Owner plans to open new restaurant
One of Stowe’s most popular restaurants, Frida’s Taqueria and Grill, served its last customer Sunday evening before closing indefinitely due to an apparent disagreement between the business owner and landlord. A sign posted Monday on the establishment’s Main Street front door announced it would be closed until further notice.
“It didn’t work out,” owner Jack Pickett said. “It wasn’t workable. That’s all I can say.”
Pickett plans to open a new restaurant with chef Josh Bard in the former Whiskers building on Mountain Road before the winter tourism season.
The new restaurant will have a different name. He’s not sure what the menu will look like.
Pickett opened Frida’s with business partner Paul Biron in May 2009. Biron owns the historic building, located at 128 Main St. in the village, and had leased the restaurant space to Pickett. The lease expires in December.
The restaurant, one of only a handful of eateries in Stowe village, was popular with locals and tourists alike. Its outdoor tables with their red, green and white umbrellas were always filled in warm weather, and its bar was known for its house margaritas.
Biron put considerable effort into renovating the historic 19th-century brick building on the corner of Main and School streets. He added apartments upstairs and completely gutted and rebuilt the restaurant space, which had been the Swiss Pot Restaurant through the mid 2000s, and opened a small gadget and novelty store called Gizmos.
On Monday, Pickett’s wife Julie left the following message on the restaurant’s Facebook page: “Jack and Josh and everyone on staff did a remarkable job at Frida’s. Thank you to everyone in the community and beyond who supported this fun and tasty restaurant. It was a very successful business. Alas, some things are not meant to be. They will rise again at a new location with a new concept. Muchas gracias everyone!”
Biron did not respond to phone messages seeking comment by press time.
(2) comments
Stowe needs some better basic and simple food. It seems that Vermont restaurants are always trying to put a local spin on everything and its annoying after a while. Cheddar isn't the only cheese in the world. Thick cut bacon is often overkill and local steaks that are grass fed but full of fat and tendons just aren't appealing. Quality meats, vegetables and fruits, cooked properly are delicious without "Maple Cranberry Chutney" and "thick cut smoked pepper bacon". Good quality food prepared simply is the best.
The Mexican restaurant scene in the area is appalling. Just give us some basic TexMex with good quality, a clean dining room, free chips and salsa (salsa, not smoked salsa or maple salsa or some other god awful concoction) cold beer and a bathroom that doesn't smell like a former horse stall. This is a touristy area with many families passing through that just want a hearty meal in a fun environment. Piecasso should be teaching everyone else in town a serious lesson. The place is always packed. Good, simple food in a clean, fun environment. I bet the owners thank their lucky stars daily that nobody else has figured out their simple formula.
I'm sad that Frida's is gone. They had some of the better Mexican that I have found on the east coast.
If you are looking for "TexMex" than you can always visit Chili's. However, their salsa from a can isn't free.
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