Stoup Brewing Kenmore Pairs Ballard Beer With Stone-Hearth Pizza From a Star Chef

Two big Ballard names have joined forces on the Eastside: Stoup Brewing and Jason Stoneburner. The result is Stoup Brewing Kenmore, opening to the public today at 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 6 in the Hangar at Town Square (6704 NE 181st St in Kenmore). The former Seaplane Kitchen and Bar location is now a second taproom for the beloved brewery, featuring a Northwest-inspired menu from the lauded local chef.

In the fall of 2020, Seattle’s Weimann Maclise restaurant group — the team behind Stoneburner’s namesake Ballard restaurant as well as Poquitos, Rhein Haus, Macleod’s, and Bastille (now Sabine) — approached Stoup co-owners Lara Zahaba, her husband Brad Benson, and Robyn Schumacher to transform Seaplane Kitchen and Bar into a broad-ranging neighborhood hub.

“Bringing the two concepts together has really been seamless,” Benson tells Eater. “We have the same goals: great customer service, great beer, and great food.”

Nicole Beuerlein

Stoup Brewing Kenmore offers 22 tap handles with flagship beers such as the Citra IPA, NW Red, and Robust Porter, along with a rotating selection. The beverage program, run by General Manager Nikki Koth, includes wine, seasonal draft cocktails, and cider (with milkshakes and beer slushies slated for summer). Executive chef Stoneburner brings his signature stone-hearth pizzas and Mediterranean-inspired sharing plates, like smoky eggplant with Aleppo flatbread. Salads and sandwiches round out the menu, along with soft-serve sundaes with chocolate-stout fudge for dessert.

“We love food, but when we opened Stoup Ballard, we knew it wasn’t in our wheelhouse,” says Zahaba. “The fact that we can do it now in total partnership with the pros is really exciting for us.”

The menu is approachable yet refined, a gastronomical experience disguised as pub staples. The ONE, a barrel-aged Belgian sour with fruity, floral complexity, makes room for the savory, warmly spiced cauliflower empanadas with bright garlic and herb chimichurri and paprika aioli. The Neck Tats Double IPA balances hop bitterness with tropical brightness; its boldness is matched by the savory sharp Cheddar and Brie grilled cheese with its buttery, crisp exterior and meltingly soft middle, dunked in light, herby tomato soup.

According to Deming Maclise, co-founder and owner of the Weimann Maclise Family of Restaurants, the team originally envisioned Seaplane as a tavern but the concept evolved into something more upscale. Stoup Brewing Kenmore bridges the gap, offering “elevated, simple, approachable food” in a flexible environment that caters to everyone from brewers and gourmands to young couples and soft-serve-mustached kids.

While Seaplane was a destination, “a brewery creates community, with everyone congregating and learning from each other, and that’s a powerful concept,” Maclise says. “It’s fun to be part of a place that brings the neighborhood together.”

Nicole Beuerlein

The airy, high-ceilinged space sets Stoup’s signature murals and whimsical touch against dark wood paneling and midcentury modern chandeliers. The space, when at full capacity, will accommodate 125 in the dining room with a 25-person bar top; 50 in the outdoor patio, fire pit, and second bar; and a 50-person mezzanine for private events. Expanded outdoor seating in the adjacent plaza is currently available to accommodate COVID-19 restrictions.

Hours through May 24th will be 12 to 9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday; 12 to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday; and closed Mondays. Starting Memorial Day, it will be open seven days a week.

Holly Regan

• Popular Beermaker Stoup Plans New Kenmore Taproom with a Star Chef [Eater Seattle]
• Stoup Brewing Kenmore [Official Site]