Another Portland restaurant has announced that it will be forced to close largely because of the financial burdens placed on it by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lio Restaurant announced Sunday that it will be closing permanently. Operators of the restaurant, located at 3 Spring St., blamed the closure on the pandemic.

“It is with much sadness that we announce the permanent closure of Lio Restaurant. We were unable to weather the pandemic without some rent relief, and with the decreasing temperatures and increasing COVID cases, can find no viable way forward,” owners Cara and Cecile Stadler wrote in a farewell message posted on the restaurant’s website. “We hope our food and wine brought some small amounts of joy to you during these difficult times, a reminder of the simple pleasure of a shared meal with the hope for better times to come.”

Cara Stadler could not be reached Sunday night, but Stadler and her mother thanked their customers for their loyalty and patience during trying times. The restaurant described its menu as modern European cuisine.

“It has been a true pleasure to serve you these last two years,” the Stadlers wrote. “For many of us, owning a restaurant is a labor of love. We strive to make food that feeds both your body and soul, help you commemorate those special occasions, and build a community within our shared space. It is a balancing act that doesn’t balance anymore without some assistance.

“Our systems are broken, and while the inequities are too numerous to enumerate, suffice it to say that the pandemic has brought out both the best and worst in people,” they added.

Mother and daughter vowed to remain a part of the city and state’s restaurant scene. They operate Tao Yuan Restaurant in Brunswick, as well as Bao Bao Dumpling House in Portland. The Stadlers said Zao Ze Cafe, 5 Abbey Road in Brunswick, will open Wednesday. The Stadlers said that Tao Yuan will reopen inside for a limited number of private parties and reservations only beginning in mid- to late October. Bao Bao will expand its cocktail program and will open the dining room for private parties later this year.

“Although Lio is going away, we are not,” they said. “We will see you again on the other side of this pandemic. In the meantime, stay safe, stay healthy, eat well.”

A pair of prominent Portland restaurants, Drifters Wife and Piccolo, closed this summer, also as a result of pressures caused by the pandemic. The two restaurants were both nationally recognized dining establishments.

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