Another popular Lexington restaurant is gone. The pandemic isn’t to blame this time.
Ranada’s Bistro and Bar is gone for good. But this time, the problem wasn’t COVID-19 or the shutdown.
Because if any Lexington restaurant could be said to have done well during the pandemic, it was Ranada’s, which found a strong following with a menu of takeout family meals and cocktails to go.
But chef Ranada Riley said Thursday that the decision to close the restaurant she created with business partner Larry Dean came last week and the bistro closed last Friday for remodeling.
Dean said Thursday that the restaurant has completed renovations and will reopen next week for seating inside and outside.
It already has reopened as Old Vine Bistro for takeout and delivery, he said. Call 859-523-4141 for the current menu; the restaurant’s web site and Facebook page are down at the moment.
“We thought it was a good time to go in a different direction,” Dean said.
The restaurant sent an email to patrons last week saying, “Something new is coming. We have to be honest .... We have some exciting things happening but we have to keep them under wraps! Stay tuned to our next email for this special announcement. Until then, we are closed for future service until further notice. We can’t wait to see you soon!” The same message now appears on Ranada’s website.
In a statement Thursday released by Riley, she said that she and Footstep LLC, the ownership group that includes Dean, Thomas Finney and Jeffery Wicker, decided to amicably part ways.
“Though not an easy decision for all parties, we are moving in separate directions for the betterment and benefit of Chef Ranada and Footstep LLC as a whole,” the statement said. “We completely believe we will all reach greater heights separately and the best of luck for all parties in this hospitality industry amidst one of the most crucial world events that has decimated an industry in many ways.”
The spot at 400 Old Vine will reopen for dining in next Tuesday, under the same ownership, with a new menu by executive chef Todd Baggett, Dean said.
Baggett is a former executive chef for Wolfgang Puck and is a top chef in Orlando.
Riley said she has investors and a new place coming soon as well. “Stay tuned,” she said in an email.
On June 19 she posted a Facebook live video hinting at a possible Food Network project involving a kids’ baking show and a possible health issue.
Riley declined to comment on both for now.
Ranada’s Bistro and Bar opened in the Old Vine location in late 2018.
It offered an eclectic menu of Thai dishes and Southern fusion, designed by Riley, a well-known local chef who has helmed several restaurants.
Before the coronavirus pandemic hit, Ranada’s was popular for its weekend jazz brunch, which featured an extensive all-you-can-eat Sunday buffet with rotating items and bottomless mimosas.
This story was originally published June 25, 2020 at 10:53 AM.
