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By Stephanie Gerson
The Fish Market’s Famous Cioppino, prepared at their Palo Alto location. Photo by Sinead Chang.
After 47 years in operation, The Fish Market has announced the upcoming closure of its two locations on the Peninsula, in Palo Alto and San Mateo.
In a July 11 press release, The Fish Market cited “changing market conditions” and additional factors influencing the restaurants’ “ability to continue to provide the high-quality seafood experience they built their legacy on” as reasons for closing.
Additionally, The Fish Market’s Peninsula locations caught the attention of local developers as sites for new housing developments. Menlo Park-based developer Acclaim Companies issued a proposal for a seven-story residential complex with 380 apartments to be built on El Camino Real in Palo Alto where The Fish Market currently stands. Windy Hill Property Ventures applied to redevelop The Fish Market footprint in San Mateo, proposing 321 rental units with the possible addition of ground-floor retail and restaurants.
“With redevelopment imminent for both of the properties we currently lease, we have chosen to preserve the memory of our founders – and the memories created by millions of guests over the years – by closing in a fashion that upholds the restaurant’s original integrity and vision,” said Dwight Colton, president of The Fish Market, in a statement.
The Palo Alto location’s last day of operation will be Sep. 13, and San Mateo’s on Sep. 20. To honor its long-standing legacy in the Bay Area, The Fish Market will serve weekly specials of favorite menu items offered over the years throughout the month of August.
As a final farewell, a commemorative menu will be released in September with a public auction of Fish Market kitchen equipment and memorabilia to follow.
“Not only are we fully committed to supporting our staff through this transition process, we want to celebrate with and express gratitude to our guests at both locations before we bid farewell,” Colton said.
The Fish Market, 3150 El Camino Real, Palo Alto; 650-493-8862; 1855 South Norfolk St., San Mateo, 650-349-3474, Instagram: @thefishmarkets.