Brendan McGill to Open Cafe Hitchcock in Downtown Seattle

Buried in a September announcement about Bainbridge Island chef/restaurateur Brendan McGill’s Bruciato pizzeria opening was a tantalizing nugget about plans for a cafe somewhere in downtown Seattle.

New details are available from McGill, who says Cafe Hitchcock will be an all-day cafe serving breakfast, lunch, happy hour, and dinner at the corner of First and Marion streets. The goal is to open this spring.

McGill is hot off his late January opening of Bruciato pizzeria on Bainbridge. He and his wife Heidi also own the acclaimed restaurant Hitchcock on the island, two Hitchcock Deli spin-offs, and Verjus, a juice bar and vegetarian restaurant.

McGill will offer morning grab-and-go pastries, cereals with house-cultured yogurt, and larger plates like Croque Madames and biscuit sandwiches with bacon from McGill’s own pigs. Naturally, there’ll also be coffee and freshly-pressed juices.

Lunch will bring soups, sandwiches (with promises of Hitchcock Deli’s drool-worthy pastrami), seafood and vegetable tartines, salads, grain- and vegetable-based entrees, and desserts like fruit crostatas.

Happy hour will run from 3 to 7 p.m. with raw oysters, charcuterie, and cheese plates. And finally, dinner will offer dishes like lamb neck osso bucco with polenta and a roast half chicken with frisée and watercress salad. To wash it all down, McGill is planning kombucha on tap, wines by the glass and bottle, and batched cocktails.

“I wanted to re-work the concept of a downtown, all-day café with some of my favorite aspects of the restaurant, delis, and juice bar,” McGill said in a statement. “We built the space to feel welcoming whether you’re having your morning coffee, a quick lunch, an afternoon meeting, or dinner date.”

Cafe Hitchcock will be housed on the ground floor of the 22-story art deco Exchange Building, with 2,000 square feet of space designed by Atelier Drome.

Stay tuned for more updates as the opening nears.