Primi Piatti will close by the end of July

Primi Piatti in Foggy Bottom is closing by the end of the month. (Courtesy Primi Piatti)

It's almost time to say goodbye to another longtime Washington restaurant.

Chef-owner Savino Recine has sold Primi Piatti and expects the Italian dining room in Foggy Bottom to close by the end of the month. "I had a great offer, and also it's 30 years," said Recine, who opened Primi Piatti with then-business partner Roberto Donna in 1987 before the duo split and Recine fully took over. "It's time that I step away."

That great offer? It came from Luigi Diotaiuti, chef-owner of Al Tiramisu in Dupont Circle, who also happened to work at Primi Piatti many years ago. "It's just an incredible coincidence," Recine said of the buyer.

Diotaiuti said he's still working on what his plans for the restaurant will be.

Primi Piatti is Recine's last restaurant. His portfolio once consisted of a half-dozen spots, including a Primi Piatti in Tysons Corner, Finemondo downtown and club-restaurant Coco Loco in Penn Quarter. But to him, Primi Piatti has been special. "Primi has been one of the most wonderful experiences of my life. There's no question about that," Recine said.

Over the years, the restaurant came to be known as a see-and-be-seen kind of place, hosting its fair share of Hollywood (Tom Cruise, Madonna) and Washington (Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden, the Clintons) luminaries.

Recine doesn't know yet when the last day of service will be, but he'll be hosting two goodbye dinners, on July 14 and July 21. The events will consist of a seven-course feast featuring some of the restaurant's classic dishes, as well as a full evening of tricks from Recine, who is a professional magician. One part of the show: He'll ask guests where he should go on vacation after he retires -- and the answer will already be written on a sheet of paper suspended from the ceiling.

Recine, 66, said he's going to try to continue his magic act elsewhere. He does, in fact, want to do a bit more traveling, but plans to continue living in the Washington area. He's selling his mansion in McLean (price tag: $3.4 million) and preparing to downsize to a smaller house.

Primi Piatti is just the latest dining stalwart to depart from the D.C. scene. Other recent closings have included La Fourchette, after 38 years, and Bistro Francais, after 41 years. "It definitely shows it's the end of an era," Recine said. "It's all good memories, but nothing stays forever."

Primi Piatti, 2013 I St. NW. 202-223-3600. primipiatti.com.

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