The coronavirus pandemic took its toll on the Baton Rouge restaurant scene in 2020 as several popular eateries shut down.
Operating a restaurant is tough enough in the best of times, with the thin profit margins and an abundance of competitors. But the prolonged loss of customers and the reduction in seating capacity mandated by Gov. John Bel Edwards in an attempt to control the spread of the virus was too much of an obstacle for some businesses.Â
Here are some of the higher profile restaurants that shut their doors permanently in 2020:
White Star: The Government Street food hall, which sold everything from pizza to cocktails, was the first restaurant to close and blame the pandemic when it shut down on March 31. Some White Star tenants, such as Govât Taco, Reve Coffee Lab and ThaiHey Thaifood, have since opened freestanding locations.