Gina Stipo broke the news that she was closing her Crescent Hill restaurant At the Italian Table (2359 Frankfort Ave.) in a way very befitting of its intimate, candle-lit dining rooms: a blog post shared on NextDoor. News of the announcement was met with comments of both disappointment and celebration.

In a phone call, Stipo confirmed that her decision to close the restaurant as her lease ends was as plain as it sounded. Business has been good and her guests bring her a great deal of joy, but she’s decided to turn her focus to the culinary tours of Italy she’s done for the past 20 years.

Stipo also noted that because she had such a great supporting cast, the tours rarely interrupted service during the nearly five-year run. “It’s difficult to find and keep good people,” Stipo noted, making note of Louisville’s great culinary scene, “I was lucky.”

When I asked about any future endeavors, she admits to having “a couple of lovely ideas” and laughs “you can never say never.” F&D