Scratch Bar Closes Overnight in Beverly Hills, With Plans to Return Elsewhere

Two-year old Scratch Bar in Beverly Hills is closing up shop, though chef Phillip Frankland Lee says it isn’t going away forever. Instead, the whole thing is just on hiatus as the restaurant relocates to parts unknown.

Lee won’t say where exactly the 2.0 version of Scratch Bar will land, except to note that it’s in a "hipper part of town," which at least hypothetically would mean an area more receptive to the restaurant’s penchant for high-minded chef’s counter dining. The new space is already in escrow so ideally there won’t be much of a lag before the second location gets up to speed.

Unfortunately, last night was the final evening of service at the Beverly Hills location, so anyone hoping to drop in for a meal will have to wait a while. It’s probably a smart move for Lee and his team overall to make the move, as the previous location on the edge of Beverly Hills was plagued by tough parking and a lot of behind-the-scenes wrangling with the city. In the meantime, Lee will be cooking at his Studio City restaurant The Gadarene Swine.