A San Francisco restaurant that earned critical praise for putting a modern spin on Southern cuisine is preparing to serve its final meals. Despite earning recognition from the Michelin Guide and praise as one of the Bay Area’s notable new restaurants, the restaurant’s run will come to an end this fall.
Prelude will close in September
Prelude, a Southern-inspired fine-dining restaurant inside San Francisco’s Jay Hotel, will permanently close after dinner service on September 19, 2026. The restaurant opened in August 2024 and is operated by Omakase Restaurant Group.
Located at 333 Battery St. in San Francisco’s Financial District, Prelude was created by Executive Chef Celtin Hendrickson-Jones, who drew inspiration from his Southern family heritage. The menu combined traditional Southern flavors with contemporary techniques and Bay Area ingredients.
Among the restaurant’s distinctive offerings were fried chicken wings stuffed with dirty rice and grits, pimento cheese topped with trout roe, and a modern take on banana cream pie.
Restaurant earned Michelin recognition
Prelude’s closure comes less than two years after its opening and despite receiving significant industry attention.
The restaurant was added to the 2025 Michelin Guide California, recognizing it as one of the notable restaurants in the region. Its bar also received recognition from Bon Appétit as one of the best new bars of 2025.
The San Francisco Chronicle also named Prelude among the Bay Area’s best new restaurants of 2024.
Business struggles led to closure
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Prelude ultimately struggled to attract enough customers to remain sustainable, despite its accolades and high-end design.
Omakase Restaurant Group plans to replace Prelude with a new restaurant concept, although details about the replacement have not yet been announced. Hendrickson-Jones is expected to return to his previous role at Niku Steakhouse.
The closure comes as Omakase Restaurant Group continues expanding its restaurant portfolio, making Prelude’s relatively short run a notable development for San Francisco’s competitive dining scene.
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