New Hope's La Bonne Auberge closing
Chef's knees are the blame.
Rozanne and Gerard Caronello say that Dec. 19 will be the last night after 38 years for La Bonne Auberge, their classic French restaurant in a 250-year-old farmhouse off the main drag in New Hope, one of the few remaining dress-up spots in the region.
"It's my husband's knees," Rozanne Caronello said. "When I see him limping after work, I know we're doing the right thing." They took a three-week trip for their 40th anniversary recently, and she said they noticed a difference.
The couple began downsizing their operation last year, cutting staff and trimming their days to Thursdays through Sundays.
She said the crowd last Saturday night -- all regulars -- wept and begged the couple to reconsider, but their minds are made up.
They plan to convert the dining room into its former use as a residence, and sell the furnishings and liquor license next year.