Andreas Antona Closes Simpsons Restaurant After 32 Years — Michelin Star Restaurant Closing Birmingham

Andreas Antona said Simpsons Restaurant is closing after 32 years, making the michelin star restaurant closing birmingham the end of a long-running Edgbaston dining venue. He said the decision followed more than a year on the market and three attempted sales that fell through.

The closure was announced on Thursday by email and on social media. Antona said he had no choice but to close and said sister venue The Cross would remain open.

Antona and Simpsons

Simpsons has held a Michelin star since 1999, and Antona was named Chefs' Chef of the Year by the Craft Guild of Chefs in 1999. The restaurant had been operating for 32 years before the announcement, giving Birmingham one of its longest-running starred dining rooms.

Antona said he put the restaurant on the market more than a year ago because of ongoing health issues. He added: "I didn't want it to end like this but with the economy as it stands, and so much time and money invested to keep us going, it is the most sensible decision".

Laura O'Reilly

Customer Laura O'Reilly said she was "absolutely gutted" by the closure. She described Simpsons as the "Mecca of Birmingham's food scene" and said, "We've always celebrated big milestone events there".

O'Reilly said, "It's a really, really special place for my family." Her comments reflect the gap the closure leaves for diners who used Simpsons for major family occasions, including her 30th birthday and other milestone events.

The Cross

Antona said the restaurant's sister venue, The Cross, would stay open. That leaves one part of his Birmingham operation continuing after Simpsons closes, while the Edgbaston site that carried a Michelin star for more than two decades comes to an end.

Antona also said, "Our many calls for reasonable government support have fallen on deaf ears". He thanked staff and guests, saying, "If it wasn't for the hard work of the team, digging deep into my own pockets and the loyalty and support of our guests, this moment would have arrived much sooner" and offering "heartfelt thanks" to everyone involved in the restaurant's history.

For diners who built routines around Simpsons, the practical change is immediate: the restaurant is closing, and future meals there will not be available. The remaining choice in Antona's group is The Cross, which stays open as the Simpsons chapter ends.