Phinney Ridge Development Locks In High-Quality Beer, Bread, and Natural Wine Shops

Orcas Island’s Doe Bay Wine Company will open a second bottle shop and tasting room in Phinney Ridge in early 2023, sharing a mixed-use building and courtyard with an already announced all-ages taproom from Interbay heavy-hitter Holy Mountain Brewing and a bakery from acclaimed Ben’s Bread Co., graduating from pop-up to permanent space. The three businesses are coming to the new Shared Roof building at 7009 Greenwood Ave. — and Doe Bay owner Cole Sisson says there are even rumors of a little oyster bar from Renee Erickson, as building owner Chad Dale is one of the primary partners in her Sea Creatures restaurant group.

Sisson, who lived in Phinney during college, says Doe Bay part deux will be another intimate venue, with room for about 20 indoors and out. He’ll continue to showcase small, natural producers (including via his Orcas Project collaborations, through which he releases signature wines with acclaimed winemakers like Portland’s Division Wine Co.) and try to push boundaries with sake and cider, increase his selection of rotating flights, host visiting importers and winemakers, and arrange group events with his neighboring businesses. Between this development and other buzzy spots like Autumn restaurant and the Chicken Supply nearby, “This might be the most happening (yet still under the radar) neighborhood in the city,” says Sisson.

Crowdfunding a very gay bagel shop in Tacoma

Howdy Bagel has taken to Kickstarter to finalize the buildout of a very gay Tacoma bagel shop at 5421 South Tacoma Way — and has already raised over $30,000 of its $40,000 goal with three weeks remaining until the December 14 deadline. Business and life partners Jake Carter and Daniel Blagovich started Howdy Bagel as a pandemic pop-up and subscription in Seattle, quickly becoming an indispensable part of the area’s thriving bagel scene. The owners call their bagels “Tacoma-style,” a combination of New York- and Montreal-style, and serve flavors like za’atar bagels as open-faced tartines.

Bagel delays in Redmond

Speaking of Seattle-area bagel growth, the superb Rubinstein Bagels has pushed its estimated opening timeline for a downtown Redmond expansion from late 2022 to February 2023. This will be the third location for the bagel company, which also has spots in South Lake Union and Capitol Hill and has started rolling out the occasional bialy.

Espresso and espresso martinis coming to new Ballard spot

An all-day Italian cafe and bar called Acqui Terme, named for and inspired by a town in the Alpine region of Piedmont, should be coming soon to 4741 Ballard Ave NW — the former home of Ethan Stowell’s Marine Hardware — though the restaurant’s ETA of early fall 2022 has slipped by. From 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., expect a focus on the aperitivo tradition with espresso, wine, cocktails like nitro espresso martinis, and small bites, from traditional Northern Italian fare like braised rabbit and soft eggs with bagnetto verde sauce to snacks leaning Northwest like salmon on toast with mascarpone.

A mobile bakery finds a permanent home on Capitol Hill

The French Guys, a mobile bakery that delivers throughout Greater Seattle, will open a stationary storefront on Capitol Hill in 2023, replacing Joe Bar at 810 E Roy St. The company, run by Thibault Beaugendre and baker Renaud Lacipiere, says the ingredients for its attractive baguettes, quiches, tarts, croissants, and other baked goods come from both France (butter, chocolate) and Washington (flour, fruit); you’ll be able to get them in the morning and afternoon.