Good(ish) news, herbivores. While you might have heard on Twitter or Facebook that Fressen will be serving its last Moroccan stew on December 31, it's not exactly the end for this beloved vegan sit-down spot.

Owner Steve Gardiner will take several months in the new year to craft an entirely new concept for the restaurant, that which will include a new name, look, and menu. The food will still be vegan, of course, but that's about all that will linger from the existing Fressen prototype. Even the current staff has all been let go, with the promise that some may be asked to return when the new restaurant is up and ready.

I chat with Tanaz at Fressen, who tells me Steve's plan has actually been about a year in the making. "He's just been so busy with Urban Herbivore," she says, "that he really hasn't had the time to make [Fressen] what he wants it to be. But the sister restaurants are now running smoothly, so I think now is a good time for him."

Fressen's basement is already in the mist of being gutted in preparation for the day after serving its final meal. No details have been released as to what to expect of the new space, though the transformation is expected to take about two to three months.

Photo from the Fressen Facebook page.