Brooklyn Seasonal Standout Freek’s Mill Has Closed

Brooklyn loses another neighborhood favorite this week with the closure of cozy seasonal Gowanus restaurant Freek’s Mill, which shut its doors last night.

The restaurant located at 285 Nevins St. became known for exciting wood-fired seasonal fare and an offbeat wine list. It was a project from owner J.T. Stewart, wine director and partner Alex Alan, and general manager and partner Maxime Giordani, with chef Chad Shaner at the helm. But Stewart tells Eater that all three have left the restaurant, making it difficult for him to run the place solo since he also runs his own construction company full time.

“The product was really good, and it was a great restaurant. Then eventually, all of those operating partners parted ways with us for one reason or another,” he says. When chef Shaner left, Stewart says he tapped Daniel Kang to run the kitchen, though he eventually left for another job opportunity. And Stewart says he also lost his new somm for an opportunity in Italy.

Freek’s Mill opened in 2016 with a farm-focused menu offering dishes like octopus with fingerlings and salsa verde; monkfish with fried rice and charred cabbage; and barbecue kohlrabi with grits. The restaurant was named after an 18th-century mill that once operated on the nearby Gowanus Canal, and its cuisine paid homage to the area’s long-gone farms.

Under chef Shaner, the restaurant was well-received by critics, including a two star review from the Times.

Its closure is one of several big-deal closings happening in Brooklyn this month. In Prospect Heights, one of the city’s best pie shops Daly Pie has closed, and over in Park Slope, Uzbek favorite Nargis Bar & Grill and 20-year-old gay bar Excelsior have also shuttered.