July 20, 2020 By Michael Dorgan
An Indian restaurant in Astoria – known for its fine dining and seasonal menu – has shuttered after a near five-year run.
Kurry Qulture, located at 36-05 30th Ave., announced Sunday that it had closed for good.
Owner Sonny Solomon told the Queens Post that COVID-19 restrictions and the economic climate had made his business unsustainable. The restaurant relied heavily on its indoor dining.
Kurry Qulture offered takeout services to customers during the early part of the shutdown but the revenue was not enough to maintain its expenses, Solomon said.
Solomon said that the economic outlook for the restaurant was bleak and he notified his customers about its permanent closure over social media yesterday.
“COVID-19, and the subsequent restrictions placed on fine dining restaurants like Kurry Qulture, made it impossible to keep the business viable while maintaining our high standard of food quality and service,” the post reads.
The restaurant opened in November 2015 and was a modern establishment that served seasonal Indian dishes. It also offered standard Indian fare, such as chicken tikka, lamb vindaloo and saag paneer.
The restaurant also featured a full bar serving cocktails, wine and beer.
Kurry Qulture was well-liked by Astoria residents and had a good reputation. It had amassed a 4.5-star rating on both Yelp and Google from more than 600 reviews.
Kurry Qulture is not the only Astoria restaurant to shut down in recent times.
Don Coqui, a Latin bar/restaurant located at 28-18 31st St., has also shuttered. The establishment was known for its nightlife and live entertainment.