This week, a new option for Sichunaese hot pot hits the International District, a natural wine and seafood destination arrives in Belltown, and a creperie from a famous French chef opens in West Seattle. Read our weekly dining dispatch for that and more of the latest food updates, like the next Little Big Burger location, a new vegan bakery and ice cream shop, and an upcoming doughnut shop from the founder of Top Pot, plus events for your weekend, like the Washington Brewers Festival. For more ideas, check out our Father's Day calendar, our list of Seattle food and drink specials to try this June, and our full food and drink calendar.

OPENINGS
Chengdu Memory
On the heels of the recent opening of the Sichuan-style dry pot restaurant Chuan on Capitol, this elegant new Sichuanese restaurant serving hot pots opened in the former space of Chinese-Korean eatery Red Lantern on Wednesday, June 12. Guests can choose from among five soup bases (a spicy broth with beef oil, a base made with pork bones, a mushroom base, a tomato base, or a numbing Szechuan pepper base with pickled cabbage) and customize it further with a selection of add-ons like deep fried pork, spicy braised beef, cumin lamb, short ribs, pork belly, and more.
Chinatown-International District

Naked Crepe
Acclaimed Marseille-born French chef Jacques Nawar will open a creperie called Naked Crepe on Sunday, June 17. Previously, Nawar owned the celebrated restaurant Cafe Europa in Washington D.C. and went on to open the popular Pizzeria Credo, which was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, in West Seattle. The new space will have classic sweet and savory crepes as well as espresso.
West Seattle

Pacific Room
This breezy, nautical spot on Alki from former Hawks Nest owner Kurt Niemeyer, which bills itself as "West Seattle's premier supper club" and offers local seafood, craft cocktails, and live jazz, opens today on Alki. Dishes include Alaskan sockeye salmon sashimi, halibut and chips, and a version of the Hawaiian comfort food classic loco moco made with kalbi short ribs.
West Seattle

Rose Temple
In the former space of the defunct delicatessen/speakeasy By the Pound, business partners and Westward alums Austin Polley and Benjamin Smith have soft-opened Rose Temple, a bar paying tribute to the legendary Chinese-inspired Wallingford dive Moon Temple with a loose "jungles of the Far East" theme, a hip-hop soundtrack, and board games. The small neighborhood bar features Rainier, whiskey, boilermakers, Jell-O shots, shooters with “gummy sharks and edible glitter,” and some tropical libations. For food, there’s a limited menu designed by Seth Richardson (who previously spent time at RockCreek and now owns the food truck Odin Star Sandwiches), with Asian-inspired sandwiches, such as mapo tofu on challah and a roast beef baguette with smoked soy jus on the side. An official grand opening will be announced soon.
Capitol Hill

Vinnie's Raw Bar
Married couple Chris Elford and Anu Apte-Elford, the owners of the popular tiki bar Navy Strength, the cocktail bar Rob Roy, and the quirky beer bar No Anchor, open their newest venture, Vinnie's Raw Bar, in Belltown today. Named in honor of Apte-Elford's mother Vinaya, the sustainability-focused spot, which is taking over the space of the couple's recently closed Navy Strength Coffee and Juice Bar next door to Navy Strength, features a selection of natural wines, cocktails, and a small seafood-centric food menu, with dishes like a "seacuterie" plate, oysters, and steamed mussels.
Belltown

CLOSURES
Green Leaf
The venerable Vietnamese joint Green Leaf has closed its North Seattle and Bellevue locations, which had both opened just two years ago. Details for the closures are unknown. The chain's locations in Chinatown-International District and Belltown will remain open.
North Seattle and Bellevue

Seattle Deli
The beloved Chinatown-International District fixture Seattle Deli, treasured for its $3.25 Vietnamese sandwiches, closed on June 1 after 27 years of business due to an upcoming property development. A letter in the shop's window announcing the closure suggested the owners were hoping to find a location to reopen in the same area.
Chinatown-International District

Westcity Kitchen
This casual West Seattle bistro, which opened in 2013 and drew praise from critics for its simple Italian food, shuttered on Thursday, June 13. According to West Seattle Blog, an announcement was spotted on the window of the restaurant's building, which is for sale, but further details about the closure are unknown.
West Seattle

OTHER FOOD NEWS
Little Big Burger set to open in Green Lake soon
The Portland-based chain Little Big Burger, which opened its first Washington location in Wallingford in October and recently added a Capitol Hill location in April, will likely open its upcoming Green Lake location next week (an exact opening date has not yet been announced). The chain has celebrated its previous grand openings at its other locations by giving out free burgers all day, so stay tuned.

Cookie Counter coming to Capitol Hill
Greenwood's vegan ice cream parlor and bakery the Cookie Counter will open a second location in Capitol Hill inside Gay City, in the former space of Kaladi Brothers Coffee (which moved back into its original space a few doors down last year) during the last week of June, with a grand opening during the weekend of Seattle Pride. The Capitol Hill location will be larger than the Greenwood shop and will serve its signature treats like sundaes, cookies, ice cream sandwiches, and "popsters" (a vegan take on Pop Tarts).

New doughnut shop from Top Pot founder
Michael Klebeck, who's known for creating the Top Pot Doughnuts brand with his brother Mark, is opening a new shop called Half and Half Doughnut Co. in the former home of Sun Liquor Distillery (which Klebeck also owned) on E Pike in Capitol Hill this July. The new venture is not related to Top Pot.

Pagliacci opening new store on Capitol Hill
Local pizza chain Pagliacci, which turns 40 this year, is planning to open a new store in the building of its headquarters and office on Pike Street in Capitol Hill this fall. The new location will feature a test kitchen, training facility, "slice bar," and beer and wine.

Restaurant with smoked meats coming soon to West Seattle
A new restaurant called Lady Jaye featuring smoked meats such as pork belly "porkstrami" sandwiches and slow-roasted brisket will open for dinner and weekend brunch in the former space of Pecado Bueno in West Seattle by mid-summer. In the meantime, curious guests can check out some upcoming dishes from the restaurant's menu at a pop-up preview series called "Bar Har BQ" at Bar Harbor during June and July.

Musang signs lease on new location
Chef Melissa Miranda of the Northwest-influenced Filipino pop-up Musang announced via Instagram that she has signed the lease for the brick-and-mortar location for her upcoming restaurant of the same name. Musang will take over the former space of the recently closed Travelers Thali House in Beacon Hill, which resided in a converted residential home, and is tentatively set to open in October or November. (If you're interested in trying Musang's food before it opens, there's also a special Father's Day brunch this Sunday—especially fitting given that the pop-up is named for Miranda's father's nickname.)

Mango Mango Dessert opening location in Bellevue
This popular New York-based chain specializing in Hong Kong-style mango desserts like sundaes, pancakes, and panna cotta, as well as other fruity treats, is planning to open an outpost in Bellevue. An opening date has not yet been announced.

Tom Douglas opening two new restaurants in New York
Seattle restaurant heavyweight Tom Douglas plans to open two new restaurants in New York City inside Nordstrom's upcoming flagship store in Columbus Circle. The openings will include Jeannie's, an establishment serving pizza, pasta, and salads that also has a location in Las Vegas, and Hani Pacific, a new restaurant concept with a Pacific Rim-influenced menu and dishes like caramelized coconut chicken and red chili pork ramen. This news follows the announcement that Seattle chef and restaurateur Ethan Stowell will open a restaurant called Wolf, a version of his popular Italian restaurant How to Cook a Wolf in Queen Anne, in the same Nordstrom store.

EVENTS
FRIDAY, JUNE 14
Rosé Party at Cuoco
Lounge on the patio while guzzling blush-pink Italian wine, nibbling on picnic snacks, and soaking up the sun while a DJ provides background music.

SATURDAY, JUNE 15
Free Grilled Cheese
Five words: toasted sourdough and melted cheese. Get yourself a free hot sandwich from Franz Bakery while you can.

Ice Cream Social Pop-Up 
Snag a scoop from vendors like Puffle Up, SÜSU, and Bluebird Ice Cream.

Onda Coffee Pop-up + DIY Terrariums Bar
Start off your Saturday nursing a cold brew or a custom-pour over from Onda Origins while browsing houseplants and handmade items, and try your hand at crafting a mini garden at the DIY terrarium bar.

West Seattle 0.5k
If you prefer cold beers to strenuous activity (who doesn't?), this half-mile course punctuated by boozy "hydration stations" at West Seattle watering holes has your name on it. 

Wink Doughnuts Pop-Up
Start off your Saturday with gluten-free, organic, and plant-based doughnuts from Wink and hot coffee from Slate.

JUNE 14-15
Chef Fest 2019
This four-night chef bacchanalia, which raises funds for the Icicle Creek Center for the Arts, includes a wine walk with Chef Erik and Adrianne of Cannella Kitchen, a "Suds and Sliders" event with mini-burgers from James Beard award-winning chef Jun Sundstrom and beer from 509 Bierwerks brewmaster Grant Stoebner, an educational evening with Tom Douglas's cooking school Hot Stove Society, and finally, the main event, a culinary battle featuring six Northwest chefs.

JUNE 14-16
14th Annual Washington Brewers Festival
Maximizers who thrive when presented with a dizzying array of choices should enjoy this festival from the Washington Beer Commission, which will offer 500 beers from 110 Washington brewers. Besides beer, there’s also a specialty root-beer garden for designated drivers and the under-21 crowd to enjoy, plus food vendors, a kids’ playground, and live music and entertainment all weekend.

SUNDAY, JUNE 16
Atlas Obscura Society Seattle: An Insect Feast with The Bug Chef
Atlas Obscura will host a decidedly entomological dinner at beloved dive Darrell's Tavern, where local "insect evangelist" David George Gordon (who is also known as the "Bug Chef" and authored The Eat-A-Bug Cookbook) will prepare a feast using insects such as farm-raised mealworms, grasshoppers, and seasoned crickets. Belly up to the bar for some insect-based cocktails before witnessing a cooking demonstration from Gordon and clips from Ian Toews’s documentary Bugs on the Menu, and snacking on finger foods like insect-topped pizza.

Broken Bar Day
Sometimes Theo Chocolate bars get smashed to smithereens, but you can pick up the pieces at this event, where shattered shards will be on sale for $10 a pound. The first 10 purchases will also receive three-piece pack of Theo's Big Daddy marshmallow bars.

Brunch With Musang: Father's Day Edition!
Bar del Corso chef Melissa Miranda's Filipino brunch pop-up Musang is named after her dad's nickname (which means "wildcat" in Tagalog), so it's only fitting that she's celebrating the namesake himself with a Father's Day brunch featuring her signature take on Filipino favorites, special cocktails, and music from a DJ.

Hama Hama Summer Music Series 2019
Slurp delicious bivalves (or opt for bratwurst), sip beer and wine, dance to live music, and play a game of cornhole on the waterfront.

LGBTea+ Fancypants High Tea
Don your fanciest frippery ("full drag and/or floppy hats encouraged") for this LGBTQ+ friendly tea party, with a choice of a tea flight or pot of tea and sweet and savory bites from Improbable Creations. $5 of each plate will be donated to Gender Diversity Seattle.

MONDAY, JUNE 17
Bartender Prom 2019
This nostalgic dance party bids barkeeps to live out their wildest teenage dreams, complete with black-tie dress code, lights, lasers, music, lighting, a real red carpet, shots, beers, mixers, LaCroix, a prom king and queen, a "bartender wellness raffle," tattoos from Jacob McCallum of Anchor Tattoo, and even "a sexy door guy." A portion of proceeds will be donated to Youth In Focus Seattle.

TUESDAY, JUNE 18
Beers at the Boathouse
Down some frosty brews or wine on the Center for Wooden Boats' boathouse deck and nosh on summery tacos from chef Manu Alfau of Manu’s Bodega, Manu’s Tacos, and Oro Kitchen while DJ Radish spins classic vinyl hits.

Viva la Vino! Showcase of Spanish-Style Washington Wines
Spanish grape varieties happen to do well in Washington State climates, hence this tasting dedicated to Spanish-style wines made by regional wineries.