A popular Sydney restaurant has closed its doors for good, with regular customers saying it is the latest victim of the cost of living crisis.
Yok Thai in Neutral Bay appears to have “cleaned up” its restaurant space in the affluent area near Military Road, leaving diners wondering “who’s next.”
Yok Thai is just the latest in a string of popular restaurants to go bankrupt or close, including Big Poppa’s in Darlinghurst, Bistrot 916 in Potts Point and Tetsuya’s in Darling Harbour.
The popular luxury restaurant was frequented by the likes of Gladys Berejiklian and often required a reservation to secure a table.
One woman was shocked by the restaurant’s silent departure from the bustling area.
Yok Thai in Neutral Bay has closed its doors after more than ten years in business
Iconic restaurant has ‘sign on its doors’ after quietly closing operations
“I was trying to make a booking and the website said ‘permanently closed’,” he wrote in a post on the suburb’s local group.
The sad news prompted other shocked locals to respond and express their disappointment.
“I’m still trying to recover from the news,” one man said.
Another local said it was ‘the best’ Thai in town and always left him ‘super full’.
However, the news, which spread quickly on social media, did not surprise anyone.
The Thai fusion tapas-style menu was highly revered and the “feel” of the establishment made it a must-visit in the area.
“The cost of rent and food supply is killing all the restaurants,” said one man.
“I was surprised to see the place empty when I was there two weeks ago, very sad,” added another.
‘It’s gone, the doors are closed. Empty store. Sign on the door,” added a third.
Another diner said staff had told him the rent increase was to blame for the popular restaurant’s closure.
Fortunately, the Manly branch of the restaurant remains open for now.
The restaurant received a number of favorable reviews, apparently adding to the shock of its closure.
“The food, the atmosphere, the service… it was one of the best restaurants in town,” one man said.
The restaurant offered tapas-style meals and described the menu as “Thai fusion.”
The restaurant had operated in the area since 2013 and weathered the “Covid lockdowns” of 2020 and 2021 before closing.