By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-06-24 20:16:01 | Updated at 2026-06-24 21:02:09
54 minutes ago
Hundreds of restaurant workers are scrambling after a local favorite Bay Area dining group pulled the plug on all of its locations, ending a three-decade run almost overnight.
Vine Hospitality, the owner behind LB Steak and Left Bank Brasserie restaurants, announced it would abruptly shutter all seven of its locations, giving customers less than a week to make their final visits.
The closures happened as a result of a 'challenging operating environment,' plus two unopened restaurants in San Francisco that 'exploded at the last second,' CEO Alistair Levine told the San Francisco Chronicle.
According to Levine, Bay Area restaurants are still recovering from a pandemic-era slump in sales.
'Some people are thriving but most of the industry is severely struggling,' Levine added.
The group’s Mediterranean restaurant, Meso Modern Mediterranean, closed its doors on June 22 after two years in business.
LB Steak at Bishop Ranch City Center in San Ramon, permanently closed on June 22, and the Santana Row outpost in San Jose, is set to close on June 24.
Left Bank has also been hit hard, with its Santana Row and Menlo Park restaurants closing on June 23, followed by its Larkspur location on June 24. Petite Left Bank in Tiburon was among the first to go, closing on June 22.
On Left Bank Brasserie's website, its Bastille Day celebration is still scheduled for July, highlighting 'French-inspired specials, live music, festive décor and a lively Parisian atmosphere'
That means over 300 employees across several locations are now facing unemployment, are are reportedly receiving their vacation pay and final wages from the company, according to SF Gate.
In its social media statement, the restaurant group thanked their 'dedicated team members, whose hard work, passion and commitment brought the spirit of Left Bank to life each and every day.'
'Wish we have more time to say goodbye,' one Instagram comment read. 'I had so many fond memories at the Left Bank in Santana Row when it first opened... I hope you have all employees adequate notice and compensate them fairly.'
'Such short notice, heartbreaking for all who work there and have brought the life and spirit into Left Bank, some for decades,' another social media user said.
Some even described it as 'pulling the rug out' from their workers, saying employees should provide 30 days notice, if not more.
'The staff are so kind I’ll be sure to stop by tomorrow for lunch and tip them generously to help them fill the gap until they find new employment,' one social media user added.
Levine’s father, Ed, founded Vine Hospitality in 1994, partnering with French chef Roland Passot to develop the brasserie concept. The first LB Steak opened at Santana Row in 2009.
The Left Bank restaurants, including the Oakland waterfront location that shuttered in 2024, found their footing with French food-loving locals, especially drawing crowds with Bastille Day celebrations.
Left Bank Brasserie's menu included French favorites like steak frites and French onion soup
The restaurant group's woes extend beyond its recent closures.
A former Left Bank Oakland sous chef sued Vine Hospitality in late 2024, claiming he was denied proper pay and was unlawfully terminated, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Across the Bay Area, retail stores and restaurants have shuttered because of sliding sales.
This March, bookstore chain Barnes & Noble announced it would close its branch located in the Shops at Tanforan - a mall that just last year was slammed with the closure of another staple, JCPenney.
Only a few stores remain open at the Shops at Tanforan, including a jeweler, a bridal shop and a cell phone store. There's still a Target and Starbucks at the mall, as well as a Chipotle in the food court.
