A well-regarded Highlandtown restaurant is closing this Saturday after three years in operation.
“It’s been a good three years,” said Brian Lavin, chef and owner of Gnocco. But he said his business partners Paul Crist and Scott Shinsky decided to sell the property. Lavin said he does not know what the building’s future is, but said “I think it’ll probably remain a restaurant.”
Neither Crist nor Shinsky could not be immediately reached for comment.
Lavin opened Gnocco in 2016 at 3734 Fleet St. with his friend Sam White, general manager and partner in the restaurant.
Serving up Mediterranean eats, Gnocco was inspired by their travels to Italy and Spain.
Last year, Lavin announced the restaurant was changing its name to Gnocchetto to prevent confusion with another Gnocco in New York. Though the business name was changed on OpenTable, a reservation booking website, the new name “never did fully catch on,” Lavin said. “Everyone still referred to us as Gnocco.”
Lavin won praise for his work at Gnocco, including being named to Zagat’s first national “30 under 30” list in 2017. Prior to Gnocco he worked at Salt and Fork & Wrench.
But, after years in Baltimore, Lavin said, it’s “time for a change.” He is moving to Los Angeles.