Uptown's Parella Closes Its Doors
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – One of Uptown's newest restaurants will also be one of its first to close in 2016.
Modern Italian eatery Parella announced Monday it is closing its doors effective immediately.
The restaurant, which sits at the corner of Hennepin Avenue and Lake Street, opened in early July 2015. Owner Michael Larson brought in head chef Todd MacDonald, who had worked in Boston and New York before returning to Minnesota. MacDonald's wife Mary was also brought in as a sommelier.
During the first week of January it was announced MacDonald was leaving Parella. Soon after, it was announced they were introducing a new bar menu with happy hour type selections.
"We were never able to come close to the sales we needed. The higher end Modern Italian with a named chef was the wrong thing for me to do. The neighborhood wanted a neighborhood joint, and I missed that mark badly," Larson said of the closing.
The spot has been a tough one for many restaurants since Figlio's left in 2009. The previous tenant, Prime, also closed shortly after opening.