Signs for modern European restaurant Seraphina are gone from the exterior of the two-storey restaurant/bar space at 905 Dunsmuir St in downtown Vancouver.
Seraphina, which opened in August, appears to have closed in the fall, perhaps in October.
Diners report making reservations for Seraphina in October via OpenTable only to arrive and find the business was closed.
Currently, signage for the upstairs lounge concept, Vesper, remains in place at the business; Seraphina, on the ground floor, was run by the same owners.
One space to the left of the front door that used to say Seraphina now reads "Dolce Vita." It is not clear if that is a fresh concept owners plan to introduce in place of Seraphina. No information about a new restaurant concept of that name at the location is publicly available.
Seraphina aimed 'to redefine the modern social dining experience'
Touted as a somewhat upscale dining option, ahead of its opening this summer the owners described Seraphina online as follows: "Located in a chic yet charming lounge setting, it is a unique concept that artfully blends fine culinary arts with casual dining. We aim to redefine the modern social dining experience complete with incredible food, world-class service, and exceptional value."
While opening chef Rory Byrne was behind a tasty menu at launch, he and several co-workers exited Seraphina in October.
"While I was excited to open another new venture, myself and many of my team, including my Sous and Pastry Chefs, have decided that we can no longer remain working for the company," Byrne shared on his personal Instagram account on Oct. 12.
"[M]any of you gave us incredible feedback on the dishes and tasting menus we created but unfortunately the style and quality of the food was not appreciated internally and the business has been heading in a very different direction that we do not wish to be a part of," the chef continued.
Byrne is now at Tutto in Yaletown.
V.I.A. dined at Seraphina at the end of August but had not successfully connected with the Vesper/Seraphina ownership for an interview ahead of opening.
So far, an email to Vesper regarding changes at the restaurant has not received a response.
The @seraphinayvr Instagram's last post was on Oct. 11 and features a local lifestyle influencer endorsing the restaurant. The Vesper Lounge Instagram account remains active.
The OpenTable reservation page for Seraphina + Vesper Lounge shows the platform is taking reservations for Vesper Lounge only. Vesper's dining menu includes items like truffle fries, a cheeseburger, wings, and chicken fingers.
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