Mar 18

Mar 18 Restaurant's closure to make room for Tap House's expansion

(THE MED CITY BEAT) - Downtown Kitchen has closed its doors after about two and half years in business.

A sign left near the front door reads: "Unfortunately, our lease was not renewed and we are now closed." The restaurant's last day was Friday, according to its Facebook page.

Chef Kevin Madden opened the restaurant in a small shop on historic 3rd Street in downtown Rochester back in 2012. The building was the former home of Jaspers Alsatian Bistro.

The Tap House plans to expand its business by knocking down a brick wall separating the two buildings. The Post-Bulletin reports the expanded Tap House will have access to a full kitchen and about 50 additional seats.

The paper says construction could begin next month. The owners are also planning on adding another rooftop deck.

Downtown Kitchen's closure is the latest in a series of changes to the neighborhood.

A few doors down, the former Bilotti's Italian Village was just converted into an upscale pub called Half Barrel Bar & Kitchen. And less than a block in the other direction, the former Sontes restaurant recently closed to make way for a new craft brewery.

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