The Ayrshire hospitality scene lost its only Michelin star this week.
Braidwoods was among 20 restaurants to be demoted in the Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland 2021.
The Dalry eaterie was also the longest-running star holder in Scotland.
Run by husband-and-wife team Keith and Nicola Braidwood, the venue has been a firm favourite with foodies in Ayrshire and beyond.
In a further blow, Mr Braidwood told Ayrshire Live today that the award-winning North Ayrshire restaurant wouldn't be reopening as the hospitality industry continues to grapple with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Mr Braidwood said: "We didn't really lose our star, we informed Michelin of our intentions in August because we didn't really want a guide to be out there and people reading it and seeing that Braidwoods has a star and trying to get a table when we're not opening for tables.
"So, we informed them and they were delighted and apparently we retained it right up until the end and they put on the guide that we were closed and that's what we expected.
"In effect we relinquished it because I'm quite aware that they're not very keen to have a guide that as soon as it comes out, it's almost out of date and they've always been up front with us since we got it.
"So we thought the best thing to do was inform them in August and told them that we wouldn't be going on much further."
Braidwoods has been open for 25 years and was awarded the Michelin star in 2000.
Nicola Braidwood is a former Scottish Young Chef of the Year and husband Keith earned the prestigious Acorn Award in 1993.
In addition to winning a coveted Michelin Star the restaurant was named the AA Best Restaurant in Scotland, Year 2000.
Mr Braidwood said he would've liked to have shut on his terms but he wasn't 'down' about the closure.
"I've been in catering since I was 17 and I'm in my mid 50s now so taking it easier is probably the best thing and maybe try and improve my golf," he added.
"We're delighted with the way that it went and we probably would've liked to have ended it more on our terms.
"We were the restaurant to hold it for the longest time [Michelin star]. I know we had it for 20 years and it is a source of pride that we had it for 20 years and it's not easy that Covid came along at the time that it did but we're not not down about it.
"We had it for 20 years and Michelin were great supporters and were good to us and helped put bums on seats."
The couple live next door to their beloved restaurant and are planning on introducing takeaways as early as next month.
"We were planning on retiring this year as we've been here for around 27 years," Keith said. "But Covid came along and, not brought it forward, but we're retiring the restaurant. We are still going to do takeaways but the actual restaurant is closed.
"We're starting our takeaway service round about Valentine's Day and we'll see how it goes.
"But it's very difficult at the moment to get supplies so we took the difficult decision to shut the restaurant down and do takeaways for the foreseeable.
"I can't see many restaurants opening between now and April anyway we'll launch our takeaway and do that and see how it goes.
"We're quite relaxed about the whole thing because we've been here for so long.
"We'll do the takeaways to summer anyway.
"During lockdown last year we have a guy – HQ Shellfish in Ardrossan – and we were selling loads of lobsters, we do a special lobster dish and it's s easy for people to take away and stick in the oven for eight minutes.
"It's more a seasonal thing. It's much harder to do takeaway when you don't get the supplies but we'll do it this year and then sit back and see if it worked, if we enjoyed it and whether or not we still need it and we'll make a decision then."
Plans are now in place to convert the famous restaurant, Mr Braidwood revealed.
He added: "We've had architects in and we plan on staying here. We love the area and the house which is right next door.
"We're planning with architects to convert the restaurant into more of a house and keep the commercial kitchen for doing our takeaways and when the times comes to leave and we get too old for that we'll convert the kitchen into our kitchen."
