By Anne Higuera
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Just south of Highland Park, Greenbridge has a place for brunch again, and for lunch and dinner, or just coffee or a cocktail. Zoco Cafe and Wine (9901 8th Ave SW) aims to be a neighborhood gathering spot that just so happens to have excellent food and a menu with local wines. “We want everyone to feel like they can come here and stay–catch up with friends and family,” says Amador Coyantes, who soft-opened the restaurant early this month with his sister and co-proprietor Silvia Camarillo and plans a grand opening starting May 1. Coyantes says he’s attended church just down the street for years, so this location just felt right.

(Server Nicole Macias with her uncle, Zoco co-owner Amador Coyantes)
The response has been far beyond what they expected. “Amazing! We didn’t do any marketing. It was a soft opening with all the neighbors around.” Camarillo’s daughter Nicole Macias says the first days serving guests made it clear how much the community needed a new restaurant after the Greenbridge Cafe closed last November after 14 years. “They’re seeing everyone, bringing their friends. It’s really welcoming. People say they’re super excited to have lunch and dinner here.”

The only thing obviously missing during the first couple of weeks of Zoco Cafe and Wine’s soft open was the wine. “We finally got the liquor license last week,” Coyantes says, and that means they are now polishing up a list of Washington state wines to feature along with their cocktail menu. That also means they’re ready to put on a grand opening celebration, scheduled for May 1st, 2nd and 3rd. “We want to bring some music, have gift cards and other surprises,” he says.

The brunch menu is a mix of traditional American and Mexican dishes, and for dinner, many American and Italian options, a natural choice given Coyantes and Camarillo’s 30 years of restaurant experience, much of it with Italian food. The options are tantalizing. For brunch, options include a Dulce de Leche french toast with a Mezcal sauce, walnuts and caramelized banana; a gluten-free Avocado toast with eggs, and a fried chicken and waffle dish. But it’s the Chilaquiles Verdes with a house-made poblano sauce that they say has some customers coming back daily to order. For dinner, there are appetizers, burgers, salads, pastas and even a ribeye steak. Coyantes says the Italian dishes in particular have been a hit. “People love the pastas. We want to keeping going in that direction,” he says. “Eventually we want to do homemade fresh pasta.”

For those who come in regularly, Zoco is offering a loyalty rewards program to earn discounts off future meals. Food can be ordered to go through Toast, Uber Eats and DoorDash. While their website is being developed, they are keeping customers up to date on Instagram. Zoco Cafe and Wine serves their brunch menu 8 am-3 pm Tuesdays-Sundays and stays open for dinner until 9 pm Thursdays-Saturdays. They are closed Mondays.

Also happening tonight: The Neighborhood restaurant/bar in Morgan Junction celebrates its first anniversary! The Neighborhood will be open 3 pm to 9 pm, regular hours but lots of celebratoryy extras – food specials, live music by Justin Kausal-Hayes, face painting by current resident artist Autumn Tranquilino from 5 pm-7 pm, gift-card raffle, and more. The Neighborhood is at 6503 California SW (and also just launched a new website).

A happier anniversary is days away – Arthur’s in Admiral celebrates nine years in business this Saturday. Leading up to the celebration, Arthur’s proprietor Rebecca Rice has brought back $5 draft beers, “a throwback to pricing back in 2017 when we opened!” That’s continuing until month’s end, but Saturday, March 28, is the big celebration day, with “a few additional throwbacks and celebratory bits, nothing overly formal, just hoping to provide a great excuse for people to come by, grab a drink, and celebrate with us.” Arthur’s (2311 California SW) will be open for its weekend brunch, 9 am to 3 pm, that day.

Four biznotes from food providers!

THAI-U-UP IN HIGHLAND PARK: Last year, we reported that the owners of the former Morning Star Market site at 9th SW and SW Henderson were exploring ideas for the lot including food trucks. Tonight we got a tip that one is there for a test run – the Thai-U-Up truck, 4-8 pm daily for two weeks. (That’s the truck that was at the 30th/Roxbury gas station for years.)

CRAVE IN MORGAN JUNCTION: The Filipino street food pop-ups by Crave at The Neighborhood in Morgan Junction are now happening every Tuesday instead of every other Tuesday, 4-8 pm or until sold out. (Tuesdays are a night The Neighborhood, at 6503 California SW, would otherwise be closed.)

DINNER AT THE ALHADEFF: With its renowned Culinary Arts program, South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) is famous for food. Its sit-down Alhadeff Dining Room is offering three nights of prix-fixe dinners next week, 6 pm March 17-18-19, by reservation, $45/person. Above is the Wednesday menu (18th); see the Tuesday (17th) menu here and the Thursday menu (19th) here. For reservations, email david.hatfield@seattlecolleges.edu.

WINE DINNER WITH DARBY X DRIFTWOOD: Driftwood Restaurant co-proprietor Jackie Mallahan sends word they’re selling tickets for a multi-course dinner April 23rd on their terrace (2722 Alki SW) in partnership with West Seattle Junction-based Darby Winery: “Guests will enjoy a multi-course chef’s menu paired with Darby wines, guided by the winemaker and Chef Dan Mallahan. Throughout the evening, you’ll hear stories from the cellar and the kitchen, ask questions, and experience the collaborative spirit that makes each pairing shine.” Tickets are $150, available here.

Thanks to Alan for the photos and the report that Little Prague Bakery has reappeared at 6045 California SW:

I just wanted to give you a heads up that the Little Prague European bakery is back open for business. I spoke with one of the employees there … and they reopened today. They had some pastries out, and I don’t want to overwhelm her, but I definitely want some foot traffic for her.

She said they’re not back up to full speed yet, but they hope to be in the next few days … it’s exciting to have them back in the neighborhood.

Little Prague was in the space for years; then The Home Skillit moved in for a very short time late last year.

Thanks to Tom Trulin for the photos and info! Tom reports that today is the first day that Sunfish, the fish-and-chips restaurant at 2800 Alki SW, is back open after its traditional winter break.

Tom is usually the first Sunfish fan to report in on their late-winter reopenings, which we appreciate!

Happy 28th anniversary to Circa in The Admiral District (2605 California SW; WSB sponsor)! They’re celebrating tomorrow (Thursday, February 5) and you’re invited to the party – co-proprietor Gretchen says that’ll include “free funfetti cake and $2.80 Manny’s Pale Ale all day and night.

(Added Thursday)

Happy Hour from 2:30-5:00, and dinner and drink specials after 5:00. Lots of decorations, ’90s music and ’90s staff!” If you want to get the party started early, Circa opens at 9 am

(Photo courtesy Ku Mana’s)

If you went to the Taste of West Seattle last fall, you might have sampled food by Ku Mana’s. Proprietor/chef Ndikumana Rasheri is now offering her Burundian food three nights a week at Distinguished Foods in the West Seattle Triangle, and asked us to tell you about it. Here’s her story:

I moved to the U.S. with my family when I was eight years old. We came for educational opportunities, but one of the most valuable lessons I learned was in the kitchen. When I was twelve, my older sister taught me how to cook. She used to tell me, “If you don’t learn how to cook, no man will marry you.” I laughed at the time, but looking back, that was the start of my love for cooking.

As I grew older, cooking became much more than just a skill. Cooking became my passion. I don’t cook just because of tradition or expectation, or to get a husband (haha); I cook because it brings me joy. I love experimenting with flavors and creating meals that are both comforting and rich in culture.

Some of my happiest memories are from the kitchen, learning how to make rice, beans, chicken stew, and many traditional Burundian dishes. Food became my way of connecting with my roots and culture , and every meal reminded me of home. … My dream has always been to share Burundian cuisine with the world, to give people a taste of our rich flavors and warm hospitality.

At Ku Mana’s my goal is to create unforgettable meals that celebrate culture and bring people together. We aim to foster cross-cultural understanding and appreciation through every meal, creating a space where guests can savor the vibrant floors and warmth of Burundian culture.

You can check out the Ku Mana’s menu here. You can order online and pick up food noon-8 pm Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, at Distinguished Foods, 4611 36th SW.

P.S. If you’re not familiar with where exactly Burundi is – southeast Africa; here’s a map.

Thanks for the tips. Five months after the owner of Lucky Sushi in Columbia City confirmed a plan to expand to West Seattle, with a space in a new building at 5216 Delridge Way SW, the plan is off. Multiple readers told us that the space appeared to have cleared out recently and the Lucky Sushi “coming soon” signage was gone; a person who spoke with us by phone when we called the Rainier Avenue location confirmed they’d scrapped the plan, because the space couldn’t be licensed for what they needed. Before she had to end the conversation to deal with customers, we asked if they’re hoping to find another space in West Seattle, and she said they’re looking around because they now own two restaurants worth of equipment. We also contacted broker Susi Musi to ask about the space’s status and she told us, “The parties were unable to align on build-out terms and mutually agreed to part ways. The space is now available for an office use.”

Matador (4546 California Ave SW) in The Junction is the latest 21+ establishment planning to open its doors to customers under drinking age—during certain hours. There’s still some remodeling to do, and until that happens, followed by state liquor board approval, they can’t set a date.

“We want to welcome everyone,” Carly Crane, the general manager for the restaurant, told WSB. Crane says the ownership group of Matador, which runs 12 locations in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and on the East Coast, is bringing the Junction location in line with the majority of their restaurants. The Ballard location has already switched over, and that leaves West Seattle, Redmond, and Tacoma as the only ones remaining at 21 and up.

Don’t expect any big changes inside. “No crayons,” she says, but they will have two high chairs available and a very limited kids’ menu — a choice of chicken tenders or a quesadilla. She says she looks forward to seeing more people from the neighborhood who wanted to dine as a family and could not.

The remodeling involves cutting out part of the floor to show where the restaurant transitions to the bar area, and they don’t have that scheduled quite yet, so the change might not take place until the new year.

Matador will go back to 21+ at 9 pm each day. That leaves 3 or more hours after families go home for adults to order more from the Mexican-inspired menu and enjoy the bar and the 130+ varieties of tequila. Matador opened its Junction location in 2005. This change will make Matador the second West Seattle restaurant/bar to stop being adults-only – as we’ve reported, Whisky West just made that change.

(WSB photos)

When Whisky West opens its doors at 11:30 am this Sunday, it will no longer be an exclusively 21+ establishment. As we reported earlier this week, the Morgan Junction bar and restaurant at 6451 California Ave SW just completed a minor remodel to cordon off the bar area and allow all ages in the remainder of the space.

Whisky West’s general manager tells WSB that as of Wednesday afternoon, they have state approval for the change and can start welcoming families as of December 14th.

(WSB file photo)

By Anne Higuera
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Whisky is in the name, but pending state approval, Morgan Junction restaurant/bar Whisky West (6451 California SW) will soon be open to customers of all ages. Their management is hoping the change will keep them going through their 10th anniversary in June 2026 and beyond.

“We had struggled to turn a profit,” said General Manager Mike Sweet, who explained that special events like trivia and music didn’t bring in enough patrons long-term to make the business thrive. They had considered making the change to all-ages previously, but with the long, narrow layout of their space, they couldn’t comply with both the rules that require a railing around the bar area and ADA rules for accessibility. Sweet says the state Liquor and Cannabis Board rules were recently relaxed just enough to allow them to work out a solution that complies. It happened just in the nick of time too. “We are not able to pay the bills without doing something. It’s a last-ditch effort to keep the doors open and stay in the neighborhood.”

Now it’s a process of waiting for approval from the Board. “You have to build everything first, then they decide if it’s okay.” The building part is installing a railing barrier between the bar and the restaurant seating, which happened last month. Sweet is expecting preliminary approval today, followed by an in-person inspection. “They did tell us everything looks great. It’s just formalities at this point.”

Whisky West has no plans to change to how the space feels, or the kind of music played, so no surprises for regulars. “They’re not going to notice any difference. There’s not any change other than that [all ages will] be allowed in.” (Seating at the bar, though, will remain 21+.)

Happy hour will still be 3:30-5:30 pm every day, and their extensive menu of burgers, rice bowls, salads, sandwiches, and appetizers — everything under $20 – will not change either. But they will be offering up a kids menu for those 12 and under. Those $12 plates are mostly smaller versions of items already on the menu, but there are two new dishes just for kids: spaghetti with meat sauce and a mac and cheese.

Sweet is hopeful the change to all ages will bring in customers who didn’t realize all that Whisky West has to offer. “We have a huge menu that I think is priced really well. We have burgers, salads. a little bit of something for everyone, and nearly all made in house. We’re a lot more than whisky.”

It’s difficult to say how soon the approval process will allow them to open the doors to under-21s, but they hope it won’t take much longer.

By Anne Higuera
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

The longtime Junction restaurant space that was Be’s Restaurant for decades and Bonjour Vietnam until recently will be home to a pop-up Asian fusion restaurant until at least late December.

“We’re still figuring out if this will be the right spot for us,” says Randy Nguyen, one of three partners running KinD Asian Fusion at 4509 California SW.

With 2 weeks open in “soft opening” mode, KinD (pronounced kin-dee, meaning “eat well” in Thai) is serving their menu every day but Tuesday from 10 am-9 pm, offering a variety of handmade dumplings, banh mi, noodle dishes, and soups, as well as appetizers and teas. Nguyen says their focus is on being able to accommodate varying tastes. Along with a beef noodle soup stock that simmers 12 hours, they also offer a vegan broth option. He says by using a tablet to place orders, customers have the ability to choose exactly what they want,.”Whatever customizations they want, we can do them.”

Nguyen says that during the popup test run, they are leasing the space from Jade Nguyen (no relation), who ran Bonjour Vietnam and still runs The Alley speakeasy in the area behind the restaurant space. That proximity and cooperation allows patrons from both establishments to easily order from the another. Randy Nguyen is hoping to expand weekend hours to midnight to be more available for customers in The Alley.

Orders can also be placed for delivery through Door Dash, and Nguyen expects Grubhub and Uber Eats to be available by the end of the week. While they don’t have a website, KinD’s menu is available via a QR code that can be found on their A-board sign (top photo) as well as social media. Based on how well the trial runs goes, Nguyen says the partners will make a decision in December about whether to turn their pop-up into a permanent location. He says they’ve had great feedback so far. “Our goal is to stay, based on the reception we’ve received over the last week.”

Ten years after Khalid Agour opened Itto’s Tapas at the corner of California/Genesee on the north edge of The Junction, he’s inviting you to help him celebrate. This Friday (November 21st) Itto’s Tapas will offer $10 sangria, $10 chicken brochette, free ice cream, and a $100 gift-card giveaway. He says, “We want to thank our tight-knit community for all the love they showed us, and we’re looking forward to many more years to come.” Hours will be 4 pm to 10 pm. (Last year Agour added a sibling for Itto’s Tapas next door, wine bar Itto’s Vino.)