Quench, a Rockville bar and restaurant that opened in 2012, will close at the end of this year, its owner said.
Vitune Satsiennukul, the owner, said he sold Quench to new owners who plan to open a new restaurant in the space sometime next year. The decision, he said, was a personal one: He has a second job in information technology and felt he was ready to let go of the restaurant.
“I’m at peace with that,” he said of the closing. “I have to spend time with my family, too, and working two jobs seven days a week is not good for family time.”
Quench will close sometime after Christmas as the staff clears the space for its next tenants.
When it opened in 2012, Quench became known for its cocktails and small plates and won the favorite new restaurant award from the Restaurant Association of Maryland in 2013. After cycling through several chefs in two years, original owner Michael Holstein sold Quench to Satsiennukul in 2014.
Under Satsiennukul, the restaurant served daily dinner of American fare, seafood and some Asian dishes. The restaurant also hosted happy hours and a weekend brunch.
Satsiennukul said he couldn’t reveal much yet about the still-unnamed restaurant that will take over the space, but it will be a “steak and seafood restaurant” with a raw bar and high-end items. The new restaurant could open in June, he said.
