Full Tilt Ice Cream’s Most Ambitious Expansion Will Hit Capitol Hill

Full Tilt, the chainlet that combines ice cream and pinball, is about to make some fans quite happy: In January 2018, the company will open its ambitious fifth location — adding soft serve to the mix at its first Capitol Hill store, inside what is now a Starbucks at 328 15th Avenue East — with plans for three further outposts in the works. Some of those will even be on the Eastside, according to Seattle Met.

After Starbucks closes on September 20, Full Tilt owner Justin Cline will begin transforming the space from coffee shop to dessert-and-game parlor. Diehards can expect a familiar line-up of scoops, like Thai iced tea, Mexican chocolate, and Fremont Troll. All-natural soft serve will also be made daily in flavors like buttered popcorn and salted caramel, and a selection of ice cream bars will be available, along with Northwest draft beers and a few other light options for food. Naturally, about 20 pinball and arcade games will stock the space, and there will be a reservable party room and a patio.

Full Tilt has been sniffing around Capitol Hill for a while, and even tried to open on 15th Avenue in 2015, in the space that now houses an Uncle Ike’s pot shop. That plan obviously fell through, but this dream deferred did not dry up. Now, Capitol Hill residents can enter to win free ice cream for a year by registering online; those based elsewhere can snag a free coupon to buy one kids’ cone and get one free, redeemable at the Full Tilt locations in Columbia City, Ballard, White Center, and the University District.