Darkalino's

Sometimes we just want to enjoy carbs and the sanctity of being alone without bearing witness to a restaurant-wide PDA contest. At Darkalino's, an enthusiastically casual all-day Italian spot in Pioneer Square, the only romantic vibes are between us and a plate of pasta all'amatriciana—despite their playlist of wedding dance floor bangers. That’s the way we like it here, especially for a solo meal at the bar or a group hang with people you feel platonically about.

Located inside the former iconic space of The London Plane, there are still the same grand pillars, floor-to-ceiling windows, and an excess of exposed brick that only a Pioneer Square building can pull off. Now, an open kitchen buzzes in the corner, sportswear is on display, and a sleek tiled bar is at the center of it all. There's rarely a wait, the staff feels like a bunch of cool older cousins that work together, and tunes from Future, The Dream, and ABBA will be played. Even if the food wasn’t great, we’d probably still come here just to Shazam and drink natural wine.

photo credit: Brooke Fitts

photo credit: Brooke Fitts

photo credit: Brooke Fitts

photo credit: Brooke Fitts

photo credit: Brooke Fitts

But the food here is great, particularly the fresh pastas—like rich, meaty ragu or burrata-topped casarecce tossed in pesto that gets jazzed up with burst tomatoes and torn mint. Their greatest contribution to Seattle, however, is a spicy pasta all'amatriciana with festonati that trap tangy red sauce like little Ziploc bags. While you can skip the dry focaccia sandwiches, round out a meal with a couple of vegetable-based small plates instead. We’re fans of the carrot tartare, a spread of soft carrots and crushed hazelnuts. The creamy texture, pops of tarragon, and chili oil swirls take what is essentially mushy puree and make it much more exciting. 

In a city whose pasta options tend to be either big to-dos or quick counter operations, Darkalino’s is the happy medium we need. Keep it on your weeknight dinner roster for safekeeping, or check it out for lunch. But don’t tell your friends in relationships. They’ll ruin it for the rest of us.

Food Rundown

photo credit: Brooke Fitts

Carrot Tartare

Between the punch of chili oil, sweetness from the carrots, and crisp crostini for dipping, this smoky appetizer is one of the best dishes here, so don’t skip it.

photo credit: Brooke Fitts

Mortadella Sandwich

Here, mortadella is thrown between two very thick slices of focaccia and smeared with a pungent red pepper pesto. Both overpower the whole sandwich until all signs of this sexy bologna are lost.

photo credit: Brooke Fitts

Caesar

Crisp romaine is loaded with a heavy squeeze of lemon and dressed in a salsa tonnata that adds great flavor and salt. At the end of the day, it's a classic caesar—nothing groundbreaking here.

Prosciutto Sandwich

While the garlic confit ricotta is something we could smear on a rock and still enjoy, it doesn't provide enough moisture to the sturdy focaccia, and the layer of prosciutto is just too thin. You’ll spend most of the meal chewing dense bread. Don’t do it.

photo credit: Brooke Fitts

Pasta All’Amatriciana

This dish has spicy red sauce trapped inside festonati, sprigs of Italian parsley, and thin pieces of guanciale thrown into every bite—and now we don’t want to eat pasta any other way.

photo credit: Brooke Fitts

Ragu

If you’re not in the mood for red sauce, get this lamb and beef ragu. It is simple and effective, made even better with a sprinkling of parmesan on top. And then another, and another.

photo credit: Brooke Fitts

Pesto

Pesto pasta can sometimes feel boring, but this version with spiral-shaped noodles, bright mint leaves, and finely crushed breadcrumbs for crunch is anything but. Always add on burrata, which brings creaminess to the otherwise acidic pesto.