Myrtle Beach Italian restaurant closes doors. Here’s what we know about the downtown spot
The Hot Tomato Italian Restaurant and Brick Oven closed its doors at the end of August.
Owner Sharon Treffeisen wrote on Facebook that she was leaving the Myrtle Beach dining spot after five years.
A sign outside the restaurant on Sept. 9 said that it was closed for renovations. It is unclear what the building at 406 21st Ave. N. will become next. The phone number listed for Hot Tomato was no longer in service and there was no one at the building on Sept. 9.
The restaurant posted on its Facebook page Aug. 31 that due to unforeseen circumstances, it had to close much sooner than anticipated.
“It is with a heavy heart that after 5 years, I must say goodbye to Hot Tomato and all of our customers,” Treffeisen wrote. “With the lease coming to an end, I am looking forward to a simpler life for my family and me, as it has been an especially hard road since COVID began 3 years ago. ... While I don’t know the future of Hot Tomato, I wish it the best of luck.”
Treffeisen operated the restaurant from October 2018 through August, according to the post.
Treffeisen said Saturday that since the lease was ending, she and her longtime chef and partner, Shaun Baxter, decided to leave to focus on their restaurant Heirloom Bistro, located at 7713 N. Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach.
“It’s kind of bittersweet,” Treffeisen said.
But focusing on Heirloom Bistro will allow Chef Baxter to spread his wings, Treffeisen said.
Heirloom Bistro is a farm-to-table concept that offers an intimate dining experience. It opened last year.
