Pioneering Washington Seafood Restaurant DC Coast Will Close Its Doors At The End Of The Year

After nearly 20 years of service, Washington seafood restaurant DC Coast will close its doors on the last day of the year, December 31, 2015.

The restaurant, which opened in 1998 on 14th and K Streets, was crucial to the restoration of downtown Washington, and rather revolutionary in a dining era dominated by steak restaurants — especially in the time before chefs were asked to consider sustainable sourcing.

In a press release, the restaurant's owners — chef Jeff Tunks, Gus DiMillo, and David Wizenberg — explained that the decision to shutter was made after "much review of the varied factors," especially their disagreement with the building's landlord, who wanted them to expand, while the team preferred to renovate and reduce the restaurant's size. The team's hospitality group, Passion Food Hospitality, also owns Acadiana, PassionFish, District Commons, and Penn Commons.

DC Coast's closure, however, does come with some good news from Passion Food Hospitality — the resurrection of TenPenh, the group's popular pan-Asian restaurant which closed in 2011 after 11 years. TenPenh is expected to open in a new space during the spring or summer of 2016. What's more, Wizenberg told the Washington Post, it remains possible that DC Coast might also be resurrected in the future, though we'll have to wait and see.