Ari Jo Ellis closes The Cut on Cherokee Street

Chef Ari Jo Ellis has closed The Cut, the window-service eatery she opened last year inside The Fortune Teller Bar at 2635 Cherokee St., serving house-made artisan sausages and sides and more. The last day of service was Sunday, Oct. 28.

Ellis, a Sauce 2016 Ones To Watch, said she closed The Cut to focus on her latest project, Morning Glory, a diner concept located just down the block at 2609 Cherokee St. in the former home of Vista Ramen.

“It wasn’t an easy decision, but it was something I had to do mentally,” she said.

Read More // Vista Ramen closes, Ari Jo Ellis will open a diner in the same space

Ellis said she’s in the process of putting together the remaining financing for Morning Glory and won’t have a realistic estimate of an opening date until that’s completed. To speed the process along, she said she’ll likely start a crowd-funding campaign in the near future, as well as host pop-up dinners around town.

Meanwhile, Fortune Teller co-owner Matt Thenhaus said he doesn’t have anyone lined up to take over The Cut’s space just yet, though he is currently talking to interested parties. One of these, farm-to-table catering company Spice of Life, will host a pop-up event at Fortune Teller to celebrate the bar’s sixth anniversary on Thursday, Nov. 8 at 4 p.m., featuring a menu that is expected to include pork sliders, pit beans and chicken skewers.

Matt Sorrell is staff writer at Sauce Magazine.