A popular Spanish tapas bar in Raleigh has closed. Here’s the reason
The Triangle’s most prolific restaurateur’s ode to Barcelona’s vibrant culinary tradition has closed in North Hills.
Las Ramblas, built as a lively Spanish tapas bar by Giorgios Bakatsias, announced on June 2 it had permanently closed.
The closing came as a surprise to the Triangle’s community of foodies, where Bakatsias is the architect of some of the region’s most cherished restaurants.
In explaining the closing, Las Ramblas said on its Instagram page that an HVAC system failure was the cause. In a text message, Bakatsias declined to comment further.
We reached out to Las Ramblas’ landlord, Kane Realty, which owns North Hills, for further explanation, but haven’t heard back.
Two other Bakatsias restaurants, Giorgio Pizza Bar and Rosewater, remain open in North Hills.
“To our cherished guests and community, after much reflection, we’ve made the bittersweet decision to permanently close the doors of Las Ramblas Tapas Bar,” the restaurant said in a statement. “We are incredibly grateful to everyone who walked through our doors — our loyal guests, amazing staff, and supportive neighbors. Thank you for the memories, the shared plates, and the love.”
Named for a famous nightlife district in Barcelona, Las Ramblas opened in Raleigh in early 2023. The restaurant was part of a flurry of high profile openings from Bakatsias, who added 10 new restaurants in North Carolina over the last five years.
Las Ramblas stood out among the Bakatsias portfolio for its warm honoring of beloved Spanish tapas, including dishes of cured hams with near melting fat, crispy potatoes, charred steak and rich pork belly with peppery sauce.
The closing of Las Ramblas is a rare shuttering for Bakatsias in recent years. His latest restaurants — such as East End Bistrot and Nikos in Durham — have become quick stars. Earlier this year, Bakatsias’ sold his Southeast Asian restaurant Krill to landlord and Smashing Boxes founder Nick Jordan.
It’s unclear when Las Ramblas held its last service. Speculation of the closing spilled over onto Reddit, where posters with dining reservations lamented the closing.
