A Darby Street institution closed its doors over the weekend after five years in the city's foodie quarter.
Wil & Sons' general manager, Toby Wilson, announced plans to close the family restaurant he opened in 2018 on social media on May 19, stating that he intends to spend more time with his family.
"It is with a heavy heart and teary eyes that I must let you know Wil&Sons will be closing forever on June 11," Mr Wilson said in the post.
"There was a lot of thought of opening another venue with Larry further out of town, but I have decided it is best for me to spend this valuable time with my beautiful wife, daughter, parents, siblings, friends, and catch up on all of the things us hospo warriors really do miss out on."
The restaurant, known for its fine dining and craft beer, located at 102 Darby Street, opened on April 27, 2018, when Wilson, the former manager of The Edwards, took over The Hop Factory with his father Phil and brought in then-Edwards sous chef Lawrence Woodcock, known as Larry, to lead the kitchen.
In a 2021 review, The Newcastle Herald described Woodcock as a talented and grounded young chef with a cooking philosophy that some have dubbed "Australian contemporary," blending fine dining with gastro-pub classics.
As restaurants across the city closed in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic, Woodcock quickly adjusted the Wil&Sons menu to offer takeaway and ran Larry's Burgers from the kitchen, a move he said "gave everyone a break" during a hectic few months.
Wilson made a special mention of his chef's contributions to the restaurant when announcing the closure.
"Who would have thought we'd make it this far?" he wrote of Woodcock. "You truly are one of the best humans I know and an even better chef. You are family to me now, whether you like it or not. I bloody love ya...thank you."
In the lead-up to Sunday's closing date, the restaurant has been posting regularly online, receiving an outpouring of support from the community.
"My crew and I gave it our absolute best crack at Wil&Sons," Wilson said. "We have met some great people and created some amazing friendships that we will cherish forever."
