Habitant Lounge and Remodeled Nordstrom Café Open Downtown

Shopping work your appetite? The downtown flagship Nordstrom is knee-deep in a full-store remodel, but it wisely focused on food first. A new Habitant Lounge (in Seattle alas—Bellevue Square has had one for two years) and a remodeled Nordstrom Café are now open at 5^th and Pine.

A casual spot, the 48-seat Habitant serves up appetizers, wine, and cocktails. Expect cilantro lime chicken tacos, fig and blue cheese salad, and ricotta meatballs, and beverages like the Rent Check: tequila, St. Germain, jalapeno syrup, lime, and watermelon. Habitant opened quietly last Monday, April 27, and its hours are Monday through Saturday from 11:30am to 9 p.m., and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Nordstrom Café has been a staple since the department store moved to its current location in 1998, but now it boasts "a more modern environment consistent with the overall store design," 15 more seats (for 156 total), and a menu refresh. New dishes include a blackened salmon Caesar salad, a classic French dip, a prosciutto and fresh mozzarella ciabatta, and a penne bolognese. Relaunched April 20, the café is now open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Nordstrom Grill and the eBar coffee and snack stand remain unchanged at present but the latter will be refreshed and relocated as part of the store's phase 2 remodel, expected to open in spring 2016.