After a Decade in North Park, Ritual Kitchen Announces Final Stretch

One of 30th Street’s longest-running restaurants will be winding down over the next couple months. Opened at 4095 30th Street in 2007 as Ritual Tavern and renamed Ritual Kitchen & Garden in 2013, the eatery played a foundational role in North Park’s craft beer and food renaissance and remained a cornerstone of the neighborhood. Owners Staci Wilkins and Michael Flores, both local food industry veterans who have been warmly welcoming diners into their cozy gastropub for the last decade, tirelessly running Ritual Kitchen independent of investors, made the tough decision to sell in order to spend more time with family, travel, and take a well-deserved breather from the competitive restaurant scene.

New owner Paul Fatta is also a longtime restaurateur, having run Big Kahuna’s in the Crown Point neighborhood before updating it into Bayside Landing in 2014. Fatta told Eater that he plans to do a significant remodel on the North Park space, installing a garage door that will open onto a front patio with a firepit and enlarging the dog-friendly back beer garden. He says the interior will be brighter and more modern, with two bars and 15 to 20 TVs for sports-watching.

The concept, called Working Class American Diner + Bar, is aiming to reopen by football season. Open seven days a week and including weekend brunch, the eatery will also stay open late every night to capture the industry crowd. Fatta says there will be 30 beer taps, all craft, and a Chicago-style diner inspired menu that will range from greasy spoon faves to healthier dishes.

Flores told Eater that it will be business as usual at Ritual Kitchen until all elements of the sale are finalized. He and Wilkins will be planning a “victory lap” series of events to celebrate the restaurant’s milestone decade with friends and regulars.

Location Matters represented both the buyer and seller in the transaction.