Trumbull Kitchen in Hartford will close after dinner on Saturday and is not expected to open until the spring because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Max Restaurant Group said Tuesday that the reason for the closure is the ongoing impact of COVID-19, which has led to a dramatic drop activity in Hartford’s central business district.
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“As downtown Hartford’s major employers have eliminated business travel and pivoted to remote work, business at Trumbull Kitchen has been significantly reduced,” Max Restaurant Group founder Richard Rosenthal said in a statement. “We want to make certain that Trumbull Kitchen is prepared to welcome our guests and friends back once the pandemic passes and the energy and vitality of downtown Hartford returns.”
Some of the items on Trumbull Kitchen’s menu will be offered at Max Downtown’s tavern menu. As of Tuesday morning, that menu was not yet available online.
"Without the theaters, sports venues, hotels and office buildings full of people, downtown restaurants like Trumbull Kitchen have taken a huge hit," Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin said in a statement. "The bottom line is that these restaurants need significant relief right now -- not loans, but grants that are big enough to make a difference. Vibrant urban centers are vital to economic growth, and if the federal government isn't going to do its job, we need the state to help make sure that we don't come out the other end of this pandemic with wounded, hollow downtowns."
Employees who are currently working at Trumbull Kitchen will be offered jobs, if available, at one of the seven other Max Restaurant Group locations in the Greater Hartford, CT/Springfield, MA area, according to the company.
