Saffron Bistro Closing As of May 18

May 16, 2013:

The Saffron Bistro is sad to announce it’s closing after six wonderful years of business.  The local downtown restaurant known for its young and talented Owner/Executive Chef Joe Drift could not come to terms with a new lease agreement and has decided to close its doors. It will leave behind a legacy of delicious, chef-inspired cuisine and fun memories of local business owners and the “Cheers” like atmosphere that they have created.

“I would like to thank Nashua for six wonderful years! It is sad to see it come to an end, but I am thankful for the people who have truly supported us through the years. I have made lifelong friends through this endeavor and those people will remain close to me as the year’s progress. I met my wife here and thank her dearly for all the love and support she gave my dreams. I could not have done it without her hard work. My mother has been by my side every step of the way. She has been my biggest cheerleader throughout the years. Without her, my dream of owning my own restaurant would have never come true and I thank her immensely for that. She is one of the strongest women that I know and I can’t begin to show her enough appreciation for all the work she has put in over the years.

I will miss the tightknit community that I have come to know here in Nashua and the support of many local businesses. A special thank you to Philip and Amalia Scontsas of Scontsas Fine Jewelry & Home Decor for the amazing love and support throughout the years. Thank you to Cheryl Plunkett and her husband Bruce of Fresh of Nashua for your friendship and the great things we have done together. Thank you to Jim Lespasio and Greg Stevens of Stella Blu for always being there!  Thank you to all of Downtown Nashua who have shown us the true meaning of the word community.

I couldn’t have done it without my amazing staff, including my Executive Sous Chef Jon Talbot. He has been an amazing asset to my restaurant. Without him I would have never been able to do what I do. I have seen him grow and develop into a great leader and innovative chef. Most everyone has been with me for years now, and even those who are newer have become part of the team. My staff was my backbone; they supported the restaurant by providing nothing but the best service & always worked their hardest. They are ALL amazing people who I am so thankful for!

My years here have not been wasted.  I have been able to gain more knowledge and experience than any college degree could have ever prepared me for. Having the opportunity to open a restaurant at 27 years old was a blessing and I have learned so much throughout the years and have no regrets.

I will continue to do what I love, just not in Nashua. Back in November of 2012 I was given an opportunity to team up with my partner Jeff Dudley and join him as the Executive Chef of 11Eleven Bistro in Manchester, NH. We have worked together over the last few years at Saffron Bistro and with my passion for cooking equal to his we teamed up to launch this new restaurant.

I am excited to see where this new chapter will take me, I am sad to see one come to an end, but I am so grateful for the people I have met along the way and I would not change that for the world!”

Chef Joe Drift