BILLINGS — A Billings West End gem, the Local Kitchen & Bar, will be closing its doors Sunday, Sept. 14 after 10 years of operation.
See why restaurant owner, Kenneth Rakstad, decided to close the Local Kitchen & Bar's doors below:
In 2019, Kenneth Rakstad purchased the Local Kitchen & Bar from its original owners. According to Rakstad, he planned for the Local to serve locally-sourced options and provide a comforting atmosphere to diners when the purchased the business nearly six years ago.
"The Local is very quaint. You know, we get to cook right in front of everybody. We can see guest reactions to our food. We get to talk with our guests while we're cooking. Most restaurants, you don't get to have that interaction," said Rakstad on Wednesday.
After the pandemic in 2023, Rakstad purchased the Copper Onion Bistro, also on the West End of Billings.
Rakstad said for over two years, he's been managing two restaurants, which has started to take a toll on both his physical and mental health.
"You know, bouncing between two restaurants was extremely difficult. There's been a couple other restaurateurs in town that have tried in the last couple years, and I've been doing it for... going on three years now. So, I feel very lucky and fortunate that I've been able to juggle them both," he said.
After much debate, Rakstad reluctantly decided to close the Local Kitchen & Bar's doors to focus his efforts on the Copper Onion Bistro. On Tuesday, Rakstad made the initial announcement via a Facebook post.
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"Owning two restaurants is extremely taxing. So for me, it was just time to close Local," he said.
According to Rakstad, although the Local will be closing its doors Sept. 14, it won't be the last opportunity to eat the restaurant's food. Rakstad said he plans on bringing several Local classics to the Copper Onion Bistro, including breakfast hash browns, skewered shrimp, and poke bowls.
"I just want to thank everybody for supporting us. You know, when COVID happened, when everything was shut down, the west end supported us exponentially... It's been a really great run," said Rakstad.
