Lexington restaurant closing after nearly 11 years: ‘Wanted to exit while on top’
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Chef John Foster announced closing The Sage Rabbit in Chevy Chase on May 16.
- The Sage Rabbit opened in summer 2015 and operated for nearly eleven years under Foster.
- Foster thanked staff and regulars for support through COVID, ice storms, and growth.
A longtime Lexington chef is hanging up his apron and closing his latest restaurant.
Chef John Foster announced he will be closing The Sage Rabbit, his restaurant at 438 S. Ashland Ave. in Chevy Chase on May 16 after nearly 11 years.
“We had planned for a successful ten-year stint and wanted to exit while on top,” Foster wrote in a post online. “Our kids are grown and we’re ready to do our own thing, have some adventures, travel more, read, garden, have a Friday night out, stroll the Farmers’ Market, cook more at home, heck, sleep sounds good too.”
Foster did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
He said in his post that it feels “sad and scary” to leave South Ashland, and he thanked his staff and regular customers.
“From the Lexington Bourbon Society to local book clubs and events, you provided support, advice and encouragement, got us through Covid and ice storms, then came back in bigger numbers,” Foster wrote. “We’ve met locals and people from all corners of the world, and we appreciate you. We will miss you.”
The Sage Rabbit opened in the summer 2015. It was the second of Foster’s restaurants on South Ashland; in the 1990s, he had helped introduce Lexington to the idea of local food with Harvest, his restaurant up the block. The Sage Rabbit quickly became a popular spot for dining on the shaded dog-friendly patio.
