Join Club

Two New Restaurant Closures in Clarendon: Fuego and Spice

The rumors were true, unfortunately: Fuego Cocina y Tequileria in Clarendon is closing.

The restaurant confirmed in a press release this evening that its last day will be Sunday, Oct. 16. Fuego opened four years ago, in October 2012, at the corner of Clarendon Blvd and N. Fillmore Street.

“Even great-tasting restaurants battle tough odds, but we cannot thank our devotees enough who were a constant support and presence at our bar and in our dining room,” chef and co-owner Jeff Tunks said in a statement.

Separately, it appears that another Clarendon eatery — Spice, a well-reviewed Italian hoagie and Mediterranean food shop at 3033 Wilson Blvd — has closed after just over two years in business.

There was no notice of a closing in the windows and nothing posted on the restaurant’s social media accounts, but the doors were locked and the phone disconnected throughout the day today. Numerous boxes littered the restaurant’s interior. So far, however, there has been no confirmation that it is permanently closed.”

“[Spice] is a favorite for my coworkers and me,” one regular customer told ARLnow.com. “Do you know if it’s officially closed? Too bad, if so! It was a great place.”

This has been a turbulent year for Clarendon restaurants, with at least a half dozen — including local staples Hard Times Cafe and Boulevard Woodgrill — closing since the end of April. At the same time, however, there are a number of new restaurants and bars opening — like Ambar and Wilson Hardware.

The full press release about Fuego’s closing, after the jump.

After four years of burning hot and bright in the northern Virginia neighborhood of Clarendon, the fire that is Fuego Cocina y Tequileria will be extinguishing. With a name that literally translated to “fire kitchen and tequila bar,” Fuego opened October 2012 as a vibrant temple of authentic Mexican cuisine, serving robust flavors and the most extensive range of tequilas in the metropolitan area. With its last dinner service on Sunday, October 16, 2016, Fuego will offer a series of weekend-long specials as a farewell fiesta leading up to its closing.

“Even great-tasting restaurants battle tough odds, but we cannot thank our devotees enough who were a constant support and presence at our bar and in our dining room,” says Jeff Tunks, chef/co-proprietor of Fuego Cocina y Tequileria.

Fuego was acclaimed just recently as being among the “Best Spicy Food Restaurants in DC” [CBS Local, August 2016] and one of the top three Mexican restaurants in the DC area [Washingtonian, December 2014]; having the “Best Margarita Happy Hour” [Washingtonian, June 2016] and the “Favorite Tacos in DC” [Eater.com, October 2012]. It has been especially popular among the neighborhood’s youthful bar crowd, who have made Fuego’s main-level tequileria and lounge a lively destination.

“We’ve loved being part of this dynamic and welcoming community, but at this time, the location ultimately does not fit into the goals of our professional direction,” says Gus DiMillo, one of the partners of Fuego. “We’re proud to have made strong, loyal friendships here in Clarendon, and we hope we’ll continue to see many of our Fuego patrons around town in the future.”

Recent Stories

Starting next month, weekday drivers and pedestrians like should plan for sporadic closures near the Shirlington Road bridge. Kicking off in April and lasting through the summer, the sidewalk and…

Morning Notes

Planning for New DCA Projects — “It passed below the radar screens of the traveling public, but the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority on March 20 moved a major step forward…

Good Thursday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar. 🕗 News recap The following articles were published earlier today…

Last year, an attempt to broaden the Arlington police auditor’s access to police records quietly fizzled before reaching the public for discussion.

Award-winning drag queen Tara Hoot is bringing her Family Fun Story Time Brunch to Arlington at Freddie’s Beach Bar! Saturday April 6 at noon! Join Tara for songs, stories, puppets, bubbles and joy! It’s not just stories, it’s a SHOW that’s perfect for kids and kids at heart–fun for everyone! Plus a tasty brunch at Freddie’s! Click the link and make your reservations now! ❤️ 🫧 🌈

Submit your own Announcement here.

The Summer 2024 STEAM (Science/Technology/Engineering/Arts/Math) Fellowship application is now open! Apply by April 15 to be considered!

The STEAM Workforce Development Teacher Fellowship provides Arlington Public Schools (APS) high school, middle school, and elementary school teachers with opportunities to learn about workplace needs in STEAM-related fields and for them to use the experience to enhance student learning to match workplace expectations in a selected industry. STEAM Fellows participate in a three-week summer fellowship, receiving a $4,000 stipend upon completion.

Applicants planning to pursue a fellowship in the arts must demonstrate how they will build connections between the arts and science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.

Click the button to learn more, share, apply, and see the variety of fellowships completed in previous years.

Read More

Submit your own Announcement here.

Free Right-Sizing Workshop – How to Get Rid of Your…

Cody Chance and Dick Nathan of Long & Foster are hosting a free workshop at our office on Cherry Hill Rd. (formerly Lee Highway) on the topic of “down-sizing” Thursday, March 28 from 5:30-7:30. We have created a workbook with

Portofino Italian Wine Dinner, April 6, 6:30pm

Four course Italian dinner, paired with 2 wines each. The wines will be served “blind” and notes on each wine will be discussed. The event is coordinated with Elite Wine Importers and The Portofino Restaurant. The dinner is on Saturday,

×

Subscribe to our mailing list