Acclaimed Bainbridge Island Chef Expands His Empire With an All-Day Cafe

Acclaimed chef Brendan McGill will add a new member to his excellent empire this week with the addition of Bar Hitchcock on Bainbridge Island. The all-day cafe opens on Friday morning with dishes like shakshuka, avocado toast with fermented chiles, and a lox plate, before transitioning to lunch with a pulled pork sandwich, sardine tartine, harissa lentils, and beet hummus. The business will also serve light dinners until 10 p.m., with a menu of baked oysters, charcuterie, fish sauce chicken wings, and steamed mussels.

McGill, whose high-end flagship restaurant Hitchcock is a longstanding member of the Eater 38, announced in October he had taken over the space next door to his Hitchcock Deli sandwich shop. McGill also owns Bainbridge’s Bruciato pizzeria and the mainland’s Cafe Hitchcock and Cafe Hitchcock Express. He recently sold Hitchcock Deli in Georgetown to his general manager John Richards, who is changing the business to Georgetown Deli and Market.

Bar Hitchcock, at 123 Winslow Way E, was designed by Les Eerkes of Eerkes Architects. It has seating for 50, a 30-foot bar, and a communal table in a lounge area. The decor skews minimalist and midcentury modern, with wood, brass, and steel elements made by island artists. There’s also a large painting by local artist Meghann Riepenhoff.

In keeping with the “bar” aspect of the venture, McGill is bringing on Erik Hakkinen, whose resume includes time behind the bar at downtown’s beloved Zig Zag Cafe, to create straightforward cocktails like martinis and Negronis as well as lower-proof drinks with sherry and vermouth. Local beer, wine, and cider will also feature on the menu.

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• Hitchcock [Official]
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