Seattle's Anticipated Restaurant Openings, Fall 2016

This is your guide to the major openings scheduled to hit Seattle this fall, from superior sandwiches or piles of poke to barbecue expansions and fast-casual pizza concepts from high-end chefs. Here's what to keep an eye out for:

Gopoké

Address: 625 S King St; International District
From: Trinh, Michael, and Bayley Le 
The Situation: Poke, man. Seattle's obsessed with the Hawaiian raw fish salad, and this restaurant is shaping up to be a contender in an increasingly crowded field. Sourcing directly from fishermen in their family, Hawaiian transplants the Le brothers promise all the salmon and yellowfin and bigeye tuna served at their poke restaurant will be fresh, never frozen — and a great value, ideally $11 or $12 for a hearty bowl with all the fixings like seaweed salad. The other half of the equation is cold desserts: Hawaiian shave ice, Dole Whip variations, mochi ice cream, fresh coconuts, and more.
Projected opening: October
Status: Now open
· Previous coverage of GoPoké

Mean Sandwich

Address: 1510 NW Leary Way; Ballard
From: Kevin and Alex Pemoulie
The Situation: After closing their pioneering Jersey City restaurant, the Pemoulies have returned to Alex's native Seattle with big fast-casual plans in a small space. They'll serve hot griddled sandwiches based not on East Coast subs, Jewish deli sandwiches, or cheesesteaks, but instead inspired by plates served at Thirty Acres' brunch. They'll also offer seasonal sides and vegetables on an all-day menu available from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. for both dining in and carry-out.
Projected opening: November
Status: Now open
· Previous coverage of Mean Sandwich

Alex and Kevin Pemoulie. [Photo: Normal Lono]

New Luck Toy

Address: 5905 California Ave SW; West Seattle
From: Mark Fuller, Patric Gabre-Kidan
The Situation: Ma'Ono Fried Chicken and Whisky owner Fuller is doing his damndest to turn West Seattle into a must-visit destination. His latest argument for heading west is the promise of his personal, simple, scratch-made take on traditional Chinese cuisine at this cozy dive, a partnership with Rhino Room's Gabre-Kidan. 
Projected opening: Fall
Status: Now open
· Previous coverage of New Luck Toy

Wood Shop BBQ

Address: 2513 S. Jackson Street; Central District
From: Matthew Davis and James Barrington
The Situation: Since it first hit the streets in December 2014, the Wood Shop BBQ food truck has built a big following. Now, Wood Shop has announced it's ready to open a brick and mortar in early fall. Truck owners Davis and Barrington say they'll serve their blend of Kansas City- and Texas-style barbecue at a "kid-friendly" restaurant next to just-opened The Atlantic and across the street from Standard Brewing. It's an ideal location for Wood Shop, which has been a regular at nearby Chuck's Hop Shop for two years.
Projected opening: Fall
Status: Now open
· Previous coverage of Wood Shop

[Photo: Wood Shop/FB]

White Swan Public House

Address: 1001 Fairview Ave N; South Lake Union
From: Dan Bugge
The Situation: Bugge, owner of classic Matt’s in the Market and Radiator Whiskey in Pike Place Market, announced plans for two waterfront ventures in South Lake Union. The first, a fish and chips walk-up window called 100-Pound Clam, is open. The second, White Swan, is still in the works. When it's ready, expect a more seafood-focused version of Radiator Whiskey, with a brick oven roasting whole rockfish, plus steamed clams, beer, and cocktails.
Projected opening: Fall
Status: Now open
· Previous coverage of White Swan

Flintcreek

Address: 8421 Greenwood Ave N; Greenwood
From: Eric Donnelly, Christy Given
The Situation: A repeat from Eater's anticipated openings guide to spring 2016, this restaurant was set back by the Greenwood gas explosion, among other factors. Donnelly will showcase game meats like buffalo, venison, and other leaner proteins, which he plans to source from smaller, mindful spots that don't inject their animals with hormones. The menu will be arranged somewhat like sibling RockCreek's, divided between large and small plates, featuring braised dishes, house-made pastas, and more.
Projected opening: Fall
Status: Now open
· Previous coverage of FlintCreek

Southpaw

Address: 926 12th Avenue; Capitol Hill
From: John Sundstrom, Kelly Ronan, JM Enos
The Situation: James Beard Award-winner John Sundstrom relocated Lark, but held onto its original space. Now, he and his crew are opening a super-casual pizzeria, which Sundstrom says makes sense given their proximity to Seattle University and high schools — full of students who can't necessarily afford higher-end Lark. At Southpaw, Sundstrom's wood-fired oven will be used to create his own style pie made from a high-protein, 24-to-48-hour dough, and topped with veggies from the Lark garden.
Projected opening: October
Status: Now open
· Previous coverage of Southpaw

Frankie and Jo's

Address: 1020 E Union St; Capitol Hill
From: Autumn Martin and Kari Brunson
The Situation: This successfully-crowdfunded venture from Hot Cakes' Martin and Juicebox's Brunson promises an inventive, mostly-vegan menu of permanent and rotating frozen treats churned from homemade sprouted nut milks. Get a scoop of chocolate date or brown sugar vanilla ice cream in a waffle cone baked from oat and almond flour, or take home a pint of a sorbet combo like beet, apple, and rose water. On its website, the company even promises to ship pints nationwide.
Projected opening: Early fall
Status: Now open
· Previous coverage of Frankie and Jo's

Frankie and Jo’s/Facebook

Chocolate ice cream with mint and cocoa nib. [Photo: Frankie and Jo's/FB]

Din Tai Fung

Address: Pacific Place, 600 Pine St; Downtown
The Situation: An outpost of international dumpling darling Din Tai Fung has been in the works at Pacific Place for a while now; Eater reported on the Taiwanese chain's latest expansion in December 2015. Could the newest location ease the long lines at the University Village restaurant?
Projected opening: Fall
Status: Now open
· Previous coverage of Din Tai Fung

Know of a restaurant opening somewhere in the Seattle area that should be on our radar? Let us know. Want to see the most anticipated fall openings in the entire country? Check 'em out.