Keith McNally’s Cherche Midi Is Closing This Summer

Looks like Cherche Midi — prolific restaurateur Keith McNally’s meaty Nolita/LES French bistro — is closing this summer after four years on Bowery. Patch spotted a state filing announcing that the restaurant would be laying off its 46 employees in June, part of the restaurant closing for “economic” reasons. The team tells Eater that the restaurant is closing because the lease is expiring.

The restaurant opened in June 2014, taking over the 282 Bowery space that briefly housed his short-lived Italian restaurant Pulino’s Bar and Pizzeria. Cherche Midi sports many of the legendary restaurateur’s signatures: antique mirrors, leather banquettes, a vibe that’s simultaneously warm and hip, and a consistent crowd of downtowners.

Here, the kitchen excelled particularly at meat — known for a big prime rib and other classic bistro fare. It has received two stars from Eater’s Ryan Sutton and two stars from the Times, but as with other McNally restaurants, it has been praised for its reliability as a McNally restaurant over any culinary cartwheels.

It’s the second recent closure for the James Beard Award-winning restaurateur. Last August, McNally shut down Schiller’s Liquor Bar after 14 years on the Lower East Side. Plans to reopen Pastis have also been quiet. Stay tuned for more.

Update: This post has been updated to add information from the McNally team.

• Acclaimed Bowery Restaurant Cherche Midi To Close, Filing Says [Patch]