The Cultural District restaurant Cafe Zao will close for good on Sunday.

Owner and chef Toni Pais opened Cafe Zao, which means "big cafe" in Portuguese, at 649 Penn Ave. in Theater Square in 2004 as part of a growth spurt in the heart of the Downtown Cultural District.

Since 1999, Mr. Pais has owned Cafe Zihno (small cafe) in Shadyside. He also operated the upscale restaurant Baum Vivant on Baum Boulevard.

Mr. Pais said in a statement that he is "excited to pursue other culinary projects and to focus my attention on Cafe Zinho. Balancing between the two restaurants took a lot of energy, and I'm looking for a more long-term sustainable approach to my work that affords me the time to be as creative and innovative as possible. "

J. Kevin McMahon, CEO and president of the Cultural Trust, called Mr. Pais "a pioneer" Downtown. "By opening Cafe Zao, he spearheaded the growth of more than a dozen restaurants in and immediately around the Cultural District."

The statement said the Cultural Trust plans to seek restaurateurs interested in renting the venue and to use it in the interim as a rental space for private events.

Looking for more from the Post-Gazette? Join PG+, our members-only web site. You'll get exclusive sports content, opinion, financial information, discounts from retailers and restaurants, and more. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.