A restaurant that laid claim to one of the largest outdoor patios in Waterloo Region has closed. The Village Biergarten in St. Jacobs made headlines in 2020 with their creative solution to indoor dining amid pandemic limitations. The restaurant set up “dining domes” that gave customers a safe place to eat outdoors. A social media post, from March 18, 2024, said the establishment had changed owners. Now, the doors of Village Biergarten are closed to customers and a large ‘for sale’ sign sits in the front yard. A note posted at the property accused the restaurant’s operator of “continued non-payment of rent.” The location was also listed on realtor.ca for $999,900. “We just listed it two days ago and we’ve had about a half dozen calls from restaurant owners who want to take over the space ASAP,” said Jacquie Bunker, from Royal LePage Wolle Realty, on Thursday. According to the listing, “This offering includes the land, building, and business, giving you multiple pathways: operate the Biergarten yourself, lease it out as an income-generating investment, or reimagine the space to suit your own vision.” Bunker said the venue does not have to continue as a restaurant, but it would make for an easier transition. “We think the highest and best use of the property is for us to keep it open as a restaurant,” she continued. “It’s a huge draw for over a million tourists a year to the village.” The restaurant is not the only thing up for grabs. “There’s a three-bedroom apartment above,” Bunker said. “Over 1,500 square feet that is currently tenanted. And there is an indoor dining area with a bar, as well as a large patio.” A post on the restaurant’s Instagram account said, “It’s true that, unfortunately, the current ownership of the Village Biergarten has been evicted from the property effective immediately, due to tardiness of paying rent. It’s not true that I, Denis Fontana, don’t pay the bills. Unfortunately, we had an extremely hard time since January, and unfortunately the expenses have been paid later, including asking some of the staff to wait [sic] few more days for their pay, yet prioritizing who [sic] in need.” That post has now been removed. Dan Vandermolen, the chair of the St. Jacobs BIA, also owns a business across the street from Village Biergarten. He is sad to see it go. “It’s a great spot. All the staff, everyone that worked there was awesome. It was a really nice community feeling,” Vandermolen said. “It’s a disappointment that it’s closing at this time as we enter into the always fun and exciting time in the village in the summertime.” He hopes someone takes over the business. “Having that operating as a restaurant in that space would be great for the village,” Vandermolen explained. Bunker is confident Village Biergarten will not stay empty for long. The hope is a new owner can step in quickly so the venue is ready for a busy summer season.
