A popular restaurant has announced it will close after five years as hospitality venues across the country feel the pinch of cost-of-living pressures hitting Australians.
Modern European restaurant and wine bar NOTA, in Paddington in Brisbane’s west, will close on August 3.
Chefs and co-owners Sebastiaan de Kort and Kevin Docherty said the decision to close was a fairly easy one, especially as the lease expires.
The restaurant opened in March 2019, with Mr de Kort and Mr Docherty taking over the historic storefront that housed French restaurant Montrachet.
NOTA quickly became very popular with locals, with a menu of European-inspired dishes and an extensive wine list.
The closure of NOTA gives Mr de Kort and Mr Docherty the opportunity to take their team to their second restaurant, Allonda in Newstead in Brisbane’s north, which they co-own with sommelier Yanika Sittisuntorn.
NOTA chefs and co-owners Kevin Docherty (pictured left) and Sebastiaan de Kort (pictured right) have announced that the popular restaurant will close on August 3
NOTA was famous for its menu of European-inspired dishes and an extensive wine list
The closure was announced on NOTA’s website, inviting customers to say goodbye
During the pandemic, Mr de Kort and Mr Docherty, like many other restaurants, focused on pastries and takeaway.
This gave rise to the artisanal candy company Arty’s, which is still active.
In mid-2022, they expanded NOTA by taking over an adjacent lease before opening Allonda later in the year.
Mr De Kort told The Courier mail that NOTA would not have been successful without the loyal support of the Paddington community.
“We are excited about what the future holds, both for us and for the space we leave behind,” said Mr. De Kort.
The closure was announced on NOTA’s websitewhere customers are invited to say goodbye.
“Join us over the next eight weeks as we bring back some of our beloved classic dishes and say goodbye to the crew,” the farewell message read.
‘We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We hope to welcome you again.’
Mr De Kort acknowledged the impact Australia’s sluggish economy is having on the hospitality industry and said it makes sense to consolidate.
‘The sector has changed. Spending has changed. People are working very hard for their money at the moment, so you have to make sure you tick all the boxes,” he told the newspaper Brisbane times.
“But I think there’s still a lot of positivity. It’s been a tough twelve months, but the next twelve will get better. It’s cyclical.’
The closure of NOTA in Brisbane comes after a hospitality company that operated a string of popular cafes and bakeries in the city went into administration last month.
BCN Events Group went into voluntary liquidation, reportedly laying off 90 employees.
The company is owned by award-winning chef Shannon Kellam and had seven locations that closed.
Mr Kellam also owns the French gourmet restaurant Montrachet, which used to be on the NOTA site.
Montrachet is not affected by the liquidation.
