SF's Storied Fifth Floor Restaurant Will Shutter in January

After a 14-year run inside San Francisco's Hotel Palomar, the Fifth Floor has announced it will permanently shutter on January 17. According to Eater SF, the restaurant — one of the city's "most legendary launching pads for chefs," counting George Morrone, Melissa Perello, and Laurent Gras among its alumni — will transition into a more causal concept focusing on "cocktails and small plates."

The as-yet-unnamed new concept, rumored to be modeled on cocktail hotspots like Trick Dog and Maven, will retain the current Fifth Floor culinary team of chef David Bazirgan, bar manager Brian Means, and pastry chef Francis Ang. (In 2011, Bazirgan earned a 3.5-star rating from the Chronicle's Michael Bauer, as well as Eater's Hottest Chef in America title). No word yet on possible re-opening date, though Eater SF hears the revamp "is expected to take several months."

· Fifth Floor Is Shutting Down, Changing Concepts [Eater SF]
· All Fifth Floor Coverage on Eater [-E-]