La Cuisine Ocala (Closed)
The downtown French restaurant closed on June 12, 2026, after 17 years. First Avenue Bar & Bistro opens in the space in October 2026.
La Cuisine at a Glance
- Status
- Permanently closed (Google Maps, checked Oct. 15, 2026)
- Address
- 48 SW 1st Ave, Ocala, FL 34471 (downtown Ocala)
- Opened
- 2009, by Patrice Perron and his wife, Elodie
- Last day of service
- June 12, 2026, two weeks before the planned final day of June 26
- Known for
- Lyon-style French cooking; nine Florida Trend Golden Spoon awards and a place in the Golden Spoon Hall of Fame
- In the space now
- First Avenue Bar & Bistro, taking reservations from Oct. 20, 2026, at (352) 452-9811
- Last checked
- October 15, 2026
Is La Cuisine Still Open?
No. La Cuisine closed effective immediately on June 12, 2026. Owners Elodie and Patrice had announced two days earlier that they sold the restaurant and would serve their final night on June 26, then closed early, citing unforeseen circumstances. Google Maps lists it as permanently closed.
The owners' closing message, first posted on the restaurant's Instagram account on June 12, still appears on lacuisineocala.com. In it they apologized to guests who held reservations for the coming days and thanked the community for its support.
17 Years of French Cooking Downtown
According to the restaurant's own history page, Patrice Perron was born and raised in Lyon, France, and trained at the Lyon restaurant Daniel & Denise under a chef who holds the Meilleur Ouvrier de France title. He and his wife Elodie moved to Ocala in 2009 and opened La Cuisine, with Patrice shaping the kitchen and Elodie running the front of house. The restaurant earned nine Golden Spoon awards from Florida Trend magazine and a place in its Hall of Fame.
In their June 10, 2026, sale announcement, the owners wrote that the restaurant had been bought by a local downtown Ocala business owner who intended to keep running the space as a restaurant.
What Is Opening in the La Cuisine Space?
First Avenue Bar & Bistro is opening at 48 SW 1st Ave, Ocala, FL 34471, and describes itself as elevated American cuisine with handcrafted cocktails. Its website says it begins accepting guest reservations on Oct. 20, 2026, and will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 4:30 p.m., with happy hour from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
- Oct. 20 to 31, 2026: preview period with slightly reduced seating. Reserve by phone at (352) 452-9811, or by text or email to a team member.
- From Nov. 3, 2026: reservations through OpenTable.
As of Oct. 15, 2026, Google Maps lists First Avenue Bar & Bistro as temporarily closed ahead of the opening. Dinner, cocktail and kids menus are posted on its website: firstaveocala.com. Read more in our news story on First Avenue Bar & Bistro.
Fine Dining in Downtown Ocala Now
- Mark's Prime Steakhouse & Seafood, 30 S Magnolia Ave, Ocala
- District Bar & Kitchen, 110 SW Broadway St, Ocala
- The fine dining in Ocala guide and the new restaurants in Ocala list
Correction: an earlier version of this page described La Cuisine as open, with a menu and hours we could not confirm. It has been corrected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is La Cuisine in Ocala still open?
No. La Cuisine closed effective immediately on June 12, 2026, according to a message from owners Elodie and Patrice posted that day on the restaurant's Instagram account and still shown on its website. Google Maps lists the restaurant as permanently closed.
Why did La Cuisine close?
The owners announced on June 10, 2026, that they had sold the restaurant after 17 years and planned a final day of service on June 26. Two days later they closed early, citing unforeseen circumstances that left them unable to continue service through the planned date.
What is replacing La Cuisine?
First Avenue Bar & Bistro is opening at 48 SW 1st Ave. Its website says it will begin accepting guest reservations on Oct. 20, 2026, and will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 4:30 p.m., with happy hour from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
How do I make a reservation at First Avenue Bar & Bistro?
During its preview period, Oct. 20 to 31, 2026, First Avenue Bar & Bistro takes reservations by phone at (352) 452-9811, or by text or email to a team member. Its website says OpenTable reservations open on Nov. 3.
How long was La Cuisine open in downtown Ocala?
About 17 years. Patrice Perron, who was born and raised in Lyon, France, and his wife Elodie opened La Cuisine in Ocala in 2009, according to the restaurant's website.
Where can I find fine dining in downtown Ocala now?
Mark's Prime Steakhouse & Seafood at 30 S Magnolia Ave and District Bar & Kitchen at 110 SW Broadway St are both in downtown Ocala. The Only In Ocala fine dining guide lists more upscale restaurants.
How We Checked This Page
The closing date, the June 26 planned final day and the sale come from the owners' own posts on the La Cuisine Instagram account (June 10 and June 12, 2026) and the closing message on lacuisineocala.com. The restaurant's history comes from its Our Story page. First Avenue Bar & Bistro's address, reservation dates, hours and phone come from firstaveocala.com and its Google Maps listing. All were checked on Oct. 15, 2026.
AI tools helped gather the sources and draft this page; each fact was checked against those sources before publishing. Questions or corrections? Contact our team or read our editorial guidelines.
La Cuisine en Ocala cerró
La Cuisine, el restaurante francés de 48 SW 1st Ave en el centro de Ocala, cerró de forma definitiva el 12 de junio de 2026, después de 17 años. Sus dueños, Elodie y Patrice, habían anunciado la venta del restaurante el 10 de junio. En el mismo local abre First Avenue Bar & Bistro, que acepta reservaciones desde el 20 de octubre de 2026 al (352) 452-9811 y abre de martes a sábado desde las 4:30 p.m.