Fishkill Restaurant Suddenly Closes; New Owners to Transform Space
A familiar Fishkill restaurant has closed its doors, but the building won't be sitting empty for long.
AMA Wood Fired, which has operated on Route 9 since 2019, suddenly closed earlier this month with no warning. Customers noted on social media that the building was dark and feared the worst. There had been no announcement of a closure, and the restaurant's social media and website still appeared to be active, adding to the confusion.
Now, it's official. On Wednesday, the restaurant posted on its Instagram account that it has closed down, but would eventually reopen under new ownership with a completely different concept.
Element Kitchen Coming to Fishkill
The announcement from AMA says the restaurant is becoming Element Kitchen.
The new restaurant is described as a concept based around the four elements of fire, earth, water and air. According to what appears to be an AI-generated flyer, Element Kitchen will bring a "fresh approach" to the location while continuing its focus on food, drinks and hospitality.
Perhaps the biggest change, however, is at the bottom of the announcement, which confirms "new ownership" along with a new identity and experience.
Specific details about the new owners have not yet been announced, nor has a menu been released explaining exactly how different Element Kitchen will be from AMA.
Remembering Joe's Italian Market Place
Before wood-fired pizzas and cocktails were being served at the AMA, the space was home to Joe's Italian Market Place.
Joe's was one of those businesses that longtime Hudson Valley residents still bring up when talking about places they miss. The Italian market and deli was known for its prepared foods, sandwiches, meats, cheeses and other Italian specialties.
The business had been around for decades before eventually closing, leaving behind a pretty big pair of shoes to fill.
In 2019, the location was transformed into AMA Wood Fired, a more modern Italian restaurant centered around its wood-fired oven.
AMA Wood Fired Closes in Fishkill
AMA offered wood-fired pizzas along with pasta, entrees, appetizers, cocktails and other Italian-inspired dishes. The restaurant also featured a large outdoor patio and attempted to turn the former Italian market into more of a sit-down dining and nightlife destination.
Over its seven years in business, reaction to AMA was mixed.
While plenty of customers praised the restaurant's atmosphere, cocktails and wood-fired pizza, online reviews also included complaints about inconsistent food and service, as well as prices. AMA currently has a 3.7 out of five rating on Yelp and a 3.9 rating on Tripadvisor.
Now that the restaurant's owners have announced that AMA Wood Fired has reached the end of its run, customers will have a chance to revisit the space to see if the new concept can deliver better service and more enticing menu items.
Element Kitchen has not yet announced an official opening date.