BOSTON - Restaurant closures sadly continue throughout the city as the top-rated, albeit priciest spot, Meritage Restaurant on Boston Harbor announced it will be closing.

For 17 years, the Meritage Restaurant and Wine Bar have been a staple of the shores of the Boston Harbor. Situated high up in the Boston Harbor Hotel, Meritage was a massively fancy restaurant that overlooked such gorgeous views of the city and its waterfront. For anyone who enjoyed luxury dining and some of the most exquisite tasting wines around, Meritage was a must-visit and a must dine at since 2003. But as the Boston Harbor Hotel has grown, the Meritage reputation has not accompanied it. And now, it is set to close on February 15, per Boston Restaurants.

The reason for the closure is not to bring in another new restaurant to attempt to satiate the taste buds of those who pass through the doors. Rather, it was announced by the general manager of the hotel that the restaurant needed to close so as to accommodate the growing demand for event space in the hotel. What was Meritage will soon become a room where people can rent out private events.

But what will become of the thousands of bottles of wine served by Meritage? They will be served at a number of other restaurants and festivals in the city, which are operated by the same core group of people.

Meritage The Restaurant and Wine Bar joins a long, ever-growing list of beloved restaurants throughout New England that are announced to be closing in the past couple of months. From the Top of the Hub to the No Name Seafood restaurant to The Pub in Amherst, it seems like no spot, no matter how beloved or time-honored throughout the region, is safe. Make sure to visit your favorites while you can! There is no telling how long they will stick around or which meal you eat there will be the last. The best we can do is support our local businesses as best we can, even if this particular one was a little out of our control.

Image via Yelp