West Seattle, Washington
11 Thursday
10:03 PM FRIDAY: Thanks to Hayk for the photo. The temporary-closure sign on the door at Shadowland didn’t explain the reason, so we emailed Shadowland’s Ben Jenkins. He says the “unforeseen circumstance” is a pipe break in the basement, and they’re working to get it fixed “fast.” The bar/restaurant at California/Oregon is in its 17th year.
1:19 PM SATURDAY: Shadowland will reopen this afternoon, according to a comment below.
Today we welcome Mioposto as a returning WSB sponsor! Here’s what they would like you to know about their restaurant:
Mioposto is a family-owned open-flame pizzeria, Italian kitchen, and bar located on California Ave in the Admiral neighborhood. Our journey began in the Mt. Baker neighborhood of Seattle in 2006, with the goal of creating a date-night pizzeria that adhered to the Italian tradition of using the finest ingredients while serving as a community gathering spot. The concept was a success, leading us to search for another neighborhood that shared our community-minded values. West Seattle was an easy choice, and we opened Mioposto Admiral in 2015. We are honored to be celebrating our ninth year with you. Whether you’re looking for a local date-night spot, a place to meet friends for happy hour, or somewhere to take the whole family for brunch, Mio is the place. We hope to have created spaces where you can sit back, feel seen, safe, and accepted just as you are.
“The only source of heat in our kitchen is our 800-degree oven,” says General Manager Scott Whited. “We focus on open-flame cooking to bring out the bold and honest flavors of the ingredients we use, from our pizzas to unique brunch items.” We freshly mill our tomatoes each day to create the bases for our pizzas, lasagnas, baked eggs, and more, adding only a touch of salt. This is honest cooking we believe in and that you can taste. “Next time you’re in, ask for a taste of our milled tomatoes and experience the freshness,” says Scott. In addition to our creative pizza combinations, you will find our succulent open-flame ribeye, calamari, Hood Canal clams, antipasti, our signature Caesar salad, craft cocktails, local Washington wines, and so much more.
“What people may not know is that we serve brunch and our lunch special seven days a week,” says Scott. “If you’re feeling tired of typical brunch fare, I encourage you to check out our menu – it’s something different and unique.” Brunch hours are Monday-Friday from 11:30 am to 3 pm, and Saturday & Sunday from 10 am to 3 pm. On the brunch menu, you will find our signature breakfast pizza with crispy pancetta and sunny-side-up eggs, or our panenata, which features our house-made bread soaked in egg custard with local Washington apples and pancetta, cooked in our hot oven in a cast iron skillet and finished with powdered sugar and maple syrup.
A major pillar of Mioposto is our commitment to our community. In 2023, we donated over $40,000 to various non-profits, school PTAs, and community organizations through our Pizza and Philanthropy program, which includes sponsorships, dine-out fundraising evenings, and gift card and food donations. We provide livable wages and comprehensive benefits to our employees, including 100% company-paid health care and investments in their futures through our 401(k) plan. We strive to protect the environment by sourcing ingredients domestically and locally and by providing compostable packaging to lessen our impact on the planet. We believe in treating people with dignity and respect, regardless of gender, race, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. Mioposto is a safe place for all. Thank you for making it possible.
More at www.miopostopizza.com and our Instagram @mioposto.
We thank Mioposto (2139 California SW) for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here; email patrick@wsbsales.com for info on joining the team!
Good news for fans of Miso (Chef Korea) at 1513 SW Holden in Highland Park – the restaurant has reopened, and changed its hours. Two weeks ago, there were concerns it was gone for good when a sign reading SORRY CLOSED DOWN appeared on the door along with a city-issued water-shutoff warning. Then two days later, a new sign declared the closure “temporary,” and a social-media message said “see you in (a) few days,” explaining they were “temporarily closed for renovations.” So we’ve been watching, and confirmed today that Miso has reopened. We asked what they’d renovated, and the person behind the counter said they’d changed their mind about renovations. They did change their hours a bit – they’re now open 11 am to 9 pm, Mondays-Saturdays, closed Sundays.
It’s the most delicious fundraiser of the year – the Taste of West Seattle – and the West Seattle Food Bank will present it on September 19 this year. Though that sounds far away, WSFB is looking for restaurant participants right now to meet planning deadlines – here’s the announcement we just received:
Back again this year: The Taste of West Seattle!
West Seattle Food Bank invites restaurants, wineries, breweries, bakeries, and more to participate in the Taste of West Seattle 2024!
Our local, community-based food fair is the largest event of its kind in West Seattle and will again be at the Hall at Fauntleroy on Thursday evening, September 19, 2024. Featuring food and drink from over 30 different restaurants, breweries, wineries, coffee shops, bakeries, chocolatiers, specialty food stores and more! This event draws a sell-out crowd of 500 people from throughout King County. All proceeds from the event go directly to support the West Seattle Food Bank’s most needed programs and services.
Attendees vote on entries into categories such as “Best Veggie”, “Best Beverage” and “Best Meat Dish”. YOUR BUSINESS COULD BE THE WINNER and have bragging rights all year!
Businesses participating donate 300-500 samples to serve at the event and have 1-2 staff members serving from 5-9 pm on Thursday, September 19th, but there is no cost to enter the contest.
Participation in this event brings us closer to our vision of a community where our neighbors have access to the essential necessities of living, including food, shelter, and clothing. Nearly 20,000 residents of our neighborhood will receive assistance from the West Seattle Food Bank over the next year. Your involvement can make a profound difference in ensuring we have adequate resources to meet this critical need, while promoting your business to our donors and community!
For more information or to sign up, please contact Robbin Peterson – robbin@westseattlefoodbank.org
Here’s who won last year.
P.S. If you’re not a restaurateur but hoping to attend – watch here (and WSB, of course) for updates when tickets are available – this often sells out in advance!
Thanks to Lauren for the tip and photo. MOD Pizza has closed what was its first West Seattle location, on the east side of The Junction, in The Whittaker (4755 Fauntleroy Way SW). Its Westwood Village location remains open. The now-closed location opened in February 2018. Besides its employees and fans, another group will be affected by the closure – the many nonprofits, sports teams, etc. for which it’s held dine-out fundraisers. The Seattle-born chain closed more than two dozen stores earlier this year, according to reports.
After “soft open” test runs, Mission is ready to reopen! We stopped by on Sunday night for a couple photos and a quick chat with new co-proprietor Gina Topp. She says she, husband Ben Johnson, and team have three major intentions: #1, “Keep Mission, Mission” – so you won’t find any big changes, though they did “streamline” the menu (which she says is updated online). #2, “Be stewards in our community.” #3, “Be a really positive place for our employees to work.” Rather than pose for a pic for us, in fact, she wanted to instead spotlight their two general managers:
GM Mike Adams is in charge of the bar and community relations. GM Cley Herrera Johnson oversees the kitchen, servers, and hosts. Returning in the kitchen is Mission’s cook of 11 years, Beto Candejas. You can check it all out for yourself starting at 4 pm Tuesday, at 2325 California SW.
P.S. One of those community-stewardship efforts – Gina says educators and veterans get a 20 percent discount, so be sure to mention it if you’re in either of those categories.
We still haven’t heard back from them directly but this morning, Miso – the eight-month-old Korean restaurant at 1513 SW Holden – has put up two messages saying their closure is temporary. First, while – as noted in our original report – the signage on the door was the same yesterday, we went by again a short time ago while in the area and found the new sign: “Sorry, we’re temporarily closed, but! still awesome.” The restaurant’s sporadically updated Instagram page also has changed since we last looked late last night, with the new message in the profile area, “We regret to inform you that we are temporarily closed for renovation. See you in few days again!” (It should be noted that a similar sign popped up a few days after what turned out to be the permanent closure of predecessor Wanna Burger and Teriyaki.)
ORIGINAL THURSDAY REPORT: Thanks for the tips. That’s the note on the door at Miso, which opened eight months ago at 1513 SW Holden in Highland Park. The other piece of paper is a Seattle Public Utilities notice dated today saying that water is facing imminent shutoff in the face of a $2,106 bill. Does this mean the restaurant is permanently closed? We’ve tried to reach the owner, including via phone numbers in licensing and corporate records, but have not made contact yet. Miso started serving Korean food last September in the space vacated five months earlier by Wanna Burger and Teriyaki. We’ll update with anything more we find out about its status.
FRIDAY UPDATE: Went by to check late this afternoon – still closed, same two notes on the door.
8:53 AM: Two months ago, new owners were announced for Admiral restaurant/bar Mission Cantina, which had closed in early February after 19 years. This morning, its reopening date has been announced – one week from today. A ribboncutting is planned for 4 pm Tuesday, May 28, according to general manager Mike D. Adams. New owners Gina Topp and Ben Johnson announced in March that they weren’t planning any major changes – “our primary objective is to maintain the community asset that is Mission Cantina.” (If you’ve never been, it’s at 2325 California SW.)
ADDED 10 AM: The formal announcement of the reopening says hours will be 4 pm-midnight Sundays-Thursdays and 4 pm-1 am Fridays and Saturdays.
Five years have passed since the restaurant il Nido opened in the historic Alki Homestead/Fir Lodge (2717 61st SW). We received this anniversary announcement today:
Our staff at il Nido wanted to reach out and let you know we are celebrating the restaurant’s 5th anniversary this week.
It’s an honor to be a part of the Alki community & the current caretakers of the historic Homestead — we’ve welcomed many neighbors through our doors over the past five years, and we are grateful for each guest who has made these years so special. It has been an eventful time in the world and within our industry specifically, and we are thrilled to be thriving in West Seattle!
With care —
Candice & the il Nido staff
The restaurant was founded by Mike Easton in 2019 and taken over three years later by its executive chef and general manager, Katie Gallego and Cameron Williams. If you’re new to the area, the building itself has a long backstory as the city-landmark Fir Lodge, built in the early 1900s, its future long in question after a 2009 fire until area investor Dennis Schilling bought it in 2015 and restored it.
After two reader tips, we’ve just confirmed with a spokesperson for restaurateur Brian Clevenger that one of his West Seattle restaurants, Haymaker (4706 California SW), has closed. His other restaurants – including West Seattle’s Raccolto and GH Pasta and Pizza – remain open. Here’s the statement we received in response to our inquiry:
Haymaker is officially closed and most teammates are transitioning to other General Harvest locations.
After a great five years and a ton of support from the West Seattle community, General Harvest has decided to focus on the two brand concepts the company has grown over the last several years and will continue to develop in the future.
The first is small neighborhood spaces offering a selection of handmade pastas, fresh local vegetables, and a variety of seafood and protein dishes – similar to Raccolto, Vendemmia, Autumn, and recently opened Haerfest.
The second is the GH Pasta and Pizza model, offering fan-favorite large bowls of fresh pastas, a variety of 12” pizzas with rotating specials, starters, and salads, all at approachable prices.
Haymaker, while well loved, was a bit of an outlier and thus it made sense to move on to new ventures aligned with the above. We’re wishing the next restaurant the best of luck!
No restaurant has announced a takeover plan for the space yet, but it’s been listed for sale. Haymaker opened in the space in summer 2019, a little over half a year after the first restaurant in the space, Vine and Spoon, was evicted (at the same time as Vine and Spoon’s sister establishment Alchemy). The Haymaker closure comes just months after another restaurant closure in the Junction 47 complex – The Lodge Sports Grille closed there at the end of last year.
Today we welcome two new WSB sponsors, The Alpine Diner and Big Mario’s, neighbors sharing the space at 9635 16th SW in White Center. As new sponsors, here’s what they would like you to know:
If you’ve ever had the privilege of enjoying an après ski (that is, the meal and company following a long day of skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, or otherwise enjoying the alpine), you’ll know there’s something a little magical about a lodge: Enjoying a hot meal in a cozy place after a day of exposure is deeply satisfying.
That’s exactly the emotion we set out to capture at The Alpine Diner & Big Mario’s White Center. Every choice, from our menu to our decor, is designed with warmth in mind. At Alpine Diner, the sister to Seattle favorite Lost Lake Café, we’ve crafted a menu of family-friendly familiar favorites: Burgers, breakfasts, hearty dinners, and monthly specials inspired by the season.
Cross the open threshold into neighboring Big Mario’s, and grab the famous NY-inspired slice popular enough to garner a cult following in Seattle.
Need to take a break from the table? Hit up the game room shared by both restaurants.
We’ve been asked: Why White Center? And our answer is simple: Because we couldn’t imagine a better environment to welcome our own families. It’s Seattle’s newest up-and-coming neighborhood — We’re situated directly next to Southgate Roller Rink, a favorite stop to many venturing south of downtown. New businesses are popping up every day, bringing new life and opportunity for Seattleites of all ages. It’s the perfect backdrop for some of the city’s favorite diner fare.
We hope to see you for your next meal: In our dining room, it’s always time for après. The Alpine Diner is open 9 am-10 pm Mondays-Fridays, 8 am-10 pm Saturdays-Sundays; Big Mario’s is open 11 am-midnight Sundays-Thursdays, 11 am-2 am Fridays and Saturday.
We thank The Alpine Diner and Big Mario’s White Center for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here; email patrick@wsbsales.com for info on joining the team!
Darlene Hampton has officially opened Jarays Grill and Lounge in the former Tug Inn/Bee’s Plumbing space at 2216 SW Orchard, just north of Home Depot. We took a look inside just before opening:
Hours weren’t finalized at the time but we have them now: For starters, open Wednesdays noon-midnight, Thursdays through Saturdays noon-2 am, closed Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays.
Jarays will offer drinks, food, and entertainment. Darlene texted us this week’s menu – you can see it here.
(March photo courtesy Luna Park Café owner John Bennett)
When Luna Park Café celebrated its 35th anniversary in March, owner John Bennett told us they hoped to add dinner this spring. Now, he says, it’s about to happen:
Luna will start opening for dinner on Fridays and Saturdays starting tomorrow. Serving great burgers, sandwiches, salads, vegetarian, and vegan dishes. Expanded cocktail menu, beer specials and new mock-tail options, including our famous boozy shakes!
The café is at 2918 SW Avalon Way. Dinner hours will be 3-9 pm.
The city Office of Labor Standards announced today that it has settled with Chipotle over alleged labor-law violations at eight area restaurants. We confirmed with the city that the West Seattle location (opened nine years ago at 4730 California SW) is one of them. First, from the city announcement, here are the basics:
The Office of Labor Standards (OLS) investigated Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. for alleged violations of the Secure Scheduling and Paid Sick and Safe Time (PSST) Ordinances throughout Chipotle’s eight operations in Seattle.
Chipotle settled the allegations and agreed to pay a total financial remedy of $2,895,716.73 to 1,853 employees and $7,308.63 to the City of Seattle. Chipotle also agreed to develop and implement a written Secure Scheduling Ordinance (SSO) policy.
This is the largest SSO settlement since the ordinance’s creation and the fourth largest overall in the history of the office. …
Under the Secure Scheduling Ordinance, OLS alleged the employer:
-Failed to consistently provide premium pay for schedule changes when required;
-Retaliated against an employee for declining to work or consent to a shift change made with less than 14 days’ notice;
-Retaliated against an employee for requesting not to be scheduled at certain times in conflict with a second job; and
-Failed to maintain records of original work schedules, as required by the Secure Scheduling Ordinance.Under the Paid Sick and Safe Time Ordinance, OLS also alleged the employer:
-Failed to provide PSST accrual at the correct rate;
-Lacked a compliant written PSST policy; and
-Retaliated against an employee for calling out sick.
We asked the OLS how the West Seattle Chipotle factored into this. The response: “There were 99 employees who worked at that location during the relevant violation period, of whom 79 were aggrieved parties under the Agreement. 12 received civil penalties for Paid Sick and Safe Time Ordinance violations and 78 for Secure Scheduling Ordinance violations.” The OLS also provided the settlement document; it lists the workers but does not match them to which restaurant they worked at. Reviewing that list, we note the largest sum awarded to any one employee appears to be $23,083, which includes back wages, interest, damages, and civil penalties.
Thanks for the tips. What’s going into the former Pizzeria Credo space at 4520 California SW has finally been revealed, with the new awning signage shown above: Pegasus Pizza. The owners are the same as the Pegasus Pizza that closed on Alki more than a year ago, according to the liquor-license application for this space (filed under the business name “Flying Horse”). Court files say the case related to the Alki closure was closed this past February with “full satisfaction of (the) judgment.”
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
From milk tea to soul food to vegan burgers, dozens of choices are on the menu at West Seattle’s Distinguished Foods.
Actually, that’s “menus” – this longtime commercial kitchen facility at 4611 36th SW is home to a dozen “virtual restaurants” and other food businesses, as Distinguished Foods owner Claiborne Bell describes them. (His own Seattle Sorbets is one of them.)
It’s not just a place where food is prepared – it’s also a place where you can order it and/or pick it up. We hadn’t visited in a long time, until Claiborne invited us recently to come tour and see who’s new.
He explains that Distinguished Foods is also an “incubator” helping tenants learn and grow – and that means some inevitably “graduate” to their own locations. When we were there a little over a week ago, he was about to say goodbye to the latest “graduates” – Aroy Mak Thai Food, opening a bricks-and-mortar restaurant in Greenwood after two years at Distinguished Foods.
“I’m very proud of them,” Claiborne smiled. He says the kitchens can be a place to learn how to sell food profitably, to get going with your business without “mortgaging your house” from the get-go. Another recent “graduate” is Taste of Mumbai, which now has a restaurant in The Admiral District.
The co-housing of multiple businesses also provides some synergy – maybe you came to pick up food from one, and while you’re waiting, you discover the menu of another, and order from them next time. It’s an eclectic lineup – also in house during our visit, Dada’s Plant-Based Burgers & Breakfast:
David’s business – there for about six months now – is the first vegan restaurant at Distinguished Foods, Claiborne notes. “Amazing food,” including a popular crispy “chik’n” sandwich.
Also among the newer tenants, Seattle Soul Kitchen, with fare including catfish, chicken, smoked stuffed turkey legs, jambalaya, sides including mac and cheese, yams, and greens.
They’re even serving “old-school Kool-Aid” if you’re thirsty.
Another beverage option – the teas (including boba) that Nhu makes at TAB (Take a Break):
“Authentic tea, no powders,” mind you. And TAB serves up authentic pho, too.
Winding our way through the building, we also drop in on Chef Michael Poole, who we mentioned a decade ago – he combined a Seattle Fire Department career with candymaking, and the result was Hot Chocolat.
He’s also leading team-building exercises these days – teaching classes.
Meantime, Distinguished Foods is also home to the growing business Papa Tony’s Hot Sauce, run by Tony Wilson (pictured below with Claiborne Bell).
Need a frosty treat after something savory? Claiborne’s Seattle Sorbets come in flavors such as mango sunset and raspberry merlot. He introduced us to Dora, who’s been making ice cream and sorbet for more than 20 years:
Dora’s roles are many, Claiborne notes, including helping manage the kitchen business. It’s been rebounding from the pandemic years – 17 companies operating in the kitchens pre-pandemic, down to five at the low point, “and things are just now coming back.” (The March 2020-September 2022 West Seattle Bridge took a toll too.) The “virtual restaurants” aren’t all open the same days and hours; most, Claiborne says, are open six days a week. But that’s part of the education he says they get from Distinguished Foods as an incubator – “be consistent with your hours and food. … Make money and do well.”
Haven’t tried any of the Distinguished Foods offerings? You can go to the north side of the building, peruse menus, press a button to alert the business, and place an order – or order online and go there for pickup. (Some work with delivery services too.) Here’s the directory by the door (but remember Aroy Mak has since moved – speaking of which, id you’re looking for a kitchen, Distinguished Foods has space):
(Image from SDOT traffic camera looking at Easy Street’s corner)
Big news from Easy Street! Here’s the announcement
After 25 years, Easy Street (Café) is extending its hours. Open until 6. 7 days a week.
“We have been testing a Happy Hour menu for about 6 months and with Spring in the air, we’ve decided to make it official,” says owner Matt Vaughan.
“We made some improvements to the kitchen over the last couple of years. We have more storage, refrigeration, and better equipment. We hired Ali Graham six months ago to manage the cafe. We’ve never had a General Manager, so that has us all working together more efficiently.”
Our chef Isidro Lucatero has been with us now for 21 years. He brought in Juan Navarro (originally from West 5) and we all worked together on a Happy Hour menu (see it here). All items are currently only $10 each. So far, we are getting great response on our Paul Westerburger (smash burger), the Fleetwood Mac n Cheese, and the Rick James Buffalo Wings. There are a few carry-overs from the main menu too.
The coffee bar is going back to pre-pandemic hours. It will stay open til 6:00 and sometimes longer on event nights. Two more specialty coffee drinks have been added, the Cardi B (Cardamom Latte) and the Starman (2bl Macchiato w starry sprinkles), to go along with longstanding favorites The Amazing Grace and The Mudhoney. 16-year Easy Street vet Rebecca Gifford says, “We got a new La Marzocco machine last year and the coffee is tasting so good. Now that the weather is brightening up and temperatures are rising, the garage door will go up and you’ll start hearing more clinks of iced coffee drinks going up and down the block. That’s when you know spring in The Junction has finally arrived !”
(Easy Street photo: Sunday bartender Kisha Vaughan and lead bartender Patrick Johnson)
The Easy Street cocktail/vinyl bar (in the mezzanine) is over 2 years old now. It’s open for additional dining as well (21+). “I think the word is finally out, but it’s really just a locals-secret loft bar for now. We have cocktail specials during happy hour from 3-6 and some draft beer specials too.” says Matt.
“With the bar, people were requesting food, so nice to be able to provide that now. Also, been great to offer our musicians and bands something to eat before their instore performances. It’s a sonic and sensory journey in here, merging nostalgia, music, coffee, drinks, and good food, it’s such a unique and unforgettable experience,” says GM Ali Graham.
“Easy Street has always been a safe place for our youngsters after school. Now they can at least get a plate of fries or grilled cheese sandwich with a Jones soda or whatever and hang out with their friends and/or meet their parents here,” says Matt.
The patio had its first opening of the year a few days ago. Patio is open (weather permitting).
If somehow you’ve never been to Easy Street … the café and store are on the northwest corner of California/Alaska in the heart of The Junction.
Two food biznotes tonight:
(Photo sent by Joel)
IN PIZZA WE CRUST: Thanks to everyone who sent photos of the signage that’s popped up in the windows at 3207 California SW, where The Swinery recently closed. It’ll become home to the wood-fired pizza of In Pizza We Crust, which you can currently find in the U District, a family business whose backstory is here. We have messages out to find out more about their West Seattle plan.
ADDED THURSDAY MORNING: Just heard back from In Pizza We Crust’s Stephanie Tran. She tells us:
We have acquired the location, where we will settle our new business venture. We are a family-run business with our three sons and started out as a food truck doing wood-fired pizza with a semi-permanent location in Bellevue for 6 years. We have also done many offsite events like concerts, festivals and many private parties, just to name a few. Our goal is to continue our food truck business, as we already have a summer filled calendar this year. Our food truck business is on pause for now until we are able to open the shop on California Ave. We have some permits that will take up to 60 days once plans are submitted so our open date is still tbd, but hoping for early June if all goes well! The biggest change to the ex-Swinery location will be changing the BBQ pit area in the courtyard to a dome brick oven. The second largest change will be to transform the front room into a casual dining area where folks can dine year round. The courtyard area will also have seating in a covered outdoor space where folks can watch all the pizza action. We couldn’t be more exited to be part of West Seattle’s warm community. Fun fact, I went to West Seattle HS my senior year!
LOTUS ON THE BEACH: We reported last week that this new Asian restaurant was close to opening at 2768 Alki SW, formerly home to (speaking of pizza) Pegasus. Now LOTB has announced its plan to “soft open” on Sunday, April 14. Same ownership as nearby Alki Phở & Bar, planning to offer “a hybrid of traditional and Asian fusion inspired dishes.”
(Photo sent by Andreea)
Readers have been asking about the status of the new restaurant moving into the ex-Pegasus space at 2768 Alki Avenue SW, now that signage is up. Lotus on the Beach is hoping to open in a week or so – but that depends on the results of inspections this week, they tell us. The new restaurant is opening with the same ownership as Alki Phở & Bar, which opened almost two years ago just a few doors west. They described what they plan to offer at Lotus on the Beach as “a hybrid of traditional and Asian fusion inspired dishes. Some Vietnamese, Thai, and Chinese inspired traditional dishes, and hopefully Korean and Japanese in the future. We also would like to emphasize our own original craft cocktails, as well as our take on some classics.” They’ve been remodeling the interior, too – you can get a sneak peek here.
12:01 PM: One month after Mission Cantina closed at 2325 California SW after 19 years, it has new owners who plan to reopen the restaurant/bar soon. Here’s the announcement we received a short time ago:
The Admiral treasure, founded by Peter Morse and others over 19 years ago has operated for the past decade under the leadership of Peter Morse, Shawn Padilla, and Tina Schlotfeldt Padilla, will re-open and continue to operate under the ownership of West Seattle couple Gina Topp and Ben Johnson.
For 19 incredible years, Mission Cantina has been an integral part of the West Seattle community. It’s more than just a restaurant; it’s a cornerstone of cherished memories and cherished moments. From family dinners and community events to first dates and milestone celebrations, Mission Cantina has been there, woven into the fabric of our lives.
“We couldn’t bear the thought of saying ‘adios’ to this beloved establishment that has meant so much to our family, and we’re incredibly grateful to the previous owners, Peter, Shawn, and Tina, for allowing us to take on Mission’s next chapter. Their vision, passion, and dedication have built an irreplaceable community asset, and we are honored to be its new stewards. It’s truly a testament to the enduring spirit of our community and commitment to preserving the traditions and memories that make West Seattle unique that we are able to re-open Mission Cantina,” said Gina Topp and Ben Johnson.
Please stay tuned for more details on our grand re-opening.
The restaurant/bar had been listed for sale for a while before the closure announcement. You might recognize new co-owner Topp’s name – she is also the recently elected Seattle Public Schools board representative for West Seattle and most of South Park.
1:29 PM: We sent Topp two followup questions. First, about the new owners’ restaurant experience: “Neither Ben nor I have direct experience in the restaurant industry. However, before finalizing the purchase, we curated a strong team. We have a consultant who owns multiple WS/Burien restaurants, along with a seasoned general manager. We will rely on their expertise and guidance.” Second, any major changes planned? “Although there will be some updates and fine-tuning, our primary objective is to maintain the community asset that is Mission Cantina.”
(Photos courtesy John Bennett)
A milestone birthday for a West Seattle restaurant! Luna Park Café (2918 SW Avalon Way) is celebrating 35 years in business. Owner John Bennett sent photos, including the ones below “from 1988 when I gutted Pat and Ron’s Tavern to build the restaurant.”
You can read more Luna Park history – including its namesake amusement park, located a short distance north more than a century ago – on the LPC website. The café is currently open for breakfast and lunch, 8 am-3 pm daily, but Bennett says they’re “hopefully opening for dinner this spring.”
After 15 years at 3207 California SW, The Swinery is closing. Its proprietors asked us to publish this announcement:
Dearest customers, it breaks our hearts to announce that the Swinery will be closing March 24th, 2024.
The economy has made it impossible for us to continue.
Since 2009 we have had the pleasure of getting to know you, and watching your families grow.
We will not be leaving our beloved West Seattle, so hopefully we’ll see you around town.
Follow us on Facebook, you never know when or where the Swinery may pop up next for your Cassoulet, sausages etc…
Thank you all for everything,
Kim and Danny
The Swinery’s original ownership founded the butcher shop/eatery in 2009; it’s had much acclaim, and even national-TV spotlights – along the way. Kim – who has worked there since that first year – and Danny bought it in 2018. They’ve turned to community help in recent years, and have had The Swinery on the market, but have now decided to close their doors.
ADDED: Kim says she’d like to build an email list to notify people if they do a pop-up, community BBQ, etc. – if you’d want to be on that list, kimanneleveille@gmail.com is the address.
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