Riverside Market South Among Wave of Restaurant Closures in Fort Lauderdale

A beloved and funky craft beer restaurant just off the beaten path in Fort Lauderdale has closed its doors after nearly a decade in business.

Always notoriously difficult to find as it was located just north of the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (even its owners Julian and Lisa Siegel recall getting lost when they attempted to locate it for the first time), Riverside Market South has closed after nine years in business.

Founded in 2015, the "boatyard-meets-hipster" restaurant was an offshoot of the original Riverside Market, which is still one of Fort Lauderdale's most popular restaurants nestled between the Sailboat Bend and Riverside Park neighborhoods. The restaurant is known for having more than 500 types of craft beer. When it first opened in 2009, it was one of the few places offering such a selection.

New Times spoke with Julian Siegel, owner of Riverside Market, Riverside Market Plantation, and Riverside Market South, who confirmed the permanent closure. The original Riverside Market and Riverside Market in Plantation remain open.

Rising Costs, Rising Rent, and No Other Way to Sustain

"Ever since COVID, it never really recovered sales-wise," he explains. "We tried to minimize the store hours, so we tried being closed on Sundays, we tried closing earlier, but the cost of labor and the cost of materials did not cover what the sales were. I was losing so much money that I really couldn't sustain keeping the business open."

"The original is the original, and we could never duplicate the original, and that one stays. But I really did love Riverside Market South," he says, looking back fondly. "I loved the decor, and I loved the feel of it. Before it was Riverside South it was called Keg On Sixth. But we were there for nine years. We made a lot of people happy, and we made a lot of friends. People used to call it their 'Uber Station,' and it really was a great time. However, sales were not strong enough to sustain it."

Although he also names the rising costs of rent, costs of production, and cost of supplies to blame, he proudly notes that Riverside Market South never once raised its prices.

"Rising rent, rising price of goods, rising labor costs, the [lack of] motivation for people in this industry. If there were no bills to pay, it would have been successful," he says.
In addition to the closure of Riverside Market South, Holly Blue, a neighborhood bar in Flagler Village popular among residents, has closed down. On its website, a cryptic pop-up message reads, "See you soon" signaling the bar plans to relocate to another location in South Florida — or as a new concept altogether.

Another restaurant that closed within the past two weeks is Rivertail by Chef José Mendín, which opened in partnership with the Wharf Fort Lauderdale back in 2020.

After four years at 315 S. Andrews Ave, the restaurant seemingly closed without any announcement. It was known for its seafood and oysters and was Chef Mendín's first Broward restaurant. Mendín's Food Comma Hospitality Group is a partner of the Wharf Fort Lauderdale next door.

Interestingly, just over a week ago, the Wharf announced it would temporarily close for a remodel just after Labor Day weekend.

Lastly, the Angeles has also closed in Fort Lauderdale. The premier event venue was located inside of a 100-year-old historic church. Rumor has it that a new venue will take its place.

This wave of closures is not new, as the city experienced multiple closures earlier this year.