Ristorante Chinato, which has been a staple of Cleveland's East 4th Street since it opened in 2010, will soon be closing its doors.
The restaurant confirmed to WKYC Channel 3 on Friday that its final day of operation will be Monday, May 20.
“This is unfortunate because Chinato is very popular, and many people consider it one of the best Italian restaurants in Cleveland,” restaurateur Zack Bruell said in a release. “But at the end of the day, this is a business, and the numbers need to work.”
Chinato has been a popular destination for Italian food in the heart of downtown Cleveland for the better part of the past decade. According to Cleveland.com, the closing comes as the result of unsuccessful negotiation with the restaurant's landlord, MRN Ltd. Employees of Chinato will be placed at his other restaurants, which include Parallax, L'Albatros, Cowell & Hubbard, Alley Cat, Dynomite Burgers, Table 45 and Exploration.
“We really need the added help everywhere,” Bruell said. “It’s sometimes difficult to keep up because we only hire top talent, but now we have a fully trained and experienced staff ready to go. This will be a big help.”
Chinato has been renowned for its unconventional dishes, including grilled sardines with white balsamic onions, eggplant involtini, rolled up flank steak marinated in tomato sauce and grilled octopus, among others. It currently boasts ratings of 4.6 for food, 4.5 for decor and 4.5 for service on Zagat's five-point scale.
Chinato has been located at 079 East 4th St, on the corner of E. 4th and Prospect Ave. It remains unclear what MRN Ltd.'s plan for the space is moving forward.
