Matt Moran and Solotel Group close Parramatta restaurant Chophouse

A western Sydney restaurant owned by a celebrity chef will shut up shop in less than a fortnight, to the shock of locals.

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Matt Moran and Solotel Group will close their only western Sydney restaurant in less than a fortnight.

Chophouse Parramatta will shut up shop December 21 after 14 months of operation.

Matt Moran’s only western Sydney venue is closing. Photo: Tasting Australia

Chophouse is a success in the Sydney CBD.

The Macquarie Street steakhouse opened off the back of the success of Chophouse in the city’s CBD, which will continue to operate after more than a decade.

Solotel CEO Justine Baker said the venture had not panned out as planned.

“Following the success of the Chophouse brand in Sydney’s CBD, we were excited about

bringing the concept to Parramatta. Unfortunately, it hasn’t quite panned out as we had

planned and now, we think the best way forward for the Chophouse brand is for us to focus on the CBD venue,” Ms Baker said.

The restaurant’s specialty was their 1.7kg Tomahawk Steak.

“We love being a part of the Parramatta community and look forward to continuing to welcome everyone to the Albion Hotel which has been the heart of Parramatta for more than 30 years.”

“And we look forward to welcoming guests at our Bligh Street restaurant in Sydney’s CBD to enjoy the Chophouse experience.”

Solotel Group owns close to 30 restaurants, bars and pubs across Sydney with Moran at the helm of some of the country’s top eateries including Aria, Chiswick Woollahra and at the Gallery, North Bondi Fish and Bea at Barangaroo House.

He is not involved in the bars and pubs, which include Golden Sheaf, Clock Hotel, Opera Bar, Paddo Inn, The Erko and more.

North Bondi Fish.

The closure comes as a shock to the burgeoning Parramatta community, which has celebrated many hospitality successes in recent years with other high profile operators moving in.

Executive Director of the Western Sydney Business Chamber David Borger said the closure was proof that Parramatta is a different beast to the Sydney CBD, so operators would need to properly look into the suburb to get it right the first time.

“The challenge for restaurateurs is to understand the Parramatta market and to get their offering right,” he said.

Parramatta Square will bring 23,000 new jobs to Parramatta. Picture: Walker Corp

“We’ve seen a number of transplants from the Sydney CBD not make it in Parramatta and that would suggest that there is a unique community that needs more attention than assuming what’s popular in the east will work in the west.

“With 23,000 new jobs expected in Parramatta Square and the population doubling to 480,000 by 2036, there is definitely a market to be cracked in Sydney’s booming central city.”

Originally published as Matt Moran and Solotel Group close Parramatta restaurant Chophouse