Lloydmartin Owner Shifts From Queen Anne Fine Dining to South Park Pizza

Sam Crannell, who closed his Queen Anne fine-dining restaurant Lloydmartin after its New Year’s Eve dinner, is returning in an unlikely place with an unexpected focus: a new South Park pizzeria called South Town Pie. Crannell is partnering with restaurateurs Rob Coburn and Paige Crandall, of El Camino, to open the family-friendly restaurant at 8611 14th Ave. S, next to Loretta’s Northwesterner, as early as next week.

Crannell’s connection with the pizza point is just temporary, Seattle Met reports, and his goal is to move on once he finds a new fit. But in the meantime, Crannell’s serious cooking chops will shine in 18-inch Brooklyn tavern-style pies. The sauce is Neapolitan, the tomatoes San Marzano; the flour for the dough comes from Small’s Family Farm in Walla Walla, the meat from Zoe’s. Standard toppings like pepperoni could be complemented by limited specials — Crannell teased the idea of a pastrami pizza with dill pickles, caramelized onions, and gruyere fondue.

Fitting for a restaurant next to Loretta’s, an old-school dive bar and burger joint, South Town Pie is going for a throwback vibe, with vinyl booths, a 30-foot wooden bar top, and a promise to keep things affordable. Because the vintage Blodgett deck oven can only bake four pies at a time, fresh slices are the focus, for less than $4 each. Rotating items like gnocchi and lasagna are also planned, while Full Tilt is providing the ice cream, including a mountainous situation called the Ziggy Piggy. Beer will flow from 12 taps, along with wine, tallboys, and cocktails for under $10. And unlike Loretta’s, South Town Pie will welcome all ages.

• Sam Crannell is Back At It with South Town Pie in South Park [Seattle Met]
• A Rash of Restaurant Closures Marks the Passing of 2017 [ESEA]
• South Town Pie [Official]
• South Town Pie [Facebook]
• All Coverage of South Town Pie [ESEA]