The Wichita restaurant scene has been bursting with big news since my last report two weeks ago. A couple of restaurants have announced plans to close. And two shared details about big moves.
The most recent restaurant that closed was Promise Thai Cuisine. It has operated near Kellogg and Greenwich for the past 20 years. Its owner wanted to retire and has been trying to sell the place for a while. He finally found a buyer and closed the restaurant on Monday. The space soon will become a second location of Chiang Mai, a well-regarded local Thai restaurant that’s operated at 31st Street South and Hillside for 24 years. The Chiang Mai owner plans to open there today.
The other restaurant that’s closing is Chico’s Mexican Restaurant. It has operated in Wichita for 52 years. Owner Lupita Cordova Fernandez took the restaurant over from her parents and grandparents 28 years ago and moved it to a big new building near Towne West Square in 2007. Recently, she announced that Chico’s would close for good at the end of business on Sept. 19. The space won’t be empty for long, though. Jacky Chan Sushi at 7820 E. Harry plans to move into the building in a couple of weeks.
Two other impending restaurant moves are related to each other. Bella Luna owner Matteo Taha shared recently that his Bradley Fair restaurant will move to Waterfront Plaza at 13th and Webb. His last day at Bradley Fair will be this coming Sunday, and he’ll reopen in the new spot on Sept. 15. The space he’s leaving vacant will be taken over by Italian restaurant FioRito. It’s owned by brothers Jason and Jordan Rickard and has been operating since 2022 in a tiny converted gas station at Douglas and Hillside. The brothers will keep their restaurant running there until April, when they’ll move it to the much bigger and more elegant Bradley Fair space.
That’s not even all the recent restaurant news. I’ve also reported recently on the sale of Larkspur in Old Town, on the opening of the new Stoner’s Pizza chain downtown, and the addition of Flatlander’s Brewing in Delano. You can find all the details at Dining with Denise on Facebook or Kansas.com
