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. And our tummies are already rumblin’.
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.
Ludi’s was previously located on Pike Street before closing in 2019. | Photo courtesy of Ludi’s
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, was one of the OG 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’sArchipelago 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 specials — including a variety of silog + fabulous ube pancakessmothered in coconut cream sauce. Oh, and if you aren’t quite familiar with silog yet, you’re gonna wanna get on that — it’s a hearty dish typically made with garlic fried rice, runny eggs + a second form of protein.
Ube pancakes will make their return to the new spot. | Video courtesy of Happi Yammi
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.
Expect those breakfast favorites + brunch cocktails to make a return on the menu, along with new silog options and items influenced by Rita’s half-Polynesian roots.
History Café: The Democratizing Power of Radio | Wed., May 18 | 6:30-8 p.m. | MOHAI | Free with admission | Learn about key moments in Washington radio history + how the medium helped underserved communities. 📻
Christopher Moore Presents “Razzmatazz” | Wed., May 18 | 7-8:30 p.m. | Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park | $32 | The best-selling humor novelist discusses his latest book — a wacky noir that takes place in 1940s San Francisco. 📚
Thursday
Nordic Innovation Summit | Thurs., May 19 | 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. | National Nordic Museum + virtual | $100 | Topics include cybersecurity + energy independence — with a keynote address from the President of Iceland.
Travessias Brazilian Film Festival Thurs., May 19 | 4:30 p.m. | Northwest Film Forum + virtual | $7+ | The festival of contemporary Brazilian films — co-presented by several UW departments — focuses on marginalized perspectives. 🎥
Love, Seatown Block Party | Thurs., May 19 | 4-6 p.m. | Pier 62 + Occidental Square | Free | The Sounders Sound Wave band plays at the pier, while the Seahawks Blue Thunder ensemble and Seattle’s Lady A Band hit Pioneer Square. 🎉
Friday
Wayward Sisters: A Feast for the Eyes and Ears | Fri., May 20 | 7:30 p.m. | Benaroya Hall | $10+ | For this MusicWorks production, four sopranos join up with dancers + a chamber choir to perform works by Rossi, Mazzochi, and Monteverd. 🎶
Wicked Macarons | Fri., May 20 | 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. | 234 9th Ave. N | Prices vary | Enjoy some delightful macarons from this Seattle Restored pop-up with flavors like chocolate caramel pretzel.
Saturday
Sebastian Maniscalco | Sat., May 21 | 7 + 9:30 p.m. | The Paramount Theatre | $45+ | The Chicago comedian is known for hilarious bits about his Italian-American upbringing.
Masonry Farmhouse Beer Festival | Sat., May 21 | 1-5 p.m. | The Masonry Fremont, 730 N. 34th St. | $150+ | Celebrate mixed culture beers from a variety of brewers — and snack on some pizza while you’re at it. 🍺
We have amonthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
State construction crews broke ground on a $47.75 million highway project in Kirkland this week. The I-405 overhaul serving Totem Lake will include a half-diamond interchange, new on-and-off ramps, sidewalk enhancements + roundabouts to manage traffic. It’s expected to be finished in 2023. 🚧 (KING 5)
How sweet is this?Central District dessert favorite Raised Doughnuts has moved into a new location at Midtown Square, right across the street from its old digs. The shop is the first opening in the development — but it’ll soon be joined by the likes of Jerk Shack + Arte Noir. 🍩 (Capitol Hill Blog)
Seattleite
We’re exhausted just thinking about this. On Sunday, West Seattle runner Riley Nachtriebfinished the Olympic Discovery Trail, a 135-mile route that runs from Port Townsend to the ocean shores off La Push. The 20-year-old completed the journey in 41 hours — the fastest known time. 👟 (West Seattle Blog)
Environment
Now this is wild. The Woodland Park Zoo is working on a new exhibit called Forests for All, which will educate guests on forest conservation + feature endangered animals like tree kangaroos. Public feedback will help inform the design phase this year, with a goal of opening the exhibit in 2026. 🦘
Ranked
Good news for local grads. WalletHubranked Seattle as the fifth best city in the US to start a career, based on factors like average starting salary + the availability of entry level jobs. Overall, employers plan to hire 31.6% more graduates from the Class of 2022 than 2021. (WalletHub)
Drink
Sober curious? Madison Valley will soon get a bistro called Kamp where non-alcoholic beverages will be prominent on the menu, in addition to boozy cocktails, beer + wine. Kamp plans to take over the space formerly occupied by popular French restaurant Luc this summer. 🍹 (Capitol Hill Blog)
Sports
New Husky alert. Tacoma’s own Sekai Asoau-Afoa has verbally committed to playing for the UW men’s football team next season, bringing in some depth on the defensive side of the ball. The edge rusher played for the College of San Mateo, but originally attended nearby Fife High School. 🏈 (Seattle Times)
Cause
Act local, think global. There’s a gala tonight at theAmazon Spheres for Reading Partners Seattle, an org that supports K-8 literacy development. Speakers include author + former Seahawk Jordan Babineaux; apps + drinks will be provided by chef Kristi Brown’s catering company That Brown Girl Cooks.
Tech
Seattle-based venture capital firmFlying Fish (no relation to Pike Place) has secured $70 million in new funding. The company invests in machine learning + artificial intelligence startups, and will use the new moolah to expand beyond the PNW. 🤖 (GeekWire)
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Paint this amazing? Several young artists from the Urban Works mural apprentice program recently launched an exhibition where they’ll get to show their stuff at Columbia City Gallery for the next month. Swing by to check it out any day from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. and keep an eye out for the up-and-coming muralists on the streets of Seattle. 🎨
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Editor’s pick: I was over the moon when Gregorio Rosas got in touch with me about Ludi’s reopening. It’s just one of those classic Seattle spots, and I was lucky enough to live just a few blocks away when I first moved here. Those ube pancakes deservedly get hype, but I’m also intrigued by what new items they’ve got cookin’ up — particularly since Gregorio’s daughter + business partner Rita has a baking side hustle called Happi Yammi. Is it too early to wait outside for a table?
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