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The decision to close leaves just a handful of authentic French cuisine restaurants in the area.
On Wednesday, Dec. 16, around noon, the owners of Bistro Les Gras in Northampton said they will not be renewing the restaurant’s lease.
Owned by Daniel and Elizabeth Martinez, Bistro Les Gras on West Street served “farm-to-fork” French dishes to the Pioneer Valley for 12 years.
Owners said the decision to close was not an easy one but noted that they could no longer hold on during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Massachusetts, regulations to stop the virus’s spread include strict restrictions on restaurant hours, occupancy, and service.
Owners said customers kept their spirits up throughout much of the pandemic, which touched down around March.
“If Bistro was to continue on after all this craziness it would have been because of all of you,” the owners said in an open letter to the community.
Bistro Les Gras could continue on, the owners said, but without them. “It’s time for us to move on,” they said.
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