The award-winning Sly Fox Den Too restaurant in Charlestown is set to close its doors this Sunday due to an ongoing dispute with the property’s landlord. Chef Sherry Pocknett, a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe and recipient of the 2023 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Northeast, announced the closure in a Facebook post on Friday.
Pocknett cites “horrible landlord issues” as the primary reason for the restaurant’s shutdown, with “unresolved heating problems” at the forefront of the conflict. According to the post, the restaurant says that it has experienced temperatures as low as 38 degrees Fahrenheit inside the building.
“Unfortunately, after years of being here at the Charlestown location, we will have to close the doors,” Pocknett wrote. “The biggest [issue] is our heat issue, which has never been fixed.”
The chef claims that the property owner, Nikolas Zarokostas, repeatedly promised to address the heating problem but failed to follow through. This led Pocknett to withhold rent, she says that this resulted in the landlord filing eviction papers.
“Even after I had sent him pictures of coming into the building with temperatures as low as 38, [Zarokostas] for some reason, decided to have his ‘business partner’ girlfriend send me a text message saying they would not be taking care of the heat,” Pocknett explained.
The restaurant, located at 4349 S County Trail in Charlestown, has been a popular destination for Native American cuisine. Its closure marks a significant loss for the local culinary scene and the Native American community.
Despite the setback, Pocknett and her team are looking toward the future. They plan to honor any outstanding gift cards at upcoming Pow Wows this summer and for catering jobs. Additionally, they are working on opening a new location in a building they own in Preston, Connecticut.
“This is just an unfortunate event, but maybe it is just the push we need to get our own building up and running,” Pocknett said.
The chef is seeking legal assistance to address what she describes as a “landlord wrongful termination.” She has appealed to the public for guidance in finding appropriate legal help.
As the restaurant prepares for its final day of service, loyal customers and supporters of Native American cuisine are encouraged to visit before the closure. The Sly Fox Den Too team, including Chef Pocknett and Chef Jade, expressed their gratitude to their patrons in the Facebook post.
The closure of Sly Fox Den Too comes less than two years after Pocknett’s James Beard Award win, which had brought increased attention to Native American cuisine and the restaurant’s unique offerings.