Diners devastated as iconic Michelin-star restaurant faces eviction for ‘$96,000 in back rent’
A BELOVED Michelin-star restaurant in California has been issued an eviction notice over outstanding rent.
The San Francisco destination eatery is known for its Moroccan food and live entertainment.
The lawsuit filed in San Francisco Superior Court on November 1 by the restaurant's landlord alleges that Berber owes $96,000 in past-due rent, reports.
Berber, co-founded by experienced restaurateur Borhem Hammami and first-timer Tony Garnicki, opened in California in 2018, starting in a 4,000-square-foot space.
Their landlord, Polk Street Associates, submitted the lawsuit that states Berber's overdue rent dates back to July 2023.
Despite the eviction notice, Berber continues to post about their San Francisco Restaurant Week deals, as well as their Thanksgiving special on Instagram.
Their menu ranges from popular Moroccan dips to a camel burger.
The has commented on the individuality of Berber in the past, calling it "dinner and a show" and noting its "live musicians and dancers to acrobats and aerialists" paired with its Moroccan prix fixe and creative cocktails.
The restaurant was issued a three-day notice to either pay the overdue rent or halt operations but that deadline passed on October 23, 2023, reported.
The next steps in the lawsuit weren't immediately clear.
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When reached for comment by the U.S. Sun, Garnicki said he and restaurant staff were staying hopeful.
"We remain optimistic and believe that we will overcome this hurdle", Granicki said. "It's been challenging to repay back rent from those pandemic months at limited or no capacity ... However, our dedication to our founding dream of keeping the performing arts alive in San Francisco remains unwavering".
Garnicki went on to say that it will be months before anything is finalized, assuring that Berber will be opened for the foreseeable future.
