Thaw Out with Soup from Seattle’s Restaurant Power Couple

While most Seattleites were busy getting ready for the holiday weekend on Friday, Bruce and Sara Naftaly were launching one part of their multifaceted new venture, Marmite, inside Capitol Hill’s Chophouse Row building.

Marmite’s takeaway soup and stock window opened Friday at 11 a.m. Soon, there will also be a full restaurant inside the space formerly occupied by Ericka Burke’s Chop Shop, as well as a cocktail bar — Sara’s specialty — called Spirit in the Bottle.

Seattle's dining culture owes a lot to the Naftalys. Bruce built pioneering restaurant Le Gourmand, which opened in 1985 and closed in 2012. During its 27-year run, Le Gourmand helped usher in a whole generation of farm-to-table restaurants focused on seasonal Northwest fare. Sara, a brilliant culinary mind in her own right, joined Bruce later, launching a cocktail bar called Sambar inside the restaurant space.

Sara has since opened popular European-style bakery Amandine, which will continue operating next door to Marmite. Bruce, meanwhile, has been teaching cooking classes under the Le Gourmand moniker; going forward, the classes will be held in the Marmite space.

When the full sit-down experience launches at Marmite, expect lunchtime salads, sandwiches, and soups, the latter of which will have their genesis in the restaurant's namesake French stock pot. Baked goods will be crafted by Amandine. At Spirit in the Bottle, named for a Brothers Grimm fairy tale and anticipated for early 2017, you’ll be able to order small plates from Marmite. Keep an eye out here or the Marmite Facebook page for further opening announcements.

1424 11th Avenue, (206) 755-8606, website. Open for soup and stock Monday to Friday 12 to 4 p.m.