Mercato restaurant in Lan Kwai Fong closes after refusing rent rise
- ‘We love Hong Kong … we hope to return,’ says Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who opened Italian restaurant in California Tower in 2016
- Chef, who has a 35-year association with Hong Kong, says location was a factor in decision not to renew lease
Italian restaurant Mercato by Jean-Georges has closed, the latest victim of rising commercial rents in Hong Kong.
Opened in 2016 by celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who has a 35-year association with the city, the restaurant opted not to renew its lease in California Tower in Lan Kwai Fong, the leading entertainment district on Hong Kong Island.
Vongerichten said by email that he and his team would look for another location in Hong Kong, though he did not indicate a timeline.
“We love Hong Kong, it’s always been an inspiration destination for us. We have a lot of friends as well and hope to return soon,” he wrote.
Even though the staff, led by chef de cuisine Anthony Burd, were given two months’ notice of the restaurant’s closure, Vongerichten said they had all stayed until the last day, which he said was “impressive”.
“We look forward to reconnecting with them once we find a new home,” he added.
