Chef Jeffrey Jew’s St. Petersburg restaurant Lingr is closing

Maggie Duffy, Tampa Bay Times
Updated ·2 min read

After nearly three years of being open in St. Petersburg, Nordic- and Asian-inspired restaurant Lingr announced on Instagram that it is closing. Its last service at 400 Sixth St. S. will be Saturday, April 27.

A news release said that owner and chef Jeffrey Jew is closing the restaurant in order to focus on his mother’s health challenges.

“I have made the difficult decision to close,” Jew said in the release. “During illness and family emergencies, I have always counseled my employees that their health and family are more important than Lingr. Now, I am in the position that I must take my own advice and spend time with my mother as we navigate her Lewy body dementia.”

Jew is a former contestant on Bravo’s “Top Chef” and winner of Food Network’s “Guy’s Grocery Games.” Before opening Lingr, Jew ran the kitchens at St. Petersburg restaurants BellaBrava and Stillwaters Tavern. He also spent time working in Europe and Washington, D.C.

Just before Lingr opened in 2021, Jew told the Tampa Bay Times that after COVID-19 exposed staffing shortfalls, he restructured the staffing plan and human resources approach in the hopes of creating a healthier work environment for his employees.

“The coronavirus kind of exposed this industry and continues to do so,” he said. “I thought, it’s time to change and to do something different. Employee quality of life is very important to me.”

The cuisine at Lingr is reflective of Jew’s ancestry — his father is Chinese and his mother is Norwegian. Times food and dining critic Helen Freund wrote in 2021 that the dish of salt and pepper fish cakes, made with Faroe Island salmon, white pepper and Sichuan peppercorns and served in a mustard sauce, “perfectly encapsulates the ethos of Lingr.”

Freund also enjoyed Lingr’s sharable plates, dessert and the beverage program.

“We have made so many memories here at Lingr, and we have thoroughly enjoyed the time we have had,” Jew said. “If you would like to donate to a cause close to us, consider giving to the Alzheimers Association at https://act.alz.org.”

Jew said he looks forward to maintaining ties with the community.

“Our success is a testament to our amazing employees and fabulous customers,” he said.

To make a reservation for the last week, visit lingrrestaurant.com.