The Charles: ‘Vintage feel, modern taste’ in historic Old Wethersfield space
A popular and critically acclaimed Connecticut restaurant has permanently closed, owner Bryce Hardy has announced on Facebook.
“After six unforgettable years, it is with a heavy heart that I share that The Charles has permanently closed its doors,” Hardy wrote in a Facebook post.
The restaurant that attracted guests from throughout the state opened in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“From day one, we faced extraordinary challenges, but we never shied away from hard work and finding a way forward,” Hardy wrote in a Facebook message, “My dream was to create a place in Old Wethersfield where friends gathered, families celebrated, and great food and hospitality brought people together. Thanks to our team and community, we built something special.”
The Charles did all that, said guests who poured their hearts out online at the news.
“The Charles was never just a restaurant. The Charles was a feeling,” one guest wrote. “It was the feeling of community, of belonging, of walking through the door and knowing you were somewhere special. It was the comfort of familiar faces, warm conversations, and comfort food that somehow always felt like so much more than a meal.”
Another wrote on Facebook, “This makes me so sad. The Charles was one of the small handful of restaurants that I frequented. It was my go-to for celebrations and events, too. Your food and service never let me down.”
Hardy cited numerous factors that contributed to the closure.
“Operating a full-service restaurant in a historic building brought significant limitations, particularly with kitchen capacity, accessibility, and our ability to grow. We worked tirelessly to navigate those challenges, but ultimately couldn’t find a sustainable path forward.
The challenges went beyond the building. In 2024, we opened and ultimately closed BAKE Market, a setback from which we never fully recovered.”
Hardy also cited personal struggles over the last 12 months, including losing both his parents to dementia.
“Navigating those losses while running The Charles has been incredibly difficult, but I wouldn’t trade a moment of the time I had with them. Family and relationships will always matter more than any business,” Hardy wrote.
He continued, “This isn’t the ending I imagined, but I won’t let it define what we accomplished.”
He also thanked employees, past and present, the restaurant’s guests and his ” And to my amazing wife and daughter,” believing in the dream and standing beside him.
Hardy hinted at a future business endeavor.
“While The Charles may have closed its doors, my passion for food, hospitality, and bringing people together is far from over. There is still much to look forward to, and I hope you’ll continue to be part of that journey,” he wrote.
The Facebook comments reacting to the closing were also encouraging.
Some sympathized about the dementia struggle, many others expressed hope of a future business.
“I’m sure this is not the last venture of yours we will be blessed to have in our town and we wish you the best. The Charles was a great restaurant and you should be extremely proud of what was accomplished there,” a customer wrote on Facebook.
Another wrote, “I’m so sorry but thank you for being an amazing restaurant. One that I recommended to everyone and demanded they go for a date night. And I always praised the epic kids’ meals… making it my kids’ favorite restaurant as well as mine!”
Another wrote that she’s “devastated.”
“This was the best restaurant in CT. Thank you for your life changing dishes, the sausage, French onion pierogis and every single dessert I ever tasted all made a lasting impression on me. You will be so missed.”
The Charles opened six years ago in the renovated E.G. Robbins House on Main Street in Old Wethersfield. The restaurant’s motto was “vintage feel, modern taste,” combining the feel of the 1790s-era historic building with elevated contemporary comfort food and craft cocktails.
Hardy’s dreams for the restaurant began when he and his wife, Kerri, moved to town six years ago and had a daughter. He has spent nearly two decades in the industry, and worked for George’s Pizza and the Olive Bar in Unionville for 15 years. As he decided it was time to transition into ownership, he and Kerri began looking at spaces in Old Wethersfield.
“We wanted to be close to home, and this was the area that really needed something,” he has told the Courant.
They bought the building in April 2019, and its renovation and construction took about six months. COVID-19 related delays pushed the opening until mid-June, but the timing actually worked in his favor, Hardy said at the time.
Dining and Cooking