Amid a series of closures in the English Bay area, including Beach Bay Café and Baoguette, another establishment in promixity has decided to shut down.

Italian restaurant Grotto had its last day of operations at 1725 Davie Street (near Denman Street) on January 27.

The restaurant, which opened in late 2015 in below-ground premises, is a sibling restaurant to Buckstop at 833 Denman Street. Its menu spanned antipasti, seafood, pasta, and pizza, as well as brunch items.

However, the good news is that a new establishment taking its place will contribute to culinary diversity in the neighbourhood.

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Arike (pronounced ah-ree-kay) is a Nigerian-inspired restaurant.

The menu draws upon Nigerian street food, flavours, and seasonings while using Pacific Northwest ingredients.

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The menu features two main sections: shareable plates (from $6 to $16) and flatbreads (from $15 to $17).

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For more about this restaurant, see this article.