The owners, Kevin and Jillian Arundel, said in an announcement they had “tried everything to keep our business going, but the constant rising costs have finally made it impossible to keep our doors open”.
It is the latest in a series of closures of high-profile eateries. Two week ago Dublin chef Dylan McGrath announced he was closing Brasserie Sixty6 and Rustic Stone in the city centre.
The Restaurants’ Association of Ireland estimates that 577 outlets have closed in the 11 months to the end of July. Adrian Cummins, its CEO, said the group met last week with Finance Minister Jack Chambers and Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe to make the case for a reduction on the Vat rate for food to 9pc in next month’s Budget.
The Chophouse in Ballsbridge
“They said nothing has been decided yet and so we are very hopeful that something will be in the Budget,” Mr Cummins said. “We are looking forward to more engagement with the ministers.”
Asked last month about whether the Government is considering reducing the Vat rate for hospitality back to 9pc, Mr Donohoe said it was important to keep in mind how much it would cost – about €700m.
The Chophouse first opened in Ballsbridge in 2009, offering high-quality food in what had been The Shelbourne House pub. Originally from Cork, Kevin Arundel had previously worked with Derry Clarke in L’Ecrivian on Baggot Street, before opening his own restaurant on Lower Fitzwilliam Street .
The Chophouse got international recognition after it was visited by the late American chef Anthony Bourdain, author of Kitchen Confidential. As part of the “best meal I’ve ever eaten in Dublin”, he had a charcuterie board of cured red deer and Irish mortadella with a clementine mustard, lamb belly sweetbreads and fresh asparagus, pan-seared prawns with lemon, chili, garlic, and smoked paprika butter, and a Porterhouse steak.
Last year the Arundels extended the franchise by opening a second Chophouse in the former Mulligans pub in Sandymount, Dublin 4. They secured a lease with an option to buy the 406 sqm pub from Kieran Mulligan. The Sandymount outlet offers some of the same menu, at a somewhat lower price point.
In the announcement on social media, the Arundels said it was with immense sadness they had decided to close “our much loved restaurant” after 15 years. They paid tribute to the “amazing team” who had been loyal and provided great service to customers.
“Great times were had – weddings, births, romances, business deals, family celebrations, rugby wins and losses, concerts and much more,” they said. “The Chophouse in Sandymount will continue to trade and we look forward to welcoming you.”