Ponsonby Road Bistro to close in May, latest Ponsonby eatery to close

After 18 years in business, Ponsonby Road Bistro is closing its doors, marking another stalwart Ponsonby restaurant shutting up shop. It comes in the wake of Sid and Chand Sahrawat last month announcing they are closing their Ponsonby restaurant Kol, and the shock closure of SPQR last year after more than 30 years. Ponsonby Road Bistro’s owner Blair Russell, 51, told the Herald he has loved the more than two decades he has spent providing hospitality on Ponsonby Road.

“We are sad to be closing, Ponsonby has been very good to us,” says Russell. “Yes, the last five years have been hard, but [wife and business partner] Gina and I are closing as we want to take on some new challenges.”.