Rhinebeck’s Modern Irish Bistro Bia to Close in February

When Bia opened in Rhinebeck in 2019, the modern Irish bistro, tucked just off the village’s main drag, offered food that was warm and familiar on the surface—stews, soda bread, seafood, potatoes—but executed with the kind of precision that signaled deeper intent. It was comfort food, yes, but comfort food sharpened by technique and curiosity.

That chapter will soon close. In an Instagram post shared on January 11, owner Kyle Kelley announced Bia will permanently shutter its doors “on or about February 8,” giving diners several weeks to use gift cards, make reservations, and say goodbye. The post emphasized gratitude, promised more details soon, and hinted that new operators are already lined up to take over the space.

Bia’s kitchen is led by chef Rich Reeve, whose presence alone carried weight for many Hudson Valley diners. Reeve was previously the chef-owner of Elephant, the beloved Kingston wine bar that operated from 2007 to 2018 and developed a devoted following for its punk-spirited small plates, natural wine sensibility, and unapologetically personal vision. Elephant’s closing left a noticeable gap in the region’s dining culture—one that Bia, in a very different register, partially filled.

At Bia, Reeve turned his attention to Irish food, a cuisine too often flattened into caricature. Instead of nostalgia alone, the menu treated Irish traditions as a living framework. Dishes drew from classic forms—slow-braised meats, seafood drawn from cold waters, root vegetables—but were refined without becoming precious. The cooking suggested a chef interested less in reinvention for its own sake than in asking how heritage food can still feel alive, relevant, and satisfying now.

The kitchen’s balance stood out: dishes that were deeply comforting without being dull, calibrated without losing soul. That balance was perhaps the restaurant’s defining trait. Bia didn’t chase trends; it trusted its own internal logic.

News of the closing has rippled quickly through the region, particularly among diners who followed Reeve from Elephant and have long tracked his work. For that crowd, the immediate question is not just why Bia is closing, but what comes next. Reeve, for his part, has said he doesn’t yet know. That uncertainty has only fueled speculation—and anticipation—among fans who know that Reeve won’t suddenly start playing it safe.

Bia’s farewell is not being framed as a failure, but as an ending—one marked by affection, gratitude, and a sense of transition. For now, reservations remain open, the kitchen is still running, and the invitation is clear: come back one more time. Whatever follows, Reeve’s audience will be watching closely.