Riverside restaurant closes without warning

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Former employees at a Riverside restaurant are without a job after a restaurant closed without warning.

Sbraga & Company in Unity Plaza is owned by "Top Chef" winner Kevin Sbraga.

Action News Jax news partners at the Jacksonville Business Journal reported that employees arrived to find a note on the door Monday saying, "Dear Employees and Vendors: We're sad to say the restaurant is closed and no longer operating."

The employees reportedly didn’t even collect their things.

Sbraga took to Instagram and Twitter overnight leaving a message for his employees and customers, saying it was not his company that closed the restaurant.

“I'm heartbroken at how things have panned out. I'm sure there are questions on the specifics of the situation that I likely can't answer now, but please know none of this was under my control or my decision.”

The Jacksonville Business Journal reports that the dinner crowd had been consistent though the restaurant did have to quietly abandon its lunch hours due to low foot traffic. It reports that Unity Plaza’s interim director called it a dispute between the restaurateur and the landlord.

Action News Jax also learned Sbraga was also previously sued by the company who installed equipment at his restaurant in Philadelphia. The company said Sbraga owed them more than $100,000.

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