Fried Chicken Favorite Wilma Jean Closes on Sunday

Carroll Gardens favorite Wilma Jean will stop serving fried chicken this weekend after more than three years in the neighborhood.

The restaurant announced on social media that the last day will be Sunday, April 1. Restaurateurs Robert Newton and Kerry Diamond opened the small Southern spot in 2014, serving a menu of fried chicken, sandwiches, and collard greens. Newtown now owns the restaurant at 345 Smith St., near Carroll Street, solo; he and Diamond split their restaurant group, which also includes local restaurants Nightingale Nine and Smith Canteen, earlier this year.

Though it was solidly a neighborhood restaurant, Wilma Jean racked up a few accolades over the years, as well — particularly for its fried chicken, considered by some to be among the best in New York City. It also had a stall in DeKalb Market’s food hall, though it has also closed. The Carroll Gardens space previously held Nightingale Nine, which moved down the street — Wilma Jean was pitched as a spinoff as Newton and Diamond’s first Southern restaurant Seersucker, which was also known for its fried chicken.

Wilma Jean’s announcement did not say why they are closing; Eater has reached out for further information. Nightingale Nine remains open, as does Smith Canteen.