Rent Hike Forces Acclaimed Kaiseki Restaurant Brushstroke To Close After Seven Years

Japanese restaurant Brushstroke, which has garnered positive reviews for its kaiseki menu over the past seven years and was originally led by chef-owner David Bouley, will close this weekend due to a rent hike, according to its chef Isao Yamada.

The Tribeca restaurant opened in 2011 at 30 Hudson St., between Reade and Duane Streets, featuring a tasting menu and a full selection of sushi — a project born from a partnership between Bouley and the Tsuji Culinary Institute. Bouley quietly stepped aside in late spring of this year, and the institute became the sole owner, restaurant manager Atsuko Kidaka tells Eater.

Brushstroke will serve its last dinner Saturday, September 29, according to a farewell message posted on its website, first spotted by the Tribeca Citizen.

“The reasons of the closing is the increase in rent,” Yamada says. “It has, unfortunately, made it impossible to keep the restaurant open any longer.” He declined to disclose how much the hike was. Eater has reached out to the property manager for comment.

Following the closure, Yamada plans to travel and research different cuisines around the world before returning to New York. Brushstroke is now offering 50 percent off its sake and wine list for the remainder of the week.

The centerpiece kaiseki restaurant was acclaimed, receiving two stars in the Times for its artful courses. The Tribeca venue was further pushed into the spotlight when it brought on sushi chef Eiji Ichimura, who earned two Michelin stars for his eight-seat sushi counter within the restaurant. But after four years, Ichimura left the restaurant to kickstart his own venture.

That speakeasy-style space was converted to a noodle bar last year, a collaboration between Yamada and ramen chef Kyoji Noda. The 14-seat space sat behind a glass and black metal partition near the southern tip of the restaurant and served dishes like duck ramen. This portion of the restaurant has already closed, Yamada says.

The severed partnership between Bouley and the culinary institute further shrunk the restauranteur’s NYC network. He closed his flagship fine-dining restaurant Bouley last year with plans to relocate it to the second floor of a townhouse at 17 Harrison St. in Tribeca, though the new iteration will have just 25 seats.

Following the closing of Bouley, the restaurateur opened Bouley at Home, which sports a food lab, cooking school, and bakeshop in the Flatiron. The multi-concept restaurant, at 31 West 21st Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, flaunts the chef’s newfound dedication to healthier food and serves an eight- to 10-course $225 tasting menu.

Eater has also reached out to Bouley for further comment.

Update: This post has been updated to reflect that Bouley is no longer part of the restaurant.