On the heels of the new downtown Italian spot Cortina from restaurant moguls Angela and Ethan Stowell comes Super Bueno, their highly anticipated new laidback, family-friendly Mexican spot in Fremont that’s a cafe with breakfast burritos by day and a restaurant with tacos and frosty margaritas by night. Read on for all the info and more, like the new details of a spooky plant-inspired name reveal for Renee Erickson’s upcoming Italian restaurant inside the Amazon Spheres, an upcoming new brunch from Artusi, and a new nautical-themed bar coming to White Center. For more food inspiration for your Memorial Day weekend and beyond, check out our May flavors of the month post and our food and drink calendar.
OPENINGS
Buddah Bruddah
The family-owned food truck and catering service has opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant on Rainier Avenue. Their menu offers an Asian twist on the traditional Hawaiian “plate lunch,” with items like pad Thai, loco moco, and chicken curry.
Cock & Bull
This new Irish sports bar with 10 TV screens opened in Kirkland in the former space of Bishop’s Alehouse, with standard pub fare like burgers and fries, fish and chips, hot dogs, and “Irish nachos” (French fries covered in cheddar, onions, bacon, and a drizzle of ranch).
My’s Vietnamese Sandwich and Deli
This banh mi sandwich shop has opened in Skyway and offers pork, chicken, lemongrass tofu, and vegan substitutes for ham and fish. There’s also a cafe with Vietnamese coffee and drinks.
South Town Pie
This old-school, all-ages South Park pizzeria from Sam Crannell (the former owner of the erstwhile Lloydmartin, which closed at the end of 2017) and El Camino owners Rob Coburn and Paige Crandall, is now open next door to Loretta’s Northwesterner and features Neapolitan-style pizza by the slice with local ingredients, gnocchi, lasagna, beer, and Full Tilt Ice Cream.
Super Bueno
This super-family-friendly, dual-concept Mexican restaurant from restaurateur power couple Angela and Ethan Stowell, which opened on May 21, operates as a cafe with grab-and-go pastries, espresso, and breakfast and lunch options (like breakfast burritos and pozole) by day, then as a full restaurant with a patio by night. There’s plenty of kid-palate-pleasing fare like cheese quesadillas, PB&Js, and a watermelon salad with pop rocks (!), as well as decidedly more grown-up delights like guajillo chili steak tacos and mezcal. Harried parents, rejoice: There’s a play area where your little bundles of joy can run wild while you sip a frosty margarita.
Zhen Kee
This Renton restaurant, which opened in March, serves a wide variety of Chinese dishes, including barbecue pork ribs, noodles, and mapo tofu.
CLOSURES
Ada’s Restaurant and Bar
The New American/Mediterranean spot in Phinney has been on hiatus since April for “technical difficulties,” saying they hope to reopen “as soon as possible” once the issues are resolved.
Cederberg Tea House
The owners of the South African tea house in Queen Anne, known for its rooibos lattes and sweets like tea cakes and malva pudding, announced that they will be closing the shop, as they are moving back to Johannesburg, South Africa (the date is not set yet, but will be “sooner rather than later”). Fans can find solace in the fact that the’ve created a recipe book to pass on instructions for recreating their delicious desserts at home, available in the store or by e-mailing cederbergteahouse@gmail.com.
Fresh Bistro
This West Seattle restaurant run by catering company Herban Feast has closed.
OTHER FOOD NEWS
Renee Erickson announces details about upcoming restaurant in Amazon Spheres
The name of Renee Erickson’s forthcoming restaurant inside the Amazon Spheres has been announced: It will be called “Willmott’s Ghost,” the same name as a flowering plant named in English horticulturist Ellen Ann Willmott’s honor. The restaurant, which will be Erickson’s first full-on Italian restaurant (if you don’t count her adorable Italian aperitivo bar Barnacle, squeezed in next to the Walrus & the Carpenter), is inspired by the time she spent in Rome in college. It follows the opening of her salad bar and sandwich shop Rana E Rospo and a location of General Porpoise inside the spheres, all of which are open to Amazon employees only, but Willmott’s Ghost will be open to the public. The restaurant will also feature an aperitivo bar (similar to Barnacle) as well as Roman pizza. It’s set to open in the summer or fall.
Joli set to return on June 5
Ballard restaurant Joli, which recently went on hiatus after chef and co-owner Amy Beaumier left on April 28, has announced that it will return on June 5 with a menu reset and new hours. So far, not much is known about the details of Beaumier’s departure, which came after a positive review from Seattle Met.
Artusi to offer weekend brunch in June
The Italian aperitivo bar will debut a brunch program from 10 am-2 pm, Saturday-Sunday, for the month of June only, featuring a $20 buffet with everything from charcuterie to fresh fruit to Cafe Besalu pain au chocolat, as well as a la carte brunch items, Herkimer Coffee, and new brunch cocktails. If all goes well, they may consider making the brunch permanent.
Chef Charles Walpole leaving Babirusa
Chef Charles Walpole will be departing Babirusa, the beloved restaurant he and business partner Renee Gutierrez recently revived in a new location in Belltown, due to health issues. Sous chef Ryan Miller, who worked with Walpole and Gutierrez when they first opened Blind Pig Bistro and is already responsible for much of the current menu, will take the reins. Babirusa will also throw an all-you-can-eat party with a whole pig, side dishes, and Noble Oak Bourbon beverages to celebrate the opening of their renovated Belltown patio on June 10.
Can Bar coming to White Center
A new nautical-themed bar called Can Bar from owners James Imonti, Joshua Baymiller, and David Gradwohl is coming soon to White Center and will feature a wide selection of local and imported canned beer, cocktails, and gourmet sandwiches. It’s set to open in July if there are no delays.
Union cocktail lounge coming to Capitol Hill
A new gay cocktail lounge called Union, from Steve Nyman and Nathan Benedict (former owners of Inside Passage and Thumper’s) and Mark Engelmann (former manager of C.C. Attle’s) will open in the former space of Zoe at 14th and Union. The name reflects this dream-team crew, who all have backgrounds from Capitol Hill’s early gay bar scene and plan to bring elements of their former spaces to the new project.
Hitchcock’s CBD lattes banned from Bainbridge Island
If you’ve been following the saga of Hitchcock’s CBD “wellness” lattes, you know that chef Brendan McGill introduced “wellness lattes” containing CBD oil (which provides a calming effect from cannabis without a high) at Hitchcock Cafe, but was ordered to stop by King County Public Health. McGill then introduced the lattes at his Bainbridge Island establishment Hitchcock, but he was ordered to stop selling them there too by the Kitsap Public Health District. The fight continues.
EVENTS
FRIDAY, MAY 25
Beer Tasting Dinner Cruise with Pelican Brewing Company
Booze while you cruise with a tasting of four beers from Pelican Brewing Company alongside a three-course dinner.
Rosé Spring Happy Hour
Romantic French Pike Place hideaway Maximilien will pour plenty of blush-pink wines, including local, sparkling, and champagne varieties, and cocktails alongside fancy small plates and shared appetizers like charcuterie, chilled crevettes, steak tartare, salade niçoise, and more. If weather is nice enough, their patio will be open.
Vegan “Big Mac” Nite
Meatless hot dog food truck Cycle Dogs will serve up their plant-based spin on the classic Mac, featuring your choice of a Beyond Burger or Field Roast patty, two slices of Follow Your Heart American Cheeze, and “shredded lettuce, diced onions, pickles and secret sauce all stacked in between perfectly steamed seasame buns,” plus a side of fries. There’s also something called a “Copy Cat Burger.” Gluten-free options are available, too!
SATURDAY, MAY 26
2018 Invitational Big Beer Festival
Go big or go home with this festival of big beers (all over 9% ABV) and wood-fired pizza from Rolling Crust. Along with their own beers, Tacoma Brewing will pour a selection from Harmon Brewing, Pacific Brewing, Odd Otter, and the forthcoming Task Force Brewing.
Artisan Food Festival
The Port Townsend Farmer’s Market will offer artisan foods from the area, live music, and kids’ food activities.
Capitol Hill Coffee Chats
Stop by the snazziest Starbucks in the city to chat with local coffee people.
Cubes Baking Co.’s 1 Year Fiesta
“300 custom Cubes, 8000 cupCubes, 2500 conchas, and nearly 4000 slices of tres leches cake” later, the bakery specializing in boxy creations is turning a year old. Celebrate with loteria every hour (with a Cube as a prize), elotes by Amano Seattle, handmade crafts by MariGlvn and Amano Seattle for sale, birthday cake conchas, raffle giveaways for goodie bags filled with “handmade Lantix-created products from around the country,” music, and of course, lots of pan dulce.
The Nest Memorial Day Weekend Party
Gather at the Thompson’s rooftop bar for sunshine and music from a live DJ.
SUNDAY, MAY 27
All You Can Eat Pancake Brunch
Dive into an all-vegan brunch of all the pancakes you can stuff yourself with, topped with vegan butter, grade A organic maple syrup, and blueberry compote, and vegan Field Roast maple sausage on the side, all for a cool $12.50. Get bottomless cowboy coffee for $3 with optional sugar and soy or coconut creamer. Plus, beermosas will be available for purchase from Peddler’s bar.
Breaks n’ Eggs: A Funky Brunch, Rooftop Edition
Brunch on crispy fried chicken and waffles from Nate’s Wings and Waffles, with a soundtrack of hip hop old and new from Seattle DJ Cutz.
Brother Barrel Birthday Bash
Celebrate the barrel-aged taproom’s first year with a selection of beers, spirits tasting, and food pairings.
Brunch Vibes
Fill up on soul food like fried chicken, veggie sausage, bacon, eggs, cornbread, mac and cheese, and other filling brunch options (plus unlimited sangria and mimosas) while a live DJ spins.
Comadre Panadería x Dorothea Coffee Pop-Up
Inhale delicious pan dulce treats like conchas and alfajores from Mariela Camacho’s Latin bakery pop-up and wash them down with horchata, hot chocolate, or Dorothea Coffee.
Copper River Salmon Dinner
Greet Copper River salmon season with a special dinner by chef Michael Gifford highlighting salmon in a myriad of preparations, including salt roasted beet salad with gravlax, gougeres stuffed with smoked salmon and cream cheese, agnolotti filled with goat cheese and cedar-planked salmon, and poached salmon with dill yogurt sauce.
Fika Hosted by Gary Stroutsos
Fika is the Swedish practice of sharing coffee and pastries in the afternoon, and it’s swiftly gaining popularity stateside. At this fika, enjoy live flute music and stories from world flute artist and storyteller Gary Stroutsos.
Lahi x Bateau: Para Sa Pamilya Pop-Up
Filipino pop-up Lahi will serve cocktails, dishes like fried salmon skin “sea-charrones” and sinigang tartare with Bateau’s grass-fed beef (butchered and dry-aged in-house), and wine pairings from Vita Uva owner and natural wine extraordinaire Suzi An.
Waffles, Doughnuts, & Beer Cocktails
Brunch on doughnuts and waffles from Side Hustle Coffee & Doughnut made with spent grain from Lowercase Brewing, plus bacon, cold brew coffee, and beer cocktails, including wITBIER Mimosas and Micheladas.
MONDAY, MAY 28
Endless Spaghetti and Meatballs
Nosh on bottomless saucy noodles and Cuoco’s “award-winning meatballs” for $15. Wine will be available by the glass.
Phnom Penh Noodle House Closing Celebration
The legendary, beloved Cambodian restaurant, which has been in the International District for over 30 years, is shutting down. They’ll have their last service on this day and then celebrate with an evening party to say goodbye, with “refreshments, cake, and lots of hugs.”
