BigWife’s, the mac and cheese spot run by Bookbinder’s owners, has closed

The space was previously Growlers To Go’s downtown location. (Mike Platania photo)

After a two run, a restaurant along Arthur Ashe Boulevard has boiled its last noodle. 

BigWife’s Mac n’ Cheese ceased operations in recent weeks at 1017 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd. 

BigWife’s was owned by John and Jayme Taxin, the local couple that owns Shockoe Bottom dining institution Bookbinder’s Seafood & Steakhouse. 

They started BigWife’s as a pandemic-era pop-up, with a stripped-down menu highlighted by macaroni and cheese dishes like its Mac Lorraine, a play on the famous quiche dish made with bacon, Gruyere cheese and scallions. The restaurant’s name came from a family nickname for Jayme. 

BigWife’s graduated from a pop-up to a brick-and-mortar in early 2023 when the Taxins took over the spot on Arthur Ashe Boulevard. Their hope was to open multiple BigWife’s locations, but John said the concept never caught on and the restaurant just wasn’t making money. 

“Business was never gangbusters. If I had to do it over again, I would not have gone to the Boulevard,” Taxin said. “The goal was to open a million of these places. (But) we never generated enough business for the proof of concept.”

BigWife’s also had a food trailer that the Taxins would bring to events throughout the state. They’re now looking to sell the trailer. 

Its 1,200-square-foot building is owned by local businessman and developer Charlie Diradour and was where bottle shop Growlers To Go operated from 2015 to 2020. 

Taxin said he’s not bitter about the restaurant closing and that he’s holding onto BigWife’s recipes. Bookbinder’s remains open for business as usual.

“It’s a bummer. It was certainly fun and something kind of neat,” he said. “Maybe we’ll run it as a pop-up at Bookbinder’s. I really enjoyed the whole process.”

Meanwhile, a few blocks north, a Japanese barbecue from a mystery operator has signed on to open in The Ace, the eight-story mixed-use building that’s under construction at 1201 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd. 

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