Chef Ken Oringer Is Closing Clio And Turning It Into A New Japanese Concept

Chef Ken Oringer has announced the closure of his flagship French-American restaurant, Clio, which has been a part of the Boston culinary community for the past 19 years. Clio, which earned the number 51 spot on our list of the 101 Best Restaurants in America, also received awards from Food & Wine, Gourmet, and Esquire, as well as a nod from the James Beard Awards for "best chef Northeast."

But this isn't the end of the Oringer restaurant on Commonwealth Avenue: After a two month-long menu retrospect, Clio will shutter on New Year's Eve, and reopen next year as a Japanese restaurant and expansion of one of chef Oringer's other Boston restaurants, Uni. Chef Oringer and his executive chef from Uni, Tony Messina will be partnering together to open the new restaurant.

"Clio has seen so much success and I feel beyond blessed to have been able to grow and evolve alongside my flagship," Oringer said in a statement. "This transition for Clio represents our drive to always push boundaries. I'm really inspired by my travels throughout the world and the constant evolution of the food scene in New York, Paris, Tokyo and beyond — just as Clio was of a certain time & place, this new spot will showcase the best of today's innovative dining culture and the style of food I like to eat now."

According to Oringer, the new Uni will "reflect Japan's modern-day food philosophy, bringing [my] always-unique take on the cuisine to Boston."