Fledgling Filipino Restaurant Bistro 1521 Has Closed

Bistro 1521, the second Filipino restaurant co-owners Manny Tagle and Solita Wakefield cultivated in Arlington, has closed due to financial problems.

The not-quite-year-old Ballston restaurant has reportedly been locked down by its landlord after repeatedly defaulting on the lease. Arlnow reports that the reasons for the sudden closure were laid out in an official notice that landlord Virginia Tech Real Estate Foundation (VTREF) affixed to the front door of the neighborhood restaurant on July 3. The document mentions “lease defaults” and “outstanding amounts payable,” though VTREF staff declined to comment about how much money is owed.

Eater reached out to Bistro 1521’s management for comment about the leasing issues and the future of the restaurant, but has not heard back.

Tagle and Wakefield previously owned and operated Bistro 7107 in neighboring Crystal City. They closed that in 2017 and moved to Ballston to set up the brighter and airier space that would become 1521. The restaurant’s website remains operational — there are even job openings listed there — but phone calls go to voicemail. As of June 29, management remained pumped up about hosting a street food festival this coming weekend.

“We are so excited for next week!” the team wrote on social media.

Eater will update this story as more information becomes available.

• Bistro 1521 Closed in Ballston [Arlnow]
• A Guide to D.C.’s Thriving Filipino Restaurant Scene [EDC]
• The Early Word on Bistro 1521 [EDC]
• Ambitious Filipino Bistro 1521 Debuts in Ballston [EDC]