Ogle Other People’s Fancy Cars While Dining at Ethan Stowell’s Newest

Ethan Stowell Restaurants has announced plans for its next project, and it’s a bit of a departure from the group’s wheelhouse of residential neighborhood projects that skew Italian and Pacific Northwest.

The new restaurant will be called Derby, and it will open this spring inside a forthcoming SoDo luxury car club called The Shop. The club will occupy a 36,500-square-foot warehouse at 2233 6^th Avenue South, complete with indoor storage for fancy cars and motorcycles, repair bays, detailing services, classes, and a valet service. The club will be members-only, while the restaurant will look out onto the space and be open to plebes who want to scope out the wheels.

Derby will focus on good ol’ American classics like a BLT, Cobb salad, and a burger. Stowell will throw in some Northwest flair, too, like oysters and crudo, plus pastas and other entrees. There will be a Northwest-sourced and Old World wine list, plus a full bar with a bourbon- and Scotch-centric cocktail list. “The backdrop of hundreds of classic and luxury cars definitely sets the stage for a unique dining experience,” Ethan Stowell said in a release. “We’re looking forward to creating a menu that reflects the fun side of this innovative project.”

The space will consist of 15 bar seats, 58 dining room spots, and a lounge that fits 20. The industrial design will utilize reclaimed Boeing shipping containers in the bar, corrugated metal, finished concrete floors, and original fir ceilings. The restaurant will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. with lunch, happy hour, dinner, and weekend brunch.

Stay tuned for more updates as opening nears.