Seattle’s New Restaurant Openings

If you tried to keep track of every brand new restaurant in Seattle, your head might spin. So just read this list instead. These are the new restaurant openings that seem like they have the most potential—although keep in mind, for the ones we haven’t tried, we make no promises. Go forth and be a pioneer.

September 2023

Helmed by a former Saint Bread pastry chef and the chef of Joule, this Wallingford bake shop is all about layered sheet cakes that come in flavors like chocolate cake with tahini, red miso caramel, and sesame brittle, or lemon cake with lychee mousse, raspberry buttercream, and Fruit Loops. Right now, only individual slices are available for pickup, but whole cakes will be available soon.

This sit-down Mexican restaurant started as a pop-up residency that operated inside Pair in Bryant. Now, the space belongs to Pancita for good. Expect dishes like brisket suadero tacos, albacore tuna tostadas with morita-infused kewpie, and miso caramel flan.

This casual sandwich and salad chain from California has opened its second Washington location Downtown. They serve a lineup of things like the self-proclaimed “healthiest side salad ever, fancy tuna melts, and also-fancy chicken and prosciutto salads. Just be prepared to wait in line with big corporate lunch crowds who are tired of Chipotle.     

The folks at Beast & Cleaver are now operating the kitchen at Fair Isle Brewing to bring us one of the most anticipated collaborations of the year—49th Street Beast. Here, you'll be able to sip farmhouse-style beer in the Ballard taproom while snacking on some of Beast & Cleaver's greatest hits: charcuterie, smoked vegetables, and of course the dry-aged burgers.

Inside what was once a computer repair shop along 85th is now a bar called Ruby. And instead of miscellaneous wires and keyboards with the “L” key missing, you’ll find cocktails like a pineapple juiceless jungle bird, or the cava, gin, and Campari-spiked Garden Party. Alongside the drinks are snacks like fried pickles, mini corn dogs, and waffle fries.

August 2023

Opened by the team behind Rose Temple, Donna’s is a new Italian cocktail bar on Capitol Hill. Here, instead of Jell-O shots and White Claws you might find further up the hill, this spot has bowls of fresh pasta under $15, puttanesca-topped fries, tomato basil martinis, and a gold disco ball.

Stoup Brewing has taken over the huge Optimism Brewing space in the heart of Capitol Hill. To the hoards of Seattle U students who come here to pregame a big night out, you’ll still be able to drink beer in Washington’s biggest taproom—only different beer. 

Oola Distillery has set up shop in the former Marjorie space on Capitol Hill. This bar and restaurant (open to all ages) features Oola's homemade spirits as well as some small plates to snack on.

With two other locations, a residency at T-Mobile Park, and an extremely long waitlist, the Moto Pizza has opened up in Belltown. The Filipino-inspired pizza toppings remain the same—like lechon, beef adobo, Dungeness crab, and pineapple pesto—but hopefully, another location means no more planning three months in advance to get an order in. 

The teams behind Saint Bread and Post Alley Pizza have joined forces to open a casual Italian lunch spot that serves sandwiches, salads, and pizza by the slice. Right now, their hours are 11am to wherever they sell out of mortadella sandwiches and damn good Saint Bread chocolate chip cookies.

In the old Racha Thai space on Queen Anne, Atlas Sports & Spirits has taken over with a bunch of TVs, Seattle sports murals, and a neon “wing light special” sign in the window. There are indeed wings here, as well as other sports bar classics like sliders, chopped salads, and lots of fried things, along with entrees like loco moco, chicken marsala, and some weekend-only breakfast items.

Sandía is a new Mexican restaurant in Laurelhurst from the teams behind Great State Burger and King Leroy. They serve dinner and weekend brunch, and as the name suggests, there is watermelon involved—you'll see it in the form of a flavored margarita, a salad, and literally a side of watermelon in a bowl. The space is complete with a pink painted ceiling, lots of hanging plants, and an asada burrito stuffed with Great State crinkle fries.

This Greenwood sandwich shop is now also on Mercer Island. At this second location, expect the same piled-high situations like blackened shrimp po’ boys with chorizo or Thanksgiving-inspired sandwiches with turkey, gravy, stuffing, and cranberry sauce.

Located in the old Glo’s space, a new Korean restaurant is here to feed both the lunchtime and late-night Capitol Hill crowds. With hours that span from 11am-2pm and then 5pm-12am (2am on weekends), Imo Pocha has an extensive lineup of Korean dishes like seasoned crab, kimchi-jjigae, and deep-fried kimbap.

This White Center brewery is now also open every day from 11am-10pm in West Seattle right along Alki Beach. Expect a dog-friendly patio space where you can feasibly soak up the last bits of summer in a beach chair while gulping a sour beer.

Frankie & Jo’s, the plant-based and gluten-free ice cream staple that we know and love, has rebranded its Ballard location as a sundae shop—which really just means they've added an extensive list of new vegan toppings like strawberry beet compote, chaga hot fudge, and zucchini pound cake cubes. Here, they’ve also introduced a self-proclaimed “clean” soft serve made with ingredients like sunflower seeds, olive oil, and cashews.

Bar Bayonne—opened by the folks from L’Oursin and also right next door—is an all-day cafe and wine bar. They serve baguette sandwiches, quiches, and espresso by day, but as soon as 5 o’clock hits, it’s time for oysters, charcuterie, shrimp cocktail, and an adult beverage. There’s a huge menu of French and Spanish wines, a martini with jambon-infused gin, and kalimotxos, a.k.a. a mix of red wine and Coca-Cola that flows freely on tap.

Former co-founders of Ellenos decided that greek yogurt should be frozen instead. Hellenika serves said frozen yogurt from a new stand at Pike Place Market. The new shop has flavors like lemon curd, dutch chocolate, and london fog. 

Open only on Fridays and Saturdays from 5pm to 12am, Mimi is a small and very pink bar in Hillman City that took over the late Slowboat Tavern’s space. They serve wine, beer, and other fun drinks, like peach-cherry rosé sangria and blackberry sake mules. 

Also new to Hillman City is Machine House Brewing, an English-style brewery that has moved its operations out of Georgetown This taproom has plenty of TVs to watch soccer matches, trivia on Thursday nights, and food trucks on rotation.

July 2023

Pioneer Square has a new Vietnamese restaurant: The Monkey Bridge II. This is their second location (hence the Roman numerals), and while you can still expect the same bún bò huế, bánh mì with lemongrass chicken, pork chop rice plates, and vegan phở, this new outpost is much bigger than the original Ballard spot. 

Raise your hand if you’ve heard the non-stop buzz surrounding this sandwich shop. Everyone? Thought so. Layers, formerly a food truck, now serves its unique sandwiches (think date and jalapeño-stuffed grilled cheese, or duck confit with egg and chicories) at a permanent space along Green Lake. 

Good Luck Bread is a delivery operation known for its naturally leavened frozen pizza. They’ve transitioned to incorporate in-person pickups in their Sodo production kitchen every Saturday. Here, you can grab whatever they decide to bake that week, whether that's a sourdough loaf, peanut butter sesame cookie, shishito pepper and sweet corn pizza, or a PLT with pancetta.                                                                                           

This new Sodo sports bar is a quick walk from both Lumen and T-Mobile Field, which is no coincidence. Their menu has a “starting lineup” of snacks like pickle chips and mozzarella sticks, or larger entrees like nachos, burgers, and a $30 “fry board,” which truthfully sounds a lot better than a butter board.

The folks from Flying Squirrel Pizza have a new Beacon Hill venture that replaced Breezy Town Pizza’s residency at Clock-Out Lounge. Shady Lane Pizza & Pretzel serves pizza and pretzels (obviously) but where they differ from any other pub in town is that these pretzels are Philly-style, which are fluffier and more oblong than the standard soft twists you see at the baseball stadium. 

This new cafe and natural wine bar in the old Petite Soif space on Beacon Hill is open all day from 7am-9pm. That means it’d be possible to grab a frittata and lime cold brew in the morning, a smoked salmon sandwich with bean salad for lunch, and then end the day with a peanut butter cookie and glass of orange wine.

A sneaker store, an art gallery, and an Italian deli that serves fresh pasta and sandwiches are usually completely separate things, but it’s actually the new concept by the team behind Lil Woody's, Mezzanotte, and Ciudad. Located in the old London Plane space, this multi-functional “storesturant” sells streetwear alongside mortadella sandwiches, lamb and beef ragu, and a whole bunch of cocktails.

Three years after closing in 2020, this Beacon Hill Mexican staple is back. Baja Bistro has relocated to a brand new space in the Colina West building next to the new Chebogz. Here's hoping that their baja fish tacos are just as great as they were before.

This airy Fremont space filled with light wood, neutral walls, and lots of greenery is not an Ikea showroom. It’s the second location of Cracklemi, a Vietnamese lunch spot that specializes in bánh mì, vermicelli bowls, and broken rice, all loaded with various proteins like lemongrass tofu or marinated short ribs.

After years of pop-ups, Ben’s Bread now has a permanent home in Phinney Ridge. At this bakery, you'll find naturally leavened loaves of bread, fresh pastries like sugared donuts topped with a glazed donut hole (a.k.a. The Whole Donut), savory potato brioche danishes, and more.

This Ballard cafe juices everything from red bell peppers to golden kiwis, and pretty much anything else you can find in the produce aisle. You can also expect breakfast and lunch items to snack on, like loaded chia seed puddings or chickpea salad sandwiches.

Saigon Drip Cafe may be the only place you could say “spam slammin egg,” “piggylicious,” or “bok bok b*tch,” and they will know exactly what you're talking about. This new Vietnamese cafe in Pioneer Square claims to make the ”best damn bánh mì in town.” And while they do serve sandwiches (with those memorable names) they also serve phở, vermicelli bowls, chicken wings, Vietnamese coffee, and more. 

After some Kickstarter fundraising, the family behind Kusina Filipina and the Chebogz food truck opened a permanent location on Beacon Hill. Expect the same great lumpia, crispy pork sisig, and chicken adobo that they used to serve on four wheels. Just be prepared for potentially long lines. 

Shoreline’s Sodam Chicken has opened a second location on Capitol Hill that serves Korean fried chicken, stir-fried beef bulgogi, kimchi-jjigae, and more. Also important—this place is open until “Seattle late,” otherwise known as 10pm.

This Japanese sit-down restaurant that just opened in Phinney Ridge has a menu full of typical sushi dishes like sashimi and deep-fried rolls, plus entrees like veggie udon, chicken teriyaki, and more.

This Ballard restaurant and bottle shop has over 300 different beers and natural wines available to to-go or to sip alongside a tandoori chicken pizza.

This International District tableside grill spot serves a combination of Korean, Japanese, and Chinese-style BBQ. Among the lineup of meats to sear yourself, you’ll find bulgogi beef, thick sliced pork belly, and spicy pork collar. Plus, there’s an unlimited hot food bar, where you can grab snacks like crab rangoons, spring rolls, and tteokbokki.