So perhaps a contrarian opinion, but I’ve never actually heard a positive word said about Lyles from people who I know personally. There was some eyebrow furrowing as to how it made 50 Best lists and whatnot. That’s not to say it’s closing was inevitable (I’ve never been), but the absence of praise from people I know meant I wasn’t totally surprised. A shame as always for the teams who graft away night after night. It’s never easy to close something you work hard on.
Fair enough. I hear you. And never having been, it's hard for me to judge. But it did seem to be a top place in Shoreditch, and in that sense, feels like a loss for the neighborhood.
We closed our restaurant during the COVID days. Prior to the pandemic we were always crazy busy, but after 17 years it was actually a relief. A restaurant is a great thing to own, but they eat your life.
Thanks for the comment. We spent many a great evening in Vanilla Black. And as a diner, it was easy to tell how much heart and soul was going into the food and the whole experience. But I hugely sympathise with that reality — at some point, it's time to move on. At some point, the reserves of emotional energy — not to mention physical energy and money — just run out.
Thank you Marshall. The COVID situation was a huge dilemma for many. Use up your cash reserves, take on debt and battle onwards, or get out and dodge the risk. We chose the latter. This is possibly why we see so many restaurants disappearing, managing those debts and dealing with the current negative financial situation is taking its toll.
So perhaps a contrarian opinion, but I’ve never actually heard a positive word said about Lyles from people who I know personally. There was some eyebrow furrowing as to how it made 50 Best lists and whatnot. That’s not to say it’s closing was inevitable (I’ve never been), but the absence of praise from people I know meant I wasn’t totally surprised. A shame as always for the teams who graft away night after night. It’s never easy to close something you work hard on.
Fair enough. I hear you. And never having been, it's hard for me to judge. But it did seem to be a top place in Shoreditch, and in that sense, feels like a loss for the neighborhood.
We closed our restaurant during the COVID days. Prior to the pandemic we were always crazy busy, but after 17 years it was actually a relief. A restaurant is a great thing to own, but they eat your life.
Thanks for the comment. We spent many a great evening in Vanilla Black. And as a diner, it was easy to tell how much heart and soul was going into the food and the whole experience. But I hugely sympathise with that reality — at some point, it's time to move on. At some point, the reserves of emotional energy — not to mention physical energy and money — just run out.
Thank you Marshall. The COVID situation was a huge dilemma for many. Use up your cash reserves, take on debt and battle onwards, or get out and dodge the risk. We chose the latter. This is possibly why we see so many restaurants disappearing, managing those debts and dealing with the current negative financial situation is taking its toll.