The Most Anticipated New Seattle Restaurants, Fall 2015

It's been a sweet summer, Seattle. The area has celebrated a number of key restaurant openings with T-Doug's Carlile Room, Ericka Burke's Chop Shop, John Howie's Beardslee Public House, Autumn Martin's Capitol Hill Hot Cakes, and more, but gear up, because the fall is set to be even busier.

Ten notable restaurants and a bakery are on their way before now and the end of the year, not to mention McMenamins largest hotel and brewery yet, set to grace Bothell this October. Local legend Shiro Kashiba is opening his fourth traditional Japanese sushi restaurant in Pike Place, Renee Erickson is debuting a donut shop (thank you, gods) and two other new concepts, the Marination team is setting up down south, and Josh Henderson is opening the first of at least 8 Great State Burger locations to come over the next year and a half. Throw in Eric and Sophie Banh's Vietnamese steakhouse and a prominent Indian chef headed to Pioneer Square, and it's another exciting chapter in Seattle's ongoing restaurant boom.

7 BEEF

Eric and Sophie Banh; photo courtesy of Monsoon

Location: 1305 E. Jefferson St; Capitol Hill
Major Players: Eric and Sophie Banh
The Situation: Over a year in the making, the new 4,000-square-foot steakhouse by the team behind Monsoon and Ba Bar is nearly ready. We're still expecting a dinner-only menu featuring Bò 7 Món, the traditional, seven-course Vietnamese beef dinner the restaurant was named for, as well as culotte, oyster steaks, and other cuts, served with French and Vietnamese-inspired sides.

Projected Opening: September

AMANDINE

Amandine Seattle [Official Site]

Location: Chophouse Row, 1424 11th Avenue; Capitol Hill    
Major Players: Sara Naftaly
The Situation: Chophouse Row has filled out the last few months with Kurt Farm Shop and Chop Shop, but it's still anticipating a few new notable tenants, including this micro-bakery from half the couple behind Ballard's long-lived (and loved) Le Gourmand. Amandine will specialize "in all things macaron" (meringue-based confections) but also dabble in Viennoiseries and other coffee-appropriate treats. The java will come from the adjoined Empire Espresso.

Projected Opening: September

BIG UNCLE

Wiley Frank and Poncharee Kounpungchart (PK); photo courtesy of Little Uncle

Location: 16th and Madison; Madison Valley
Major Players: Wiley Frank and Poncharee Kounpungchart (PK)
The Situation: Thai favorite Little Uncle broke hearts when it closed its Pioneer Square restaurant in February, but luckily the Madison window lived, and now the owners are expanding again—this time just down the street. The 24-seat Big Uncle will have counter service for lunch and dinner, and serve khao soi (curry egg noodles), dom yum wun sen (roasted pork cellophane noodles), guaydiouw nuea dun (braised beef rice noodles), the team's own phad thai, and more. Appetizers, desserts, and booze are also coming in this next Uncle incarnation.

Projected Opening: December

FLINTCREEK

Eric Donnelly; photo credit: RockCreek [Official Site]

Location: 8421 Greenwood Ave N; Greenwood     
Major Players: Eric Donnelly, Christy Given
The Situation: The RockCreek team made our May when they announced a Greenwood sibling was on the way—this time with a meat focus. At FlintCreek, Donnelly will focus on buffalo, lamb, venison, bison, and other leaner proteins, which he plans to source from smaller spots that don't inject their animals with hormones, and are mindful of their use of natural resources. The menu will be arranged somewhat like RockCreek's, divided between large and small plates, featuring braised dishes, housemade pastas, and more. Wine, beer, and a full bar are also coming.

Projected Opening: November

General Porpoise Coffee and Doughnuts, BAR MELUSINE, & Bateau

Renee Erickson; photo credit: Sea Creatures [Official Site]

Location: 1060 E. Union Street; Capitol Hill    
Major Players: Renee Erickson
The Situation: Renee Erickson, you're proof the best things come in threes. First up, General Porpoise Coffee and Doughnuts is on the way, a 24-seat coffee roastery and doughnut shop where doughnuts will go deluxe with sweet and savory seasonal jam fillings. Then there will be Bar Melusine, an oyster bar Erickson is calling the Walrus & the Carpenter's "French Atlantic cousin." Lastly, there's the 45-seater Bateau, focusing on "in-house butchered and dry-aged, grass-fed beef."

Projected Opening: October

GREAT STATE BURGER & SAINT HELENS

Josh Henderson; photo courtesy of Huxley Wallace Collective

Location: 3600 NE 45th Street; Ravenna 
Major Players: Huxley Wallace Collective
The Situation: Josh Henderson's upcoming burger chain is set to open a whopping 8 to 10 locations over the next 18 months, and we'll see the first by the end of the year. We're told to expect single and double burgers, crinkle fries, and shakes done from quality ingredients and served ultra fast. Next door, Henderson's brasserie cafe Saint Helens plans to debut the same day, serving up breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch, served family style. And next year, Huxley Wallace has a boatload of other projects on the way, too.

Projected Opening: December 15

MOLLUSK

Mollusk is opening at the True North apartments in South Lake Union; photo credit: True North/Facebook.

Location: True North Building, 801 Dexter Avenue N; South Lake Union
Major Players: Cody Morris, Travis Kukull    
The Situation: We've long been stoked for this new project from Epic Ales brewer Cody Morris and Gastropod chef Travis Kukull, but given the recent news that Gastropod and Epic Ales will shutter September 11 so the duo can go all in on Mollusk, we're all the more excited. In what Morris calls "pretty much the exact opposite of the brewing experience [they have had in] the SODO location," the new 5,000-square-foot restaurant-brew pub will brew a range of 20th and 21st century beers and even feature touchscreen temperature control. In terms of cuisine, expect the same types of experimental dishes Kukull has done so well at Gastropod, this time centered around Asian curries.

Projected Opening: October

NIRMAL's

Nirmal Monteiro; photo courtesy of Oliver Bangera

Location: 106 Occidental Ave. S.; Pioneer Square    
Major Players: Nirmal Monteiro, Gita and Oliver Bangera
The Situation: Prominent Indian chef Nirmal Monteiro has cooked for several major Indian hotels in Bombay, as well as Disney in Japan and for the US Armed Forces during the Iraq War (he set up the main kitchen in Iraq). Now in his first American venture, he will serve up five-course thalis (both vegetarian and not), and Indian sandwiches for lunch Monday through Saturday. For dinner Thursday through Sunday, Nirmal's will also offer a seven-course thali and other dishes from various Indian regions, with a special focus on seafood. Eater got a sneak peek at Nirmal's flavors, and we think this is biggest local development in Indian food in some time.

Projected Opening: September

D.K. Kodama; photo courtesy of Holland Partner Group

Location: Premiere on Pine Apartments, 1525 9th Ave; Downtown
Major Players: D.K. Kodama
The Situation: The first mainland branch of renowned Hawaiian chef D.K. Kodama's Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar is setting up by the Paramount with the same creative sushi and contemporary Japanese/Pacific Rim-influenced cuisine the chain is known for in Hawaii. Drink-wise, the wine offerings by Master Sommelier Chuck Furuya will be a particular draw, and also anticipate a lengthy cocktail list geared to compliment sushi, and beers from the Pacific Northwest and Japan both. And perhaps the best part of all? In true island spirit, casual clothing (shorts and flip-flops) are most welcome.

Projected Opening: November

Rendering of Super Six; courtesy of Super Six

Location: 3714 S Hudson Street, Columbia City 
Major Players: Kamala Saxton, Roz Edison
The Situation: The Marination maestros are going back to their roots with this new Columbia City restaurant in a former automotive garage. The menu will feature Marination-signature Asian dishes incorporating Pacific Northwest staples and elements of American comfort food, designed by executive chef Ryan Doran. Six will also offer espresso, a weekend brunch, a full cocktail bar, and (now we're talking) a beer garden with loads of outdoor seating. Here's to a warm fall.

Projected Opening: September

SUSHI KASHIBA

Shiro Kashiba; photo credit: Kayla Dawson

Location: 86 Pine Street  
Major Players: Shiro Kashiba, Pike Place Market
The Situation: With Nikko, Hana, and Shiro's under his belt, local sushi legend Shiro Kashiba is set to open his fourth restaurant in Pike Place at age 74, and we can't wait. The master brought the city its first sushi bar in the early 1970s at Maneki, and his goal remains to teach guests about traditional Japanese sushi, which he says we find in less than five percent of sushi restaurants in the greater Seattle area. Kashiba's restaurants are already well known for their long lines in place before opening time; perched in the market where local ingredients abound, new Sushi Kashiba is poised to be quite something.

Projected Opening: October

Other Fall Openings

We had to stop somewhere and chose the above eleven spots for the rich variety they're adding to the city. Other bonus notable openings scheduled for the fall include:

September: Caliburger, Eden Hill, Ernest Loves Agnes, Fat's Wings and Waffles, Kedai Makan's expansion, the Central District Nate's Wings and Waffles

October: Sushi Wataru

November: the South Lake Union Meat & Bread, San Fermo

December: Sushi Chinoise

Sometime this fall: Upper Bar Ferd'nand