Foley restaurateurs who opened a new venture in Gulf Shores this spring are moving on from both.

Pam and chef Rich Lee own Portabella’s in Foley and launched Safari and Vine at the Alabama Gulf Shores Zoo in March, offering patrons Italian cuisine up Hwy. 59 and a “global-inspired menu” at the zoo, “whether it be Australian comfort food or wings made using spices from Africa,” according to a previous Gulf Coast Media article. Both are now closed, as of July 9.

“We are heartbroken to say that we have to close Portabellas and Safari & Vine. We were hoping that things would turn around soon, but unfortunately, we ran out of time and money,” the Lees wrote in a Facebook post on the Portabella’s page on Thursday.

According to the post, Portabella’s is for sale as a turnkey restaurant “with an amazing staff who believe in Portabellas.” There was no sign indicating the restaurant was closed on Thursday afternoon, but the doors were locked and the eatery was not operating. The main gate to the zoo's parking lot was closed.

The Foley restaurant ran for 10 years before quietly closing a first time in March 2023. According to Gulf Coast Media’s reporting at the time, the Lees bought it and moved to Alabama and reopened the doors in one month.

Rich Lee has over 40 years of culinary, front-of-the-house and management experience that took him around the world as a chef in the Marines before he settled in Panama City, Florida, then New Orleans.

The Lees connected with Portabella’s when a friend and restaurant regular told them it was closing and for sale.

“To every guest who dined with us, shared a meal with family and friends, celebrated special occasions or simply stopped in to say hello — thank you. Your encouragement, kind words and support meant more to us than you know,” their statement on the Safari and Vine Facebook page reads. “We are especially grateful to our dedicated team, who poured their hearts into creating memorable experiences every day. We couldn’t have asked for a better group of people.

“While this chapter has come to an end, we are proud of what we built and the memories we created together.

“From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for being part of the Safari & Vine family.

“With sincere gratitude,

“Pam & Chef Rich Lee”

The zoo’s restaurant, which is accessible without zoo entrance, has operated under a couple names in the last few years now. Savanna closed in 2025 after opening in 2023 as a new version of Sunset Cork Room. It originally started as the Safari Club.