Ophelia Flops
East Austin restaurant suddenly suspends operations after barely getting started
Are you ready for this? Ophelia, one of Austin’s newest restaurants, is closing its doors just three months after opening. In a surprising announcement Wednesday, the Cajun eatery said that it would be “suspending operations effective immediately.”
Ophelia is the recent Cajun concept from Dunlap ATX and Chef Lynzy Moran (Baton Creole) that took over the shuttered Mettle space on Austin’s east side in late February. Dunlap ATX also owned Mettle, making this the second closure for not only the space but also the restaurant group in 2016.
Not giving much detail as to why Ophelia is closing after such a short stint, Dunlap ATX writes, "Following a series of management discussions, the partnership was dissolved in late May. The Dunlap team wishes Moran the best, noting that sometimes things just do not work out.”
In January, Dunlap ATX reported that the decision to close Mettle “was based on lagging sales,” however the group leaves Ophelia’s closing statement on a more positive note:
“Moving forward, the team is evaluating all options to repurpose the space with fresh eyes.”
In the meantime, Dunlap ATX continues to operate Burn Pizza Bar, Lustre Pearl, and Clive Bar, among others.