NYC’s Milling Room abruptly shuts after owner’s bizarre, ‘life-threatening’ accident — and may owe more than $1M in rent
The Milling Room, a long-standing Upper West Side restaurant, closed abruptly in December after owner Luis Gonzalez suffered a life-threatening injury during a temazcal ceremony in Mexico. The restaurant may owe over $1.2 million in back rent, with reports indicating financial struggles worsened by rising food costs and management issues. The space is now set for potential relaunch by another restaurateur, while Gonzalez focuses on his recovery and faces unpaid debts.
- ▪The Milling Room closed after more than 12 years of operation at 445 Columbus Ave., owing up to $1.2 million in rent.
- ▪Owner Luis Gonzalez sustained burns over 30% of his body during a poorly managed temazcal ceremony in Mexico, requiring 14 surgeries and months of recovery.
- ▪Gonzalez had planned to rebrand the space as Ashi, a Mexican restaurant led by two-Michelin-starred chef Jesus Duron, but the transition failed due to his injury.
- ▪Prior to the accident, the restaurant faced financial strain from post-pandemic food price increases of 20% to 30%.
- ▪Gonzalez’s former publicist claims he has not been paid and alleges Gonzalez disappeared after discussing plans to buy a luxury apartment in Montreal.
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Jennifer Gould Business exclusive side dish NYC’s Milling Room abruptly shuts after owner’s bizarre, ‘life-threatening’ accident — and may owe more than $1M in rent By Jennifer Gould Published April 28, 2026, 6:11 p.m. ET A popular Upper West Side restaurant has abruptly shuttered after the owner suffered a bizarre, “life-threatening” accident in Mexico — and may be on the hook for more than $1 million in back rent, Side Dish has learned. The Milling Room, known for its airy dining room and vaulted glass ceiling — closed unexpectedly in December after more than 12 years with as much as $1.2 million owed to its landlord, according to a source close to the situation. When reached in Mexico, owner Luis Gonzalez declined to comment on how much he owed.
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