Brisbane’s Arc Dining has announced it is closing permanently, with the sudden shuttering of the waterside restaurant blamed on the devastating economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Howard Smith Wharves restaurant was led by Alanna Sapwell, GT‘s Best New Talent for 2020. In a statement, the head chef said she was “devastated” by the decision to close the celebrated eatery. “It’s been incredible to see the team grow and develop over the last year. I’m proud of them and hope we can work together again in the future,” she said. “To meet and feed so many customers and to share this food with my hometown has been a special experience I’ll always be grateful for.
“In this challenging time for the industry, if you can, please support in any way possible – order takeaway, buy a gift card or make a reservation for the future to prevent other restaurants being forced to face the same choice,” she said.
The precinct is also home to modern Chinese restaurant Stanley, and Jonathan Barthelmess’s contemporary Greek eatery Greca.
Arc Dining opened in February 2019 as the flagship venue of the Howard Smith Wharves precinct. As former head chef at Sydney’s Saint Peter, Sapwell’s style of cooking at Arc was described by GT as “marked by a light hand, anchored by classical nous and an appetite for hard work”.
“Our other venues remain open for business and we have implemented a number of additional measures from [using] hand sanitiser, increasing our already high sanitisation and hygiene standards, increased social distancing and introducing new takeaway options,” said Howard Smith Wharves CEO Luke Fraser in a statement. “We’re operating in accordance with the new government regulations, policies and procedures to ensure all our venues are a safe space for guests, our team and visitors.
“We are doing everything possible and leaving no stone unturned so we can bounce back once the crisis is over.”
