Cozy New Queen Anne Spot Boasts Rocking Horses and Playful Bistro Twists

A few days before chef Maximillian Petty and his wife Jennifer get ready to reveal their new family-friendly restaurant, Eden Hill Provisions, to the public in Upper Queen Anne, their two young children, Thomas (3) and Samantha (1), look over the proceedings with keen eyes. Thomas seems to enjoy watching the fog billowing from a container of liquid nitrogen his dad is showing off, and Samantha is bouncing around the small dining room happily. They’ve already taste-tested some menu items. So far, so good.

The Pettys hope that families will feel at home at the more casual offshoot of their critically-acclaimed fine-dining establishment, Eden Hill Restaurant (located just up the road on Queen Ave N). The new bistro — which officially opens on Friday for dinner, and a week later for brunch — features toy boxes, rocking chairs, and thoughtful kids’ dinner and brunch menus of familiar options, like fries with sea salt and mac ‘n’ cheese with aged cheddar. For more adventurous young eaters, there’s a kettle corn Brussels sprouts dish with coconut caramel and shoulder bacon. Petty also boasts that the restaurant has “perfected the chicken nugget.”

Morgen Schuler/Eater Seattle

But, as the chef tells Eater, “he can only go so simple.” Seasonal dishes will include venison hand pies, duck liver mousse with chanterelles in earth syrup served with beef fat sopapillas, a French onion soup made with local cider, and a sea scallop lasagna. Some old favorites from Eden Hill will also make an appearance, such as Petty’s popular Big Max burger (made with aged wagyu, challah bread, and a molecular cheese sauce). While it’s still open, Petty expects to make ample use of the local farmers market, where the Big Max has been selling out all summer long. Local ingredients, in general, will be featured, whether it’s oysters from Taylor Shellfish Farms or lamb from Oregon.

Suzi Pratt for Eater

When the restaurant opens for brunch, patrons can expect offerings such as fried shrimp and grits with a kimchi barbecue glaze, Dutch baby cakes with poached strawberries and vanilla maple, and a Northwest BLT Benedict with molasses shoulder bacon, smoked trout, and heirloom tomatoes. To wash all that down: blackberry bloody marys and mimosas.

The space itself has a cozy living room feel, with soft pink and black matte accents. Petty purchased the former Cupcake Royale outpost this past spring and made some upgrades, including a bar that will serve up spiced negronis and rum cocktails with grapefruit brulee syrup. There’s also a small patio with a fire pit for chilly fall evenings.

Kid tested — looking to be parent approved.