Rotisserie no more: Culantro Peruvian Cookery closes permanently

After 10 years of serving up rotisserie chicken, first on King William Street, then on Main Street East, Culantro Peruvian Cookery is closing.

Culantro opened on King William in 2013 with a small dining room and a focused but delicious menu: chicken, empanadas, potatoes.

The interior of the Peruvian restaurant's first location was described by former Spec food writer Dan Kislenko as spartan."

An instantly popular restaurant, Culantro was featured on Food Network's You Gotta Eat Here" in 2015. But at the end of that year, chef and owner Juan Castillo announced the restaurant was serving its last customer on King William Street. Lima, Peru-trained Castillo soon reopened in a Main Street East location between Wentworth and Sanford in 2016.

With a new, much more festive home, Culantro offered an expanded menu, and hosted Latin bands and weekly open mic nights.

Recently, activity at the restaurant slowed. Responses to a Google review suggested the restaurant was closed for a bit of a break" but would return. But on April 20, a social media post announced that the restaurant would close permanently. The website and Facebook page are off-line.

Thank you everyone for nearly a decade of food, fun and friendship," said the Instagram post.

Jeremy Kemeny is a Hamilton-based web editor at The Spectator. Reach him via email: jkemeny@thespec.com