While chef Brendan McGill closes one chapter, another is underway.
Seabird, a seafood restaurant named one of the “best new restaurants in America,” will close for good Sept. 28. The Bainbridge Island restaurant opened in 2022, according to The Seattle Times.
“All our costs doubled and tripled, and the appetite to spend is just not there anymore. It worked great during summertime when everyone is visiting the island. But I know what will happen when in November it’s 42 degrees and rainy outside. We are just not going to see a lot of people,” he told the outlet
McGill said running a seafood-focused restaurant through the winter proved too difficult and plans to unveil a new concept in the space after Seabird closes.
What Now Seattle reached out to McGill, however, he has not yet responded. This article may be updated.
The closure will not affect McGill’s other concepts, including Cafe Hitchcock and Bruciato on Bainbridge.
Who is Brendan McGill?
McGill, a native of Fairbanks, Alaska, has earned a reputation as one of Seattle’s most inventive chefs. Ten years after moving to the city to pursue a culinary career, he opened Cafe Hitchcock, a Pacific Northwest farm-to-table restaurant.
The Hitchcock Restaurant Group has since expanded to include two cafes, a bar, a Neapolitan pizzeria, an organic farm, a kombucha line and an oyster bar. The group also runs a community-supported agriculture program, or CSA, delivering seasonal fruits, vegetables and other farm products directly to members.
McGill continues to explore regional ingredients, studying their sources and production, while leading culinary and business development for the restaurant group.
