To say this brasserie’s first year in business has been a roller coaster would be an understatement. Pier Brasserie opened on Edinburgh’s Newhaven Harbour in February 2020 with much buzz, occupying a waterfront spot in the former Fishmarket building. Then, just weeks later, the UK entered the first national lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Owner Mark Patonyi, who had previously managed several other popular restaurants, was told his business was too new to qualify for government grants or the furlough scheme that would help him pay staff.
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Pier Brasserie, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
It looked like the restaurant may have to shutter completely, despite being packed out in the initial weeks of opening – until Patonyi decided to launch takeout offerings. Operating with just head chef, Vladimir Garcik, and a skeleton staff of two, the brasserie is offering a menu of regional produce and seafood straight from the harbor. They’ve also put social distancing and stringent hygiene measures in place with the hope of reopening later in 2021.
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Le Pain Quotidien, locations worldwide
Known for generous portions and oversized coffee cups, this Belgian-owned café is popular for breakfast, lunch meetings and just grabbing a drink and pastry. But it was struggling even before COVID-19 hit, with increasing competition and mounting debts. Restaurant closures due to the pandemic exacerbated its issues and there were reports in April 2020 that the chain was on the brink of collapse. The US arm, PQ New York, filed for bankruptcy a month later.
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Le Pain Quotidien, locations worldwide
New York-based restaurant operator Aurify Brands snapped up the 98 US locations with plans to reopen at least 35. The new owners also intend to rehire roughly half of the 2,500 employees who lost their jobs early in the pandemic. Elsewhere, newly formed company BrunchCo has bought 15 of the 26 UK locations along with sites in Belgium and France. The rescued locations are likely to look a little different, though, with communal tables among features expected to be scrapped.
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The French House, London, England, UK
People have huddled over platters of cheese and lingered over bottles of wine at The French House since the late 19th century. So when the Grade II-listed building, a stalwart of London’s Soho, faced possible closure due to lost income during the COVID-19 pandemic, the city nearly lost an icon. Over the years, it’s hosted poet Dylan Thomas, artist Francis Bacon and former French president Charles de Gaulle, who used it as his unofficial headquarters while exiled during the Second World War.
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The French House, London, England, UK
The Dean Street favorite, known as Soho’s “village pub” with a dining room upstairs, launched a crowdfunding campaign in May 2020. The aim was to raise $109,000 to save what the GoFundMe page describes as one of “the last bastions of old Soho” – and they’ve already exceeded the original target. The French House is also selling vouchers, merchandise and hampers until it’s able to fully open again.
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Chuck E. Cheese, USA and other countries
Pretty much everyone who grew up in the US – or watched American TV shows and movies – will be aware of Chuck E. Cheese, the classic kids’ birthday treat location. But the party was nearly over for the fun family restaurant chain, which has around 600 locations across the US and in several other countries. Parent company CEC Entertainment, which also owns Peter Piper Pizza and was bought by private equity firm Apollo Global Management in 2014, suffered in the wake of retail closures and lockdown due to COVID-19, and declared bankruptcy in June 2020.
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Chuck E. Cheese, USA and other countries
The company reported that same-store sales dropped 21.9% during the first quarter of that year, which is usually its busiest period. However it looks like kids (and parents) can breathe a sigh a relief as Chuck E. Cheese is set to party on, having emerged from bankruptcy proceedings in early January 2021 with a financial restructuring plan and reduced debt. The company is rolling out reopening of its restaurants and offering at-home party packages and game apps.
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Cafe Milano, Washington DC, USA
Cafe Milano is a legend in Washington DC – and beyond the capital too. The spot was founded by Italian immigrant and restauranteur Franco Nuschese in 1992 and has been a honeypot for VIPs from politicians to celebrities ever since. It oozes chic charm: think delicious upscale Italian dishes, décor styled like a Milan boutique and a room inspired by and named after opera singer Placido Domingo. But the COVID-19 pandemic hit hard and the restaurant had to close and lay off staff as it considered its future.
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Cafe Milano, Washington DC, USA
Cafe Milano’s beloved place in the hearts of its regulars is what saved it. The restaurant – which has a second location at the Four Seasons in Abu Dhabi – launched a GoFundMe campaign in March 2020 to raise money to support its workers and quickly exceeded its initial target of $75,000. People were also able to purchase gift certificates, with all proceeds going towards the same Team Relief Fund. The restaurant reopened in late 2020 and, though it’s currently only offering curbside pick-up due to COVID-19 restrictions, it plans to fully reopen as soon as regulations allow.
