Clover Hill Closes, Leaving a Lasting Legacy in Brooklyn Fine Dining

In an exclusive interview, founder Clay Castillo reflected on the end of an era defined by rigor, excellence and a vision for neighborhood fine dining.

Clover Hill, the Michelin-starred restaurant in Brooklyn Heights, has permanently closed.

A purveyor of neighborhood fine dining, the restaurant earned numerous accolades over its three-and-a-half-year run — including one this week, more than a month after its closure. The highest of these was the Michelin star that crowned Charlie Mitchell as the first Black chef in New York City to receive one and arrived less than a year after Clover Hill’s post-pandemic reopening.

Clay Castillo, founder and managing director, described Clover Hill as a pursuit in greatness. “My philosophy is trying to be excellent. I like excellence, I thrive on excellence,” Castillo said in an exclusive interview with CSJ. “I encouraged my team all the time to be excellent in everything that we did. From the kitchen to any beverage to service, Clover Hill intended to be excellent.”