Newport Food Scene: Gary's Handy Lunch closing a reminder of what's been lost and gained

It’s always sad to hear that a long-standing restaurant will be closing down. It’s a feeling of loss in the community. We think about all those memories a restaurant holds for all those thousands of guests that have walked through its doors over the years. Any restaurant that has survived for a period of time has fought the good fight and lived the good life. It beat the odds by just succeeding in the longevity game — a rare feat in this business. And while the doors may be closed and the ovens turned off, the restaurant will still live on in the stories we tell. We’ll reminisce about the special foods we were served there, the good drinks we raised up high there, the happy moments with friends and family at the tables and stools there. Meanwhile, the memory of the restaurant will fade into the lore of what once was and what we miss.

Last week, we heard Gary’s Handy Lunch on Thames Street will be closing on Feb. 12 after 55 years in business. The announcement on their Facebook page said simply with genuine gratitude for all their patrons, that it was time for their next chapter. While it’s certainly a well-deserved retirement for the Hooks family — Gary Hooks took over the restaurant when President Lyndon Johnson was still in office — it will be hard to express how much they will be missed. Its menu was nothing fancy. The atmosphere simple, but welcoming and fun. They made a habit of serving good food with friendly service, and that’s all you need in a handy lunch or breakfast place. Just seeing the red and white tiled interior told you exactly what you were going to get. And Gary’s Handy did it well.

They will still be open for a few more weeks, so there is time to get there for one (or two) more Gary’s experiences. A last call to say goodbye and to say thanks for all the great food. Once the doors close for good, they’ll just be a happy memory.

We’ve seen our share of businesses that closed over the last year, Gary’s Handy Lunch being the most recent. From Salvation Cafe to Meg’s Aussie Milk Bar, we keep seeing our favorites close their doors and moving on to new chapters, greener pastures or bigger and better things (whatever trope you want to use). And while it’s sad to say goodbye, it is one of the realities of the restaurant business. It’s hard to survive out there. The National Restaurant Association estimates that one in three restaurants won’t survive their first year. Those aren’t great odds for survival.

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On the bright side, despite the odds, we still seem to have brave restauranteurs that want to succeed. They see a spot where one restaurant may have closed as an opportunity to put a new one in its place. They are driven by a desire to provide our community with extraordinary food and drink and it’s why the Newport restaurant scene is always growing and changing. While we are sad to see any spot close, we stay hopeful for what’s to come.

When Carmella’s Pizzeria on West Main Street closed down, we had to say goodbye to one of the best pizza spots in town. Last week, Baja’s Fresh Grill opened in the same spot. Part of a group of 11 local restaurants, Baja’s serves “authentic Mexican food that pleases everyone.” From chimichangas and wet burritos made fresh to order to steak sandwiches and chicken wings, they’ve got you covered. It’s all really fresh too. (Save room for the Tres Leches Cake for dessert.) They’re still getting their bearings, but they are a great addition to our restaurant lineup in Middletown and they will be a great spot for Super Bowl takeout.

When Panera closed in Newport, we were all a bit surprised. The spot always seemed to be so busy. Even model Chrissy Teigen’s Twitter-take on Newport from a few years ago called out the restaurant by saying, “Like even the Panera Bread is adorable.” But Panera made the decision to close and moved out leaving an empty space in the Long Wharf Mall. Earlier this month, it was announced the team from Giusto will be taking over the space and will open a neighborhood pizzeria later this year. There are lots more to come on this announcement, but when you hear the team of Chef Kevin O’Donnell, Giusto Executive Chef Kyle Stamps, and Giusto General Manager Lauren Schaefer are behind something, you know it’s going to be worth waiting for. Chrissy Teigen should come back for this one.

The new pizzeria restaurant will be neighbors with the folks at Yagi Noodles, who moved into Long Wharf in the fall at the spot that used to be home to Liberty Donuts. Yagi went from being a pop-up spot to having a small space on Lower Thames to the new digs at Long Wharf. Now they have a great new space and are continuing their mission of bringing their guests the very best. Yagi saw the empty space at Long Wharf as a big opportunity, and we get to enjoy the fruits (and noodles) of their growth.

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That’s the true story about restaurants that close: they leave a footprint for someone else to elevate the tradition of great food. That’s why you have NaPha Thai Kitchen making its mark at the former Rhea’s Kitchen on West Main. That’s why you can enjoy Asian cuisine at Mindy’s Restaurant in the space that was Reidy’s for so many years. That’s why Thriving Tree Coffee House will continue to excite us once Mike MacFarlane from Tremblay’s takes over as owner. In any restaurant space, there’s always the hope that the future is full of tasty possibilities.

Go to Gary’s Handy Lunch before they close. We’ll be sad to say goodbye to such a Newport institution. Anyone that has survived for that long in this business should be in the Hall of Fame. We thank the Crooks family for all they’ve given our community. And for the space that was home to Gary’s Handy for the last 55 years, we’ll stay hopeful for what’s to come.

Dan Lederer is a Middletown resident with 30 years experience in the food service industry throughout New England. He continues to work locally behind the scenes within the industry and remains a devoted fan of all things restaurant and hospitality related. His column appears on newportri.com and Thursdays in The Daily News. Cheers!

This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: Gary's Handy Lunch closure latest reminder of Newport's changing scene