The goodbyes include a few longtime favorites, along with Capitol Hill newcomer Petite Galette. But plenty of new places have opened, too.
It’s been five weeks since we last checked in on Seattle’s crazy restaurant scene, counting 14 closures and 60 openings (!). Now, in the penultimate tallies of 2018, it’s these seven restaurant goodbyes versus 30 brand-new ones — plus three just-opened bars serving food, too.
St. Clouds in Madrona: After almost two decades in the neighborhood and 16 months under new ownership, St. Clouds has closed, citing the departure of “long-timers”; food and labor costs; and the shortage of cooks in Seattle (also an issue nationwide). A community favorite, St. Clouds gave back by way of a monthly gathering to feed those in need, held since 2001. The fate of the space is, for now, unknown.
Petite Galette on Capitol Hill: Seattle isn’t exactly rife with great crepes, so the little counter that Sarah Naftaly — of neighboring Amandine Bakeshop and Marmite — installed inside Chophouse Row held promise. Less than a year later, the website says, “Stay tuned, you can catch us at Marmite in the future!” and the space is already occupied by chef Sun Hong’s hand-rolls-and-sake spot called By Tae.
SPORT Restaurant and Bar near the Space Needle: John Howie’s big, upscale-ish, many-TV’d sports bar is no more. He told Eater Seattle that SPORT was still popular after 13 years, but that the increasing cost of business, especially for a place of its size and price point, led him to let it go. Howie’s Bellevue and Bothell restaurants carry on.
More: The Slip in Kirkland, “after 22 years of great memories,” says its Facebook page, “with some of the best hamburgers on the Eastside,” notes a sad reader … Cafe Kopi on Lake City Way, “a little hole-in-the-wall with some tasty baked goods and a funky atmosphere,” says another … Magnolia’s Restaurant & Lounge in Magnolia, after just a year … The Lemongrass near Seattle University, after many years.
And on a related note, ICYMI, this is the last season for holiday shopping at Mrs. Cook’s in University Village — the beloved kitchen store is closing Jan. 15, after 42 years. Small silver lining: Everything’s on sale until the end.
By the Pound on Capitol Hill: Despite making the March cover of Seattle Met magazine, Capitol Hill’s not-so-great By the Pound deli — along with its not-so-secret “hidden” Bar Justice — closed in August after less than a year, promising to return as “Bar Justice 2.0” via a note on the door. An eviction notice indicating otherwise is now posted there, and Capitol Hill Seattle Blog has court documents showing that more than $75,000 is owed in back rent. F2T Hospitality, behind the project, also runs the restaurant Vine & Spoon and the bar Alchemy in West Seattle; representatives for the company have not responded to a request for comment on the By the Pound eviction notice and debt, and whether it might impact the other businesses.
UPDATE: Since this story originally posted including the preceding entry, a representative for the company says via email that “the F2T Hospitality owners have joined forces with a strategic new partner to reopen By The Pound as Bar Justice. That new partner, who will remain nameless at this time, has a relationship with the landlord and is excited to join their team to bring the new concept to light. The closure and notice will not affect the other properties.”