The award winning Tartare Café + Wine Bar in Galway City will be closing down in just two weeks, co-owner JP McMahon has announced.
Tartare, recipient of the Michelin Bib Gourmand award, is the co-owned by McMahon and Drigin Gaffey.
In a statement on Instagram, the two announced that Tartare will be closing down on September 4 due to a multitude of economic pressures.
JP McMahon said that that COVID has made it difficult to run three restaurants, with challenges including finding quality chefs, and that spiraling costs this year in particular have challenged the sustainability of the business.
“With having the other two restaurants, running Food on the Edge, alongside other commitments, I felt we had to consolidate and focus on the bigger picture.”
Drigin Gaffey said, “Tartare was a passion project and we are proud of what we achieved in 5 years. I will particularly miss the cultural events we ran there.”
“Of course it is always sad when a business closes but we have other passions we want to focus on. I am happy that we have been able to integrate the Tartare staff into our other restaurants.”
The statement from the two said that the lease for Tartare’s premises was also coming up for a rent review, which was another catalyst for this decision.
“It is with sadness we must announce the closure of our café and wine bar, Tartare, on Dominick Street in Galway.”
“Over the last five years Tartare has been an outlet for our culinary creativity by being a younger sister to Aniar and being awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand, a hub of social connections through the hospitality our team are known for and a promoter of local arts communities through our Theatre Talks and Wine and Design series.”
