Landry’s Inc., the extensive hospitality company overseen by Texas billionaire Tilman Fertitta, owner of the NBA’s Houston Rockets, has secured a deal to acquire the bankrupt Fireman Hospitality Group’s three most profitable restaurants in Manhattan—Trattoria dell’ Arte, Fiorello’s, and Bond 45. This acquisition is part of a newly revealed $22 million transaction in collaboration with Ciao Hospitality Group, which will take over operational management, according to the NY Post.
Sources have informed Eater that Cafe Fiorello DC will cease operations following service on Wednesday, October 28. The restaurant’s OpenTable reservation system has confirmed this closure, expressing apologies for the disruption: “We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. Thank you for considering Cafe Fiorello DC, and we’re sorry we won’t have the opportunity to welcome you.” Additionally, Fireman’s Fiorella Italian Kitchen located in National Harbor, Oxon Hill, Maryland, is set to close on Thursday, October 29.
Fertitta’s expansive restaurant empire includes prestigious steakhouse brands such as Morton’s, Mastro’s, Del Frisco’s, and Strip House, along with the popular Mexican chain Dos Caminos and the sushi establishment Blue Fin, many of which have locations in New York City and some in Washington D.C. Furthermore, he is a part owner of New York’s Catch Group, which encompasses trendy venues like Corner Store, the Eighty Six, Or’esh, and Cafe Charmant. Despite his busy schedule, which includes serving as the U.S. ambassador to Italy as appointed by President Donald Trump, Fertitta shows no indications of slowing down in the restaurant industry — even parking his superyacht in D.C. from time to time.
According to Ciao CEO Jeff Crivello, who co-bid on the Fireman empire alongside Landry’s, his company will also manage several of Fireman’s other offerings, including Paris Bar within the Le Meridien Central Park Hotel, the hotel’s rooftop lounge Le Jardin, the Brooklyn Delicatessen, and two locations of Brooklyn Diner in Manhattan. The Fireman group began facing challenges following the COVID-19 pandemic, and the passing of its long-time leader, Shelly Fireman, at the age of 93 last fall exacerbated the situation, as reported by the Post. The company is now burdened with nearly $10 million in secured claims, with its RedEye Grill, known for its “dancing shrimp,” having closed across from Carnegie Hall this summer after three decades, and the National Harbor’s Italian restaurant Bond 45 also shutting its doors earlier this year.
The prominent location of Cafe Fiorello along Pennsylvania Avenue NW has experienced a revolving door of restaurants over the years; this 6,500-square-foot corner was previously home to the short-lived San Francisco restaurant Tadich Grill and the local staple TenPenh before that.
In addition to its renowned thin-crust pizza that helped establish the original NYC location, Cafe Fiorello offered a captivating antipasto bar at the entrance, lobster carbonara, seasonal dishes like an open-faced lasagna for two, a flame-grilled Black Label burger, and branzino al Forno made using its wood-burning oven. A few months after its debut, Eater reported observing the polarizing politician Marjorie Taylor Greene dining at the establishment, dressed in a tailored red suit, just before she concluded her tenure as a Republican congresswoman.
The area surrounding the Capitol is experiencing a resurgence of dining establishments, highlighted by the recent opening of the eye-catching surf-and-turf restaurant Chandelier on Pennsylvania Avenue this fall. Additionally, Atlas Restaurant Group is thoroughly renovating the former Charlie Palmer Steak in anticipation of a reopening in 2027.
