The good, the bad and the ugly. The weird and the wacky. As is the That’s tradition, we’ve compiled our 2019 China Year in Review series. So sit back, relax and relive the highs and lows of the last 12 months.
Below, six F&B closures that rattled our hungry stomachs in 2019.
1. Aroma Bistro
Image by Matthew Bossons/That's
Formerly located near the corner of Tianhe Bei Lu and Tianhe Dong Lu in the Voka Street building, Aroma Bistro rewarded all who found it with a diverse menu of Western classics served fresh and cooked to perfection. Opened by Guangdong natives Samantha Chan and Wanye Ng, Aroma Bistro was the culmination of 10 years of food and beverage daydreaming… RIP.
2. Bello Pizzeria
Image by Ryan Gandolfo/That's
Bello Pizzeria, once located a short walk from Datang Metro Station in Haizhu, attracted quite the crowd with their masterfully handcrafted pies. Set on Xinjiao Zhong Lu, this pizza shop was reliably packed during operating hours, with a line out the door. The pizzeria had a limited but quality menu, featuring the timeless margherita, mushroom lovers quattro funghi and red-hot diavola… RIP.
3. Hill Bar
Image via Dianping
This year, Guangzhou lost an iconic part of its F&B heritage: Hill Bar. Formerly located outside the Baiyun Hotel near Exit B of Metro Line 5’s Taojin Station, Hill Bar poured pints in the same spot for roughly 20 years. Talk to any longtime Guangzhou expat and they’ll tell you that the area around the Baiyun Hotel extending down Jianshe Liu Malu was Guangzhou’s original party place and the closure of Hill Bar marked the end of an era… RIP.
4. Ricci Creative Eats
Image via That's
Beloved Guangzhou eatery Ricci Creative Eats closed shop back in June. On top of creative Western dishes, the eatery served up some epic brunches options. If you were a fan of Ricci, you’ll be happy to learn the popular Guangzhou restaurant is allegedly set to make a comeback in 2020. According to the restaurant’s closure notice: “The Ricci team will be back in a big way in 2020 with an exciting new brand, new menu and new locations!” But for now... RIP.
5. Skewerz
Image by Kheng Swe Lim for That's
It should be pretty easy to guess what Skewerz used to sell: meat on a stick, roasted over a heat source. Its former location in Zhujiang New Town (next to the Bandidos) made it a convenient place for nearby office workers looking to grab a slightly more indulgent bite over lunch. It might not have offered the most authentic kebabs and wraps in town (and holy shit, it was unquestionably overpriced); however, if you were in the area and tired of Chinese cuisine and/or wanted an undramatic meal, Skewerz did the job… RIP.
6. Xintian Botanic Garden
Image by Tristin Zhang/That's
Isolated and embellished by a garden of verdure, Xintian Botanic Life Restaurant was a vegetarian eatery tucked away behind the Liuhua Expo Center across the road from the China Hotel. It was housed in a two-story glass and cement structure resembling a greenhouse. Looking back, eating there felt more or less like an Enya music video, with birds singing in the background… RIP.
For more 2019 Year in Review coverage, click here.
[Cover image via Pixabay]
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