Newtown Restaurant Closes For Renovations, Rebranding

NEWTOWN, PA — The Sycamore Grill is now part of Newtown’s restaurant history.

The restaurant, known for its lively bistro and bar atmosphere and American meat and seafood classics, closed its doors Friday night at 255 North Sycamore Street.

Gone are the signature black signs decorated with a green Sycamore Tree. In their place is a short message on the door that reads, “Thank you for your support. Sycamore Grill is closed for renovations and rebranding. We look forward to serving you again soon - stay tuned.”

The Sycamore Grill had specialized in a menu of American meat and seafood classics complemented by a vibrant bar. It’s not known what the rebranded restaurant will feature, but several posters on social media said it will be revived as an upscale Cajun restaurant.

Sycamore Grill opened in November 2011 at the site of Lilly’s Cocina Loca - a Mexican south-of-the-border inspired eatery - after the owner of Lilly’s retired and decided to sell the business.

Reaction on social media to the closure of the Sycamore Grill was mixed with some expressing surprise by the news and others remembering one of the grill’s predecessor - Il Sol Tuscan Grill - which featured Mexican food.

“Awesome," wrote one of the restaurant's change in direction. "Hopefully the food will be much better than the last time we were there. We use to go when it was Il Sol - it was fantastic. Once it was sold we tried it and it was not so good. We decided we would never go back. Now we might try it again. Hopefully they have a different chef when they reopen.”

Others were left wondering why the change.

“I was there (Sycamore Grill) the other night,” wrote one person. “They had a band until midnight. Place was mobbed. Don't see how they're going to make more money changing what they do. That bar restaurant had a great following.”

Another wrote, “It will be a restaurant not a fun bar. Yesterday was the last day it was open as the Sycamore Grill. It will be so missed.”

Another recalled the good old days at El Sol.

"I became single in 1995 and was at Il Sol pretty much every night. It was so special ... not sure what stars lined up at that time but it was an ERA! I made so many lifelong friends there. We danced and laughed and mingled. We were one big gang. Now when you go out everyone pretty much keeps to themselves.”