J.F. Sanfilippo’s downtown will close for good

Downtown is losing another longtime restaurant. J.F. Sanfilippo’s Italian Restaurant, located inside the Drury Inn & Suites at 711 N. Broadway, will close at the end of the year after a 27-year run. The last night of service will be Monday, Dec. 31.

Owner Joe Sanfilippo said lack of quality convention business downtown is one of the main drivers for the closure.

“The traffic is less,” he said. “It’s a tougher time downtown.”

However, Sanfilippo said he hasn’t ruled out reopening the restaurant in another area. “All I can say is, stay tuned,” he said.

Sanfilippo said his other eatery, Filippo’s Italian Kitchen & Bar at 120 Chesterfield Valley Drive in Chesterfield, will remain open.

Matt Sorrell is staff writer at Sauce Magazine.