What Florida Restaurants Closed In 2020?

FLORIDA — It’s been a tough year for Florida’s restaurants. The coronavirus pandemic has impacted eateries across the state.

Between a mandatory shutdown in the spring, less people dining out after Florida’s reopening and an increasing number of COVID-19 cases this fall, many restaurants have seen a decline in revenue this year. And not all of them have been able to survive.

Here’s a list of restaurants, bars and other spots that have closed in 2020.

Tampa Bay

The Hall on Franklin: This European-style specialty food hall in Tampa shut its doors in December. Its founder plans to open another food hall, though, in Midtown Tampa sometime next year.

Skippers Smokehouse: After 40 years, this iconic restaurant and music venue in Tampa has closed. Its final show was on Sept. 27.

The Queens Head: St. Pete’s fun and quirky British pub has closed and been replaced by Swingers Patio Bar & Grill.

Boca: While the Sarasota location remains open, Boca’s flagship South Tampa spot has closed. It was among one of the first farm-to-table restaurants in the area when it opened.

The Lucky Dill: Even before COVID-19 hit, Lucky Dill’s Westshore location closed following its owner’s death. Now only the original Palm Harbor location remains open.

Stack ‘n’ Sizzle: This Southern-inspired St. Pete diner and neighborhood favorite closed during the pandemic.

Locale Market: This food hall concept changed the face of St. Petersburg’s Sundial plaza when it first opened. It closed in January to make way for a new food hall project that has since stalled.

Café Ponte: This Clearwater fine dining restaurant’s closure was partially due to the pandemic and partially because of a lease renegotiation that fell through.

La Tropicana Café: An Ybor City icon, La Tropicana, known for its Cuban fare and community vibe, closed in June as a result of the pandemic.

Babalu: After serving classic comfort food since 1946, this family restaurant in St. Petersburg closed in January before the pandemic affected the area.

Hofbräuhaus: After being threatened with eviction at the end of 2019, this fun German beer hall in St. Petersburg closed for good in May of 2020.

Four Green Fields Irish Pub: This Tampa Irish pub closed its landmark Platt Street location. Don’t worry, though. There are plans for the watering hole to reopen in Channelside.

Gators Dockside: This Florida sports bar chain shut down its Tampa location near the University of South Florida after 17 years in business.

Waypoint 6 Tavern & Geekery: This geeky Largo tavern was a hit with Tampa Bay-area nerds. It closed in May after three years in business.

Carne Chophouse: Ybor City’s historic Centro Español building is empty once again with the closure of Carne Chophouse.

Caddy’s On Central: This popular downtown St. Pete bar and restaurant shut down during the pandemic. Two new concepts are moving into its space.

The Melting Pot: The chain’s St. Petersburg location on Fourth Street North announced its closure in April after more than 30 years in business. The Melting Pot is looking for a new Pinellas County location.

Sarasota and Bradenton

enRich Bistro: This popular Bradenton restaurant was forced to close in July after a six-year run. In a farewell post to his website, the owner blamed the “devastating” pandemic and failing lease negotiations as the reason. He’ll continue to run his catering company, Innovative Dining.

Umbrellas 1296: This downtown Sarasota restaurant next to the Sarasota Opera House shut down in August after a year in business. Its décor, food and drinks paid homage to the historic 1920s building it called home.

Smacks Burgers & Shakes: This beloved burger joint closed because of the pandemic as well as concerns over Amendment 2, which passed in November and will increase the hourly minimum wage to $15 in Florida. The restaurant was part of Gecko’s Hospitality Group.

Oscura Café & Bar: This hip Bradenton cafe, which established itself as one of the city’s top live music venues, closed in November.

Tellers: This walk-up coffee shop in Bradenton that also served plant-based grab-and-go items closed in July after two years in business.

Poppo’s Taqueria: This local fast-casual taco and burrito chain closed its downtown Sarasota location in early December.

Fork My Life: This vegan café in Sarasota closed in May after opening in 2019.

Mr. Beery’s: One of Sarasota’s best craft beer bars closed this summer after a decade in business.

Peach’s Restaurant: As the local chain started to reopen its restaurants in May, it decided not to bring back its Bradenton locations at 5702 Cortez Road and 6057 26th St. W.

Surf Shack & Terrace on Surf Shack: These St. Armands Circle hotspots closed in June.

South Florida

Balloo: This downtown Miami restaurant from James Beard semifinalist Timon Balloo fused Chinese, Indian and Trinidadian cuisines. It closed in October after nearly a year in business.

Cake Thai: This tiny, but popular, authentic Thai restaurant in Miami closed in August.

David’s Café Cafecito: This iconic Miami Beach Cuban café closed down in August after serving the community for 42 years.

Upland Miami: This Miami Beach eatery, which served California-inspired cuisine, closed during the pandemic.

Bird & Bone: This restaurant inside The Confidante Miami Beach hotel closed suddenly in March. Its chef is now suing Hyatt for breach of contract.

Le Sirenuse: This sophisticated Mediterranean restaurant at The Surf Club closed after three years because of the pandemic’s impact.

Ember and Kaid: These popular sister restaurants in the Miami Design District closed in November because of the pandemic.

Obra Kitchen Table: This Brickell District Venezuelan eatery closed its doors in June.

White Rose Coffee: This hip Wynwood coffee spot announced its closure at the end of June.

John Martin’s Irish Pub: This Coral Gables mainstay closed after three decades in business.

Are we missing a restaurant that closed in 2020? Email Patch at Tiffany.Razzano@Patch.com.