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The Cliff House, a 157-year-old iconic San Francisco restaurant, is to close in less than two weeks
Coronavirus restrictions coupled with the federal government which has delayed signing a long-term lease are factors in the decision
In its prime Cliff House was part of a bustling strip of cafes attracting visitors from across the country
Visitors were treated to spectacular views over the cliff tops and superb sunsets
San Francisco s iconic Cliff House restaurant that has served tourists and locals for more than a century from atop a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean is closing its doors at the end of the year.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) San Francisco’s iconic Cliff House restaurant that has served tourists and locals for more than a century from atop a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean is closing its doors at the end of the year.
Dan and Mary Hountalas, the restaurant’s proprietors since 1973, said in a post Sunday on the restaurant’s website they are closing Dec. 31 because of losses brought on by the pandemic and a dispute over renewing their long-term operating contract with the National Park Service.
Built in 1863, the seaside restaurant has been a San Francisco institution and a top tourist attraction. It has gone through several transformations. The first modest, wood-frame structure was destroyed in a fire in 1894. It was rebuilt and fashioned after a French chateau that survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquake but burned down the following year. The third and present Cliff House, neoclassic in design, was built in 1909.
Cliff House landlord says it might not reopen the 157-year-old S.F. landmark as a restaurant
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Cliff House during lunch service on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2019, in San Francisco, CA.Paul Kuroda / Special to The Chronicle 2019
The Cliff House one of San Francisco’s most prized landmarks may not reopen as a restaurant, according to a letter obtained by The Chronicle. The National Park Service, which owns the property, said in a letter that it’s reevaluating “the feasibility of anyone operating” the scenic, waterfront space as a restaurant in the near future due to the state of the food industry.