The Grange Closes After 9 Years In Hamilton Heights, Citing Pandemic

HARLEM, NY — After nearly a decade serving farm-fresh food, craft beers and creative cocktails out of a cozy Hamilton Heights space, The Grange is closing permanently this week, the restaurant announced.

"We’ve exhausted all our efforts to recover from the pandemic, and unfortunately have not rebounded," reads a note posted on Instagram by Grange founders Roy Henley and Rita Royer-Henley, and managing partner Danielle Rutherford.

The Grange's last dinner service will be on Tuesday, followed by a final night of drink specials at the bar from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m. Wednesday — with neighbors invited, the restaurant said.

The Grange opened in June 2013 on the corner of Amsterdam Avenue and West 141st Street. Henley and Royer-Henley told the Village Voice at the time that their 74-seat eatery would "have something for everyone," with a focus on organic and seasonal ingredients.

With hearty dishes like burgers, chicken and waffles, grilled cheese sandwiches and roasted bone marrow, The Grange became a favorite for students at nearby City College as well as bartenders commuting back uptown after a shift in Lower Manhattan, according to a 2014 New York Magazine blurb.

Before its 2013 opening, Henley and Royer-Henley told the blog HarlemGal that they hoped to turn Amsterdam Avenue into Harlem's next restaurant row — a mission that appears to have succeeded, with food-forward spots like Oso, Fumo and Clove lining nearby blocks.

"We’d like to thank each and every one of you for your continued patronage over these 9 wonderful years together," reads Monday's Instagram post. "You all have filled The Grange with wonderful memories that are sure to last a lifetime. Thank you for making The Grange a place Harlem could call home."