Been craving great pancakes lately? Well, have we got a treat for you. Three years after closing, Seattle’s beloved Filipino diner Ludi’s Restaurant & Lounge is ready to return. 🎉
Longtime owner Gregorio Rosas said that he and his daughter Rita have secured a lease at 120 Stewart St. near Pike Place, just two blocks away from the previous location. The new space is twice the size of the old spot, which means more room to make some of the great Filipino specialties the restaurant built its reputation on.
Why this is an extra big deal ❤️
Ludi’s isn’t just a restaurant — it’s an institution. The unassuming spot, along with Oriental Mart in Pike Place and Beacon Hill’s since-closed Kusina Filipina, was one of the venerated homestyle Filipino restaurants in Seattle. When it closed abruptly three years ago, several prominent chefs gave loving tributes to Ludi’s legacy. Aaron Verzosa from Hillman City’s Archipelago said “Tito Greg” inspired his work at the fine-dining destination “every night.”
Longsilog for days 🍳
If you missed going to Ludi’s when it was around before, um, we feel kinda sorry for you. For decades, the casual restaurant originally known as the Turf served a host of satisfying all-day breakfast items — then added a variety of silog + fabulous ube pancakes smothered in coconut sauce when Gregorio took over. Oh, and if you aren’t quite familiar with silog yet, you’re gonna want to get on that — it’s a hearty dish typically made with sinangag (garlic fried rice), eggs + a protein like longanisa (Filipino sausage).
Okay, so when can we eat? 🍽️
Gregorio + Rita are hard at work prepping the place to open as soon as possible, but it could take several months (they definitely want to open by 2023). There’s some renovation work to do to brighten up the space formerly occupied by Long Provincial Vietnamese restaurant.
Expect those breakfast favorites to return, along with new silog options, brunch cocktails, and dishes that Rita said will be influenced by her half-Polynesian roots (she’s also working on some new pancakes to rotate onto the menu). And, yes, those vibes that make you feel like part of the fam will make the trip over to the new location.
“I love that the space has floor to ceiling windows, so we’re going to keep them unobstructed,” Rita said. “We just want people to feel like it’s an extension of their home, no fuss.”
Pro tip: To see some of Ludi’s influences at work (and fill up on seriously tasty food), hit up some of the excellent, modern Filipino restaurants + cafes around town like Musang, Bunsoy, Hood Famous, and the aforementioned Archipelago.
