08.11.2023

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Today’s Forecast

🔮 We see your foodie future

Meet your new favorite Seattle restaurants

Overhead look at a plate of oysters next to a pasta dish.

Meliora serves up bites in a space that may remind you of a castle dining hall. | Photo via Suzi Pratt/Meliora

Some people make to-do lists — we make to-dine lists. Many hot new Seattle restaurants have opened over the past several months, from familiar names making comebacks to intriguing new kids on the block.

To satisfy those who are really hungry for fresh dining options, we’ve got details on several more Emerald City restaurants coming soon, too. Grab your forks as we dig right in.

Newly open

Meliora, 534 15th Ave. E. | New American | Reservations: Yes
Medieval Times meets the PNW in an intimate lounge that opened in the former Canterbury Alehouse space, keeping some of its Knights of the Round Table-like aesthetics. Our mouths are watering at the items like the game hen with pomegranate molasses.

Onibaba, 515 S. Main St. | Japanese | Reservations: No
The owners of popular, but now closed Tsukushinbo opened a playful spot that specializes in Japanese onigiri rice balls. Here you’ll find 18+ creative versions of the convenience store snack.

E-Jae Pak Mor, 504 Fifth Ave. S. | Thai | Reservations: No
Tucked in the Publix Building is a promising new spot that serves flour dumplings, which are already a hit on Tik-Tok.

Two plates with colorful items of vegetarian food with a small menu that says "Atoma" — Atoma has been doing pop-ups around town as a preview to its restaurant.
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Photo by Isabel Lay via @atoma.seattle

Coming Soon

Atoma, 1411 N. 45th St. | Upscale contemporary | Projected opening: Fall
Wallingford’s about to get a new dining destination from chef Johnny Courtney and his wife Sarah in the spot formerly occupied by Tilth. The menu will take influences from Johnny’s time working in Australia, California, and here in Seattle at Canlis.

Kilig, 710 Eighth Ave. | Filipino | Projected opening: Late summer
Star Seattle chef Melissa Miranda is following up her hit restaurant Musang with a joint focused on comfort food like fried pancit noodles.

Beast & Cleaver 49th Street, 936 NW 49th St. | Burgers | Projected opening: Late August
Those who’ve sampled butcher shop Beast & Cleaver’s pop-up patties will rejoice that they’ll soon be made on the regular at Fair Isle Brewing. Get a saison, too.

16 more spots to try

Asked

How often do you eat at restaurants per month?

A. Every day
B. A few times a week
C. A few times a month
D. Never

Let us know

Events

Friday, Aug. 11

West Seattle Glass Float Scavenger Hunt | Friday, Aug. 11 | 9 a.m. | West Seattle Neighborhood, Seattle | Free | Join the hunt for one of the 50 glass orbs hidden in and around West Seattle.
Basement Bazaar | Friday, Aug. 11 | 5-10 p.m. | Belltown Yacht Club, 2320 First Ave., Seattle | Free | Shop from local artisans, or get wacky and get a flash tattoo or tooth gem to edge up your look.
Jeff Goldblum and The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra | Friday, Aug. 11 | 8 p.m. | Moore Theatre, 1932 Second Ave., Seattle | $45-$115 | Is there anything this versatile Hollywood actor can’t do? Watch him tickle the ivories.

Saturday, Aug. 12

“Frida Kahlo and the Bravest Girl in the World” | Saturday, Aug. 12-Sunday, Aug. 13 | 10 a.m. | Highland Park, 100 SW Cloverdale St., Seattle | Free | This 35-minute-long bilingual opera about a young girl in Mexico City who has her portrait painted by the iconic Frida Kahlo is based on a popular children’s book.
The Burien Solar Punk Festival 2023 | Saturday, Aug. 12 | 10 a.m.-11 p.m. | 614 SW 120th St., Seattle | Free | Discover local green companies and solar vendors in a pop-up market by day — karaoke with a live rock band and a screening of “Wall-E” at night.
Hai! Japantown | Saturday, Aug. 12 | 1-5 p.m. | Jackson Street + Nihonmachi Alley, Seattle | Free | Take a guided tour through the neighborhood, enjoy live music + dance performances, and check out a happy hour at Chiyo’s Garden.

Sunday, Aug. 13

Taste of Seattle Made | Sunday, Aug. 13 | 12-5 p.m. | The 101, 101 S. Jackson St., Seattle | $35-$45 | You’ll get to sample bites + sips from 25+ local vendors like Batch Baking Company, Mr. B’s Meadery, and Rebellyous Foods.
OUTdoor Cinema Presents: “Jennifer’s Body” | Sunday, Aug. 13 | 8 p.m. | Elsom Cellars, 2960 Fourth Ave. S., Seattle | Donations suggested | Enjoy the cult horror/comedy flick with some sips from Elsom and a trivia contest.

Monday, Aug. 14

University Book Store Author Event | Monday, Aug. 14 | 6-7 p.m. | University Book Store, 4326 University Way NE, Seattle | Free | Hear a chat with Liz Kerin, author of the paranormal novel “Night’s Edge,” and KC Jones who wrote the sci-fi work “Black Tide.”
Painting Class: Mt. Rainier on Wood Panel | Monday, Aug. 14 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Monster, 1716 NW Market St., Seattle | $75 | The mountain is out — and you can capture it in all its glory through acrylic paints (no experience needed).

Events calendar here

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News Notes

Cause

The Marination restaurant group announced that it will donate 100% of proceeds from musubi sales at all of its locations this weekend to assist victims of the deadly wildfires on Maui. If you’re looking for more ways to help, several local organizations have set up online donation hubs. (Seattle Times)

Biz

Reducing grape expectations, Chateau Ste. Michelle recently told Washington growers that it would be cutting its fruit contracts by 40% over the next five years. The winery, which has a Woodinville estate, said the decision was made in part to “better align with demand.” (Northwest Wine Report)

Development

Raise the sails — the Port of Seattle will spend $32.6 million to create a business incubator in the Ship Supply Building. Plans call for the 109-year-old space at Fisherman’s Terminal, the Port’s oldest building, to act as a center for maritime industry startups like boat builders and seafood companies. (Seattle Times)

Arts

The Seattle Opera is celebrating its 60th anniversary in style with lots of cool events + performances coming up. Among the activities is a free open house on Saturday, Sept. 23, which will include a presentation by Anthony Davis, the composer of “X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X.”

Transit

Washington state ferry fares will soon go up a bit this October. The cost to ride the boats are due to rise 4.25% overall — which is about 40 cents on the service’s busiest routes — to help cover operational costs. There will be another fare increase in October of 2024, too. (Seattle Times)

Trending

Be sure to keep your eyes up this weekend as the Perseid meteor shower is due to reach its peak Saturday, Aug 12 to Sunday, Aug. 13. Seattle weather calls for clear skies on both those nights, so it should be a good time for stargazing. We have a few recs. (KING 5)

Open

Anyone up for fancy ham on a baguette? French restaurant L’Oursin now has a sister bar specializing in sandwiches at lunch and light snacks like oysters paired with wines at night. Bar Bayonne is open daily from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. at 1315 E. Jefferson St.

Traffic

Two lanes will be closed on Leary Way NW between 39th Street and First Avenue starting Monday, Aug. 14. Crews will be working on the Ship Canal Water Quality Project that our old pal MudHoney helped dig. The lane reductions will be in place 24 hours daily for four to six weeks. (MyBallard)

Closing

After a little over a year in business, Phinney Ridge’s Arc restaurant announced its last day will be Saturday, Aug. 26. The owners of the Latin American-Korean fusion spot said rising costs and outside projects made staying open difficult. Arc plans to host some “killer” closing events, though.

Outdoors

Seattle Parks and Recreation announced construction at the Beacon Hill’s Dearborn Play Area will begin Tuesday, Aug. 22. When the project is completed next spring, families will be able to use new “Nature Play” equipment and swings, picnic tables, and improved accessibility.

Environment

🌲 Keep on trunkin’

Large Wedgwood cedar is spared from getting chopped down

A double-trunked Western red cedar located in the Wedgewood neighborhood of Seattle

The Western red cedar in Wedgewood is estimated to be ~200 years old. | Photo via @thelast6000

Call it an olive branch? This week, a double-trunked Western red cedar slated to be chopped down in Wedgwood for a development project was spared from the ax.

The Snoqualmie Tribe played a major role in the effort to save the tree, which advocates dubbed “Luma.” Members of the tribe called for the cedar to be designated as a “culturally modified tree” since evidence indicated that it had once been used to mark tribal trails.

Culturally modified trees can be found throughout the region — their branches were once pruned in such a way to indicate significant sites of the Snoqualmie people.

The Wedgwood property’s development team soon came to an agreement with the tribe to accommodate Luma as the residential housing project moves forward.

Attention may now turn to Maple Leaf, where a similar standoff over a Douglas Fir is taking place involving the same developer.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Gabe

From the editor

I just want to give a big shout out to reader Chang, who pointed out that folk star Ben Gibbard wrote a beautiful song about Smith Tower called “Teardrop Windows.” Watch the Bremerton native’s 2012 performance of the tune — and read about the building’s new “for sale” sign.

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