Chef Joshua Skenes, a Michelin three-star chef, will no longer be opening his sealife-focused restaurant, Angler, at Avenue Bellevue, the luxury mixed-use development. Silverstein Capital Partners, the current owner of Avenue Bellevue, confirmed the change.
Skenes had planned to bring his renowned dining experience, known for cooking over an open fire and sourcing the best natural products, to the two-tower project.
Avenue Bellevue is a high-end development that includes 365 luxury homes, the Pacific Northwest’s first InterContinental Hotel, and 85,000 square feet of retail space. The project aims to offer fine dining and nightlife alongside its luxury living spaces.
It currently features shops like Jo Malone and Fleur Studio, as well as dining options such as the lobby bar and lounge, Fresco, a breakfast eatery highlighting Pacific Northwest cuisine, and hotel dining at the InterContinental Bellevue.
Skenes, recognized for his work in world-renowned restaurants and various culinary awards, had expressed enthusiasm for opening Angler in the Pacific Northwest, citing the region’s abundance of natural resources as an ideal environment for his menu. However, with the cancellation of his plans, the space designated for his restaurant at Avenue Bellevue remains empty.
This is not the only cancellation at Avenue. In January 2025, Salt & Straw, the popular ice cream chain, withdrew its plans to open a location at the development. The shop had initially planned a 1,300-square-foot space and anticipated hiring 20-25 employees from the local area. While the Bellevue location is no longer moving forward, Salt & Straw continues to search for other spots within the city.
In March 2024, two other high-profile restaurants pulled out of Avenue Bellevue’s InterContinental Hotel. Michelin-starred chef Masaharu Morimoto had planned to open an Asian fusion restaurant, which would have included a wine tasting room, lounge, and private dining spaces.
Additionally, James Beard-nominated chef Robbie Felice’s PastaRamen concept, an Italian-Japanese fusion restaurant, was also slated for the development. However, both chefs ultimately dropped out, with Montclair Hospitality Group confirming the cancellations.
The setbacks come after a change in ownership of the Avenue Bellevue project. In September 2024, ownership shifted from Fortress Development, led by CEO Andy Lakha, to an affiliate of Silverstein Capital Partners.
Silverstein, a New York-based real estate lender, was an early lender for the project and assumed full control after the grand opening of the InterContinental Bellevue at The Avenue. The change in ownership has been linked to several of the cancellations, although the exact reasons for each withdrawal have not been publicly disclosed.
