Mezzevino Mediterranean Kitchen & Bar

Mezzevino Mediterranean Kitchen & Bar, located on E. Liberty Street in downtown Ann Arbor, closed its doors Monday, Oct. 17 due to financial concerns by management. The restaurant opened in June 2014. (Katie McLean | The Ann Arbor News)

ANN ARBOR, MI- Mezzevino Mediterranean Kitchen and Bar in Ann Arbor is officially closed for business.

Michael Gibbons, president and CEO of Mainstreet Ventures, Inc., wrote in a press release Monday, Oct. 17 that the restaurant located at 120 E. Liberty St. was not "financially performing to our expectations."

"This was a very hard decision to arrive at, as there has been great press and comments from guests about this concept since opening in June 2014 and we've had a very dedicated management team," Gibbons said in the press release.

"We have been fortunate to have a driven and committed management team that did all they could to help get this concept engaged in the community. We value their commitment and are looking to retain our staff by placing them into new positions within our MSV family of restaurants."

According to Julie A. White, director of marketing for Mainstreet Ventures, the restaurant employed 25 full and part-time workers and the property has been sold to another operator.

There are no plans to re-open Mezzevino in a new location, White said in an email, but Mainstreet Ventures still retains the brand.

Mezzevino opened June 18, 2014 on the corner of S. Fourth Ave. and East Liberty, in the space formerly occupied by Kuroshio. The restaurant was inspired by the food and culture of Italy, France, Greece, Spain and Morocco.

Menu items included a range of entrees and small plates like Lebanese lamb flatbread pizza, Greek chicken, eggplant chips with toasted cumin yogurt and moussaka.

According to the Mainstreet Ventures website, the company owns 20 eateries in 12 cities in five states. It operates five restaurants in Ann Arbor, not including Mezzevino.