17 March 2025
Tonti’s in Algiers and the Franklin in Marigny both shutter
While spring brings a flurry of openings around town, sadly there are also multiple closings this month. Here are the restaurants that closed their doors in New Orleans in March 2025.
Tonti’s Bistro closes after two years in Algiers Point
Situated in a charming cottage setting in residential Algiers Point, Tonti’s delivered a blend of American and French fare since opening in 2022. The bistro had an identity crisis from the start, when it was bizarrely named Tonti’s Hand after the French general Henri de Tonti. But the kitchen, first under chef Freddy Augustin, then Chet Henderson, was solid, from an outstanding French onion soup, a range of sandwiches and salads and garlicky escargot. The closing was announced on Facebook, and no other details were provided.
The Franklin shutters in the Marigny
For more than 10 years, locals and Marigny rectangle neighbors have gathered at the Franklin, enjoying happy hour in the bar’s amber glow and bistro specialties in the art-filled 60-seat dining room. Patrick Finney, an owner of the restaurant property and the partner in the Franklin, decided the restaurant needed new energy. He closed in early March, with a new restaurant planned for April, Evviva from operators Heather Lolley and Humberto Suazo, who also run the Bywater taco hot spot Galaxie, with chefs Rebecca Wilcomb (Herbsaint, Gianna) and Marcus Jacobs (Marjie’s, Porgy’s) in the kitchen.
Muy Pwa closes after three months
Blink, and it was easy to miss the opening and closing of Muy Pwa, the bean-centric restaurant in Beanlandia, the Krewe of Red Beans museum and community center in Bywater. Despite chef Maya Mastersson’s inspired menu, which transformed the humble legume into the cornerstone of a globally informed culinary program, the restaurant as it was first imagined wasn’t sustainable, said the Krewe and non-profit’s founder Devin DeWulf, adding that the idea is back at the drawing board. “A normal restaurant model isn’t right for the space,” he said. Mastersson is continuing to offer immersive culinary experiences under her Black Roux Culinary Collective brand.
It’s a wrap for No Name Café in the Bywater
There was nothing traditional about the funky, coffee house and sourdough pizza place No Name Cafe in the Bywater. Despite chef/owner Clara Yun’s intentions to build community and provide a venue for local musicians and artists, the Oakland native closed the cafe on Saint Claude Avenue after less than a year. Determined to fly under the radar from the start, hence the name, Yun earned a following for her sourdough bread, baked to order pizza, tangy Caesar salads and morning coffee program. Yun, whose resume includes managing positions at the San Francisco Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Solage Hotel in Napa, is now running an izakaya pop-up Fukuro on Thursday through Saturdays.
Medium Rare calls it quits Uptown
The New Orleans outpost of the D.C. steak chain Medium Rare closed its doors after a year Uptown. The restaurant’s owner Mark Bucher reimagined the traditional steakhouse when he opened his first location in 2011. The $28.95 pre-fixe format delivers one steak choice, a coulotte, or grilled portabellos for vegetarians. On the side, hand-cut frites and a small salad, along with crusty French sourdough bread. The company now has nine locations, in markets including NYC, Dallas, and the soon-to-open Philadelphia. As to why the Nola location fizzled, Bucher said the residential setting “just wasn’t a great fit for our concept which requires high foot traffic.”