This week brings news of several Capitol Hill shakeups: Montana Like List and Unicorn Like List are back, while Juicebox Cafe Like List is saying goodbye. Plus, the Korean chain bb.q Chicken opens an outpost in University District, Frelard Tamales Like List and Alexandra's Macarons Like List team up for a new collaboration, and Frolik Like List offers a boozy, bubbly take on popsicles. Read on for those and more food-scene updates, and for more ideas, check out our full in-person dining directory, our takeout & delivery directory, and our guide to Seattle farmers markets. Plus, note that due to the worsening air quality in Seattle this weekend, some restaurants are closing temporarily Like List —it's a good idea to call ahead and confirm before heading out anywhere.
NEW OPENINGS & RETURNS
bb.q Chicken
The behemoth Korean chicken chain, which boasts over 2,000 locations and is known for its olive oil-fried chicken, has opened a new outpost in the U District, where it had a location years ago until it was replaced by the local Korean chicken restaurant Chi Mac
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. Don't go in expecting smoked meats: The titular "bb.q." stands for "best of the best quality."
University District
Locust Cider
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You could say Washington has a swarm of Locusts: According to a press release, the rapidly growing cider company has opened yet another taproom, this time in First Hill. Like the company's other local taprooms, the spot will have 16 different ciders on tap, canned wine, flatbread pizzas, and savory snacks, plus a kids' corner and retro video games.
First Hill
Montana
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The Western-themed cocktail bar, which was previously open for takeout only, reopened on Wednesday, September 9 for limited indoor and outdoor seating. They're conveniently close to Yalla, so you can, as they suggest, "say hi and grab a pickle back while you wait" for your saj wraps.
Capitol Hill
Seattle Pops
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The ice pop shop's brick-and-mortar store is closed until next spring, but they're going back to their roots and returning to farmers markets next week. Find them at the Columbia City
Past Event
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market on Wednesdays and the Queen Anne
Past Event
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market on Thursdays.
Various locations
Soi
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Capitol Hill's popular Isan Thai restaurant known for its signature khao soi (a creamy curry noodle soup) opened a Kirkland location with swanky decor on Wednesday, September 9.
Kirkland
Spice Bridge
The nonprofit Food Innovation Network opened this "global food hall" in Tukwila Village on Tuesday, September 8, with the goal of providing business opportunities for immigrants and refugees. The current stalls include Moyo Kitchen (a fusion of Somali, Kenyan, and Tanzanian cuisine), Seatango (an Argentinian-owned bakery with baked goods like alfajores, empanadas, and flan), Taste of Congo (Congolese cuisine), and Afella Jollof Catering (Gambian and Senegalese cuisine). On October 1, they'll be joined by four more vendors: Theary (Cambodian cuisine), Jazze's (Afghan cuisine), Wuha (Ethiopian-American cuisine), and Wengay's Kitchen (Filipino cuisine).
Tukwila
TP Tea
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This popular Taiwanese milk tea chain soft-opened in Chinatown-International District at the beginning of September. Customers can customize their drinks with different sweetness levels, ice levels, and add-ons like tapioca pearls, coffee jelly, grass jelly, aloe, red bean, and "QQ noodles" (a type of noodle with a unique bouncy texture).
Chinatown-International District
Unicorn
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If you've been missing the eccentrically decorated carnival-themed bar in your life, good news: Unicorn was granted a Bar/Restaurant License a few weeks ago, giving them the opportunity to reopen before Phase 4, when nightclubs will be allowed to reopen. They're back as of Friday, September 11 at 4 pm for outdoor and indoor seating, with a revamped menu that still includes fair food-style favorites like fried Unicorn Balls and sweet cocktails like the Dreamsicle, though Unicorn Jizz is no longer on the menu.
Capitol Hill
POP-UPS & EVENTS
BBQ Bandits
Past Event
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For Ethan Stowell's latest summer pop-up, available through Sunday in Ballard, the restaurant group is turning to barbecue. For $65, you'll get a BBQ combo for two people that's "such a steal, you’ll make out like a bandit." The menu includes a half rack of baby back ribs, hot links, pulled pork, chicken drumsticks, sides, and dessert.
Ballard, through Sunday
Juice Club x Doughbaby
Past Event
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Glug some primo fermented grape juice from the natural wine purveyors at Juice Club and tuck into a cheese-laden pie from the new pop-up Dough Baby, with flavors like "The Squash" (a jammy shallot-olive oil base with fresh mozzarella, marinated squash, house-made ricotta, sweet corn, bagnet vert, Calabrian chili, and white pepper) and spicy salami with Salumi soppressata. Preorders are required.
Central District, Friday only
Summer of Rosé Wrap Up Market
Past Event
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Bid farewell to summer at this socially distanced market, where you can peruse pink wine, plants, and other local goods. Advance tickets are sold out, but call ahead to see what openings are still available.
Madrona, Sunday only
Washington Cider Week
Past Event
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Freak out about cider at approximately a billion tastings (for pickup or delivery) during a week so special, it lasts 11 days! Cideries across the state (like Tacoma's Incline and Chimacum's Finnriver) are doling out specials and food pairings that you can enjoy at home, or on your picnic blanket if you're so inclined. See our complete Cider Week events guide here
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.
Various locations, ongoing
NEW SPECIALS
Frolik Kitchen + Cocktails
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These aren't your childhood popsicles: Soak up the last rays of summer on Frolik's rooftop with Seattle Pops
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dunked in bubbly Prosecco, which you can order from the bar's secret menu.
Frelard Tamales
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and Alexandra's Macarons
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Here's an unexpected but welcome combo: Frelard Tamales is teaming up with Alexandra's Macarons to create an exclusive limited-time special pack of macarons, with flavors like margarita, guava colada, and Mexican chocolate, available starting September 14 until the end of the month. The collaboration is in celebration of the upcoming grand opening of a brick-and-mortar Alexandra's Macarons
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shop, which is expected to open in mid-September in the Central District.
Nue
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The street-food-inspired small plates spot is providing free meals to firefighters today, September 11.
Raised Doughnuts
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Nothing says fall like caramel apples. The Central District's doughnut shop is branching out from their usual yeast-leavened creations to bring you local Honeycrisp apples dipped in homemade caramel with optional peanut or caramel crunch topping, available for pre-order for pickup from September 26-27.
Ray's Boathouse
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According to a press release, the seafood staple has created six to-go wine sampler packs. The packages include a Washington Wine summer pack, "introductory" and "advanced" Pinot packs, an "intro to dessert wine" pack, a "100 point cellar collection pack," and an "impress your friends and blow up your cellar pack." The restaurant has also introduced four family-style meals, including a true cod fish and chips meal, a "Ray's famous sablefish" dinner, an "evening of seafood" with clam chowder and other options, and a "Ray's ShellFeast" with clam chowder, prawn cocktail, mussels, and king crab.
FUTURE OPENINGS
How to Cook a Wolf
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and Tavolàta
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Seattle chef and restaurateur Ethan Stowell plans to add two new locations this month, with the opening of the Madison Park location of his acclaimed M.F.K. Fisher-inspired restaurant How to Cook a Wolf
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coming in mid-September and another location of his popular Italian restaurant Tavolàta
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opening in the former space of Fremont's Super Bueno
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at the end of the month.
CLOSURES
Juicebox Cafe
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Capitol Hill's health food haven announced in an Instagram post that it will shut its doors after eight years of business after September 20. The post stated, "This has been such a hard decision — both for us personally and for our community that we love. As we entered in to 2020, our business was healthier than ever and yet, so many factors outside of our control have let us know it is time to move on." An upcoming natural wine bar called Glinda, a sister shop to South Park's Left Bank
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, is set to fill the space sometime in October.
Silence-Heart-Nest
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After a staggering 34 years, this well-liked, oddly hyphenated Fremont vegetarian haunt started by students of the Indian spiritual leader Sri Chinmoy has closed permanently. An announcement on the establishment's website thanks patrons and notes that the space is up for sale. The restaurant had previously announced it was going to close last August but re-opened the following month under the ownership of the former owners' son.