Bulletin: Charlestown Cafe WILL repair and reopen

| Charlestown Cafe | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

Six weeks after the Charlestown Cafe fire – six weeks with plenty of uncertainty – the news is just in from restaurant owner Larry Mellum:

I wanted to pass along to you the good news that we are moving forward with our repairs from the fire we had on Feb. 4th. Our Landlord has agreed to get our Hood System fixed and upgraded to meet necessary codes so we are “officially” on the mend. I would expect it to take at least four weeks to get the doors back opened. I want to thank everyone who contacted us regarding the fire, wished us well and inquired if they could help us in any way!! This is an amazing community of which we are honored to be a part of. We will keep you updated with our progress and with any luck we will see everyone in a month.

In the meantime, if you didn’t already know this, Larry also owns Pike Place Chowder, with two downtown locations – Pike Place and Pacific Place – so you can get a chowder fix if you’re downtown, till Charlestown reopens.

JanS March 18, 2008 (11:04 pm)

YAY !!!!

PDH March 19, 2008 (6:48 am)

Yahoo!!!!

Cynthia March 19, 2008 (8:23 am)

This is wonderful news. What about all the employees? How have they been managing during all this? Will they be coming back or have they had to go on to find other jobs?

westseattleite March 19, 2008 (9:00 am)

I love Pike Place Chowder, eat there all the time. I didn’t know he also owned that location.

villagegreen March 19, 2008 (10:10 am)

I definitely don’t mean to step on any toes, but do people really like the food at this place? I’ve eaten there once for breakfast and it was no better than Denny’s.

I’m all for family owned businesses and keeping local landmarks around (I’d much prefer keeping the Charlestown than having a Petco in that location), but could someone clue me in on what to order. I’d give it another try, but not without some type of recommendation.

Sue March 19, 2008 (12:38 pm)

villagegreen, I find their food okay, but nothing exceptional. It’s a good place when everybody in your party wants variety and doesn’t want to be limited to one cuisine. I like their Cobb Salad, but ONLY if you ask them to make it with grilled chicken. Otherwise it’s this marinated cold chicken that looks (and tastes) like it came out of a can. I like their clam chowder and fettuccine alfredo too. The swedish meatballs taste strangely sweet, but not bad.

PDH March 19, 2008 (1:43 pm)

The variety of options is great but the other part is they welcome families, seniors, etc. Their menu includes food our 20 month old and 8 year old want to eat, they welcome us and the mess and noise that is created with young children, and our sons have learned how to behave and eat out in pulic in a welcoming environment. Larry and Ron and all of the employees are wonderful. They are the first place we think of for b’fast or a quick lunch or dinner when we are running late. We love Mickey Mouse Pancakes… Clam Chowder… great Burgers… and I don’t know how many times they have customized an order for us!!!It’s more than just the food….we are soooo excited they will be reopening soon and I know we’ll be in line with the rest of our neighbors!

WSB March 19, 2008 (1:59 pm)

Good point about the family atmosphere and the basic menu … my favorite C-Cafe memory will always be the midstage of expectancy with the Junior Member of the WSB team (more than a dozen years ago now) when I had irrational interest in finding a ham steak … and that was the only place we could find one!

angelescrest March 19, 2008 (4:58 pm)

y’know, it is nice to have a welcoming family restaurant, but ham steak, swedish meatballs, fettuccine alfredo–after all the warnings, is this still being eaten? how about healthier fare?

Charlie March 19, 2008 (5:43 pm)

It’s the healthier fare that I’ve been missing. They allow anyone to order from their “senior” breakfast and lunch menu for smaller portions. They have whole grain options (whole wheat, buckwheat) for bread, pancakes, waffles, and french toast. The fresh fruit bowl is generous and the vegy quesadilla is pretty good. The first thing I’ll order when they’re open are the breakfast burritos. Or maybe “Ron’s favorite”, the best tuna salad sandwich anywhere (ok, maybe that one’s not so healthy!). I agree with the previous posts…the variety (especially breakfast choices) and their cooperation on requests have been missed!

Mr. JT March 19, 2008 (5:45 pm)

angelscrest. The air is polluted. Should we all stop breathing?

“Is this still being eaten” ? To answer your question, YES in huge quanties across the world….

Lets ask Ewell Gibbons what HE had for dinner last night.

angelescrest March 19, 2008 (9:35 pm)

Sorry, Mr. JT–but it’s smaller and healthier quantities across the world, and there’s a movement under way here, as well. Like obesity (and it’s companion diseases) isn’t a major problem? And, it’s just not that difficult to make way for a greener, lighter variety of foods. Just an idea, eh?

call me naive... March 19, 2008 (9:40 pm)

The beauty of the place is that one can CHOOSE from a tremendously varied menu, and customize to make the meal fit health needs, allergies or simply persnickety taste. No snooty waiters to frown on your desires, and no outrageous tab at the end of the meal. If I want high end gourmet, this may not be the best choice, and it is certainly not the latest cool place for drinking with a nibble but if I don’t want to cook, don’t want McD’s and due to allergies can’t do the local grocery take out, this is the perfect choice.
The other feature is a simple sense of community, whether it is other families, neighbors, or for the seniors that thrive on an easy place to go for a simple meal and socializing.
If that is unhealthy….

call me naive... March 19, 2008 (9:42 pm)

Angelescrest–unless you always eat with your mother, no one is forcing you to eat all that is served on the plate. I frequently take home part of a meal to enjoy at another time. That is called choice.

Rose March 19, 2008 (9:44 pm)

this is amazing news! i am an employee there at the charlestown…i was hired in december and only got to work there a couple months before the fire. and just today i was thinking about maybe having to find another job. but now i cant breath a little easier. its so great so many people are willing to help out. i’m so glad to get back to work!

Kristine April 5, 2008 (11:25 am)

Well, I’m very happy to be able to drive up again from Tacoma, yes, 50 mile round-trip, just to have the Charlestown Benidict…woo-hoo…I’m reading all of these posts, and no there isn’t food like this around here for the value or quality. If it’s too much for your weight managment program, then clue yourself in, and only eat what your supposed to, and save the rest for the next days meals…Bottom line, great food, (we always come up for breakfast), chowder is excellent, love the rolls with them, and it’s far from Dennys quality and wouldn’t drive from Tacoma if it wasn’t excellent all around…
Happy from Tacoma :)
ps. my kids love the french toast..!!

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