Beloved hipster restaurant to close as cost-of-living crisis bites

A popular restaurant has announced it is closing after five years, as hospitality venues around the country feel the crunch of cost-of-living pressures hitting Australians.

The modern European restaurant and wine bar NOTA, at Paddington in Brisbane’s inner west, will close on August 3.

Chefs and co-owners Sebastiaan de Kort and Kevin Docherty said the decision to close  was a fairly easy one, made primarily because the lease is ending.

The restaurant opened in March 2019 with Mr de Kort and Mr Docherty taking over the heritage shopfront that had been home to the French restaurant Montrachet.

NOTA quickly became very popular with locals, with a menu of European inspired dishes and an extensive wine list.

Closing NOTA will give Mr de Kort and Mr Docherty the opportunity to bring their team into their second restaurant, Allonda at Newstead in Brisbane’s inner north, with they co-own with sommelier Yanika Sittisuntorn. 

Click here to resize this module

During the pandemic, Mr de Kort and Mr Docherty focused on baked goods and takeaway, like many other restaurants. 

This resulted in the artisan sweets business Arty’s, which still operates. 

In mid-2022, they expanded NOTA by taking over a neighbouring tenancy before opening Allonda later in the year.

Mr de Kort told The Courier-Mail that NOTA would not have been successful without the loyal support of the Paddington community. 

‘We are excited for what the future holds, both for us and for the space we’re leaving behind,’ Mr de Kort said.

The closure was announced on NOTA’s website, with patrons invited to say goodbye. 

‘Come join us over the next eight weeks as we bring back some of our beloved classic dishes and say farewell to the crew,’ the farewell message read.

‘From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you. We hope to welcome you again.’

Mr de Kort acknowledged the impact Australia’s slow economy is having on the hospitality industry, saying it makes sense to consolidate. 

‘The industry has changed. The spending has changed. People are working very hard for their money at the moment, so you need to make sure you tick every box,’ he told the Brisbane Times.

‘But I think there’s still a lot of positivity. It’s been a tough 12 months but the next 12 will get better. It’s cyclic.’

The closure of NOTA in Brisbane comes after a hospitality company that ran a string of popular cafes and bakeries around the city collapsed last month.

BCN Events Group fell into voluntary liquidation with 90 staff reportedly being let go.

The company is owned by award-winning chef Shannon Kellam and had seven venues that have closed.

Mr Kellam also owns the French fine dining restaurant Montrachet that used to occupy the site of NOTA.

Montrachet is unaffected by the liquidation.