After 30 years in business, New Britain’s premier Polish dining establishment, Staropolska Restaurant, is closing permanently.
“All good things must come to an end,” reads a Facebook post by the restaurant at 6:53 a.m. Tuesday.
The restaurant at 252 Broad St., in the city’s Little Poland neighborhood, was praised by New York Times restaurant critic Rand Richards Cooper in a review published in 2013.
Staropolska was known for its Polish delicacies including pyzy, a type of potato dumpling, beef rolls and, of course, pierogies.
“But what I love is the supreme coziness of the place, its welcoming charm,” he wrote. “This is home cooking of a high order — and rarely has a restaurant made me feel more at home.”
Staropolska was owned by Margaret Malinowski and her husband, Bogdan.
After surviving the pandemic, Staropolska was forced to close following a basement fire on Sept. 19, 2023.
“While there was minimal damage to the restaurant, we were unable to come to an agreement and understanding with the property owner to have the building properly restored,” the Malinowskis wrote on Facebook.
As a result, they’ve decided to not reopen the venue and to retire.
“We would like to say goodbye and thank everyone who has supported us over the years,” the post states. “To all our friends and customers that saw us evolve from a tiny place with only five tables, to our ‘big move’ in 2001, thank you for sticking with us.”
The building at 252 Broad St. is owned by Drezek Management LLC, which also owns an adjacent mixed-use building at 250 Broad St.
Drezek Management is embroiled in a lawsuit against its insurance company, Westchester Surplus Lines Insurance Co.,. over insurance claims stemming from the fire. The case has been moved to federal district court.
