Fish Nor Fowl ends Penn Avenue run after nearly eight years

Diners who frequented the high-end Italian spot on Penn Avenue in Garfield found the doors closed on Monday morning. The restaurant’s website now displays a short farewell message from the staff, marking the end of nearly eight years of operation.

The closure leaves approximately 12 to 15 employees without a current shift at that specific location. One staff member told the Tribune-Review that all team members have been placed at other venues within the Richard DeShantz Restaurant Group. The group operates more than a dozen other locations in the city, including Poulet Bleu in Lawrenceville and Pre Amp Coffee Studio in Squirrel Hill.

The restaurant first opened in 2018 in the space formerly known as Salt of the Earth. It paused operations for nearly three years during the pandemic before reopening in February 2023 with updated interiors. Its final menu offered handmade pastas such as squid ink mafaldine and mushroom pappardelle, alongside dishes like arctic char piccata and crispy skin duck.

The shutdown comes shortly after Richard DeShantz, 55, was arrested in early October. He faces charges of strangling and assaulting his girlfriend, who received a restraining order. DeShantz was held in Allegheny County Jail before being released on bail. A preliminary hearing is set for this Thursday.

It is not yet clear if the criminal case influenced the decision to close the restaurant. The restaurant group and DeShantz did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment on the closure.