Mamma Enza's New Italian Belltown Bistro is Now 'Bellini'

Bellini will open next door to Endless Knot in early March, says the affable co-owner/former Brooklyn guy Steve Schlackman as he oversees finishing touches to the former flower shop.

Originally planned as Isola Bella restaurant, Schlackman noticed that non-Italianos had trouble remembering the name, while the new name reflects Bell Street in Belltown, just outside the front door.

Enza Sorrentino, aka Mamma Enza, is the executive chef for the newcomer, which will offer all-homemade takes on Italian street food, using both local and imported Italian ingredients. From breakfast through dinner (and for after hours on the weekends), count on pizza by the slice (Schlackman's a New Yorker after all), fresh pastas, Bolognese, arancini rice balls (think saffron-flecked or with smoked mozzarella centers), polpette meatballs, homemade sausages, simple Italian panini/sandwiches, handmade cakes and cookies and daily specials. It's set up so you can dine in or get it to-go.

Bellini's bright room will be rustic modern in warm grey, soft yellow and cream according to interior designer Carissa Donsker, who oversaw carpenter Steve Williams' build out. Willliams reportedly refuses to set foot in a lumber yard, so he repurposed old marble, wooden planks found on the beach, and century-old windows from a Queen Anne house for the new space. A huge hand-silvered iron chandelier will hang in the front and they're keeping the Deruta tiles by the front door, left by a former pottery store years back.

Mamma Enza has been at the stove at her son's popular Magnolia restaurant Mondello since closing her Queen Anne restaurant Polpetta. Her family also owns Queen Margherita pizzeria and La Vita É Bella.

The Sicily native is a longtime Seattle chef and restaurant owner, headlining at her former Enza Cucina Siciliana and Sorrentino restaurants on Queen Anne.

· Bellini [Facebook]
· All First Words [~ESEA~]