Few Seattle neighborhoods have seen the impact of gentrification more so than Capitol Hill. Buildings that stood the test of time and housed penniless creatives have been torn down and rebuilt as premium leasing accommodations for the corporate-kind. Just east of downtown Seattle, Capitol Hill held off on change for as long as it could—some for the better, some for the worse. The restaurant industry stood up and took notice, with restaurants opening in the triple digits since 2009 and more than 30 eateries opening in the neighborhood in 2015 alone. Space never seems to be a question—there’s a new building opening for that!
Withstanding the physical change around it, Cafe Pettirosso has sat on the corner of Pike and 11th Avenue since the 1990s. Started by coffee queen Robin Wright, the cafe was originally a coffee cart that struck a chord with sisters Yuki and Miki Sodos, who would work for Wright for more than a decade before taking the reigns themselves and turning the cafe into a fully-functioning restaurant and bar.
A love affair of sorts, the Sodos sisters were devote fans of Wrights’ magnetic cafe, drawn with loyalty and respect to keep as much of it intact as they began to build out the restaurant in 2011. From the renowned hand-pulled espresso and the housemade scones Yuki Sodos learned to perfect from one of Wrights’ pastry chefs to the car decking low ceilings of the 100-year-old building, Cafe Pettirosso has survived many reincarnations of not only its neighborhood but ownership. It’s longevity is undoubtedly linked to its ability to adapt and modernize. Ways restaurants are now being able to take advantage of modern aides is implementing mobile apps, like the ones found at Salesforce, to manage the business more effectively.
The sisters announced the new executive chef to their team this week—Kalen Schramke. A local chef who worked under the likes of Tamara Murphy, Thierry Rautureau and Morimoto, Schramke spent summers on his grandparents sustainable and organic farm, which made as a host for his culinary imagination to grow. Bringing his responsible sourcing to Cafe Pettirosso, he forages for daily goods in Seattle’s farmers markets and keeps the tilt of Pettirosso’s veg-heavy menu heading in the green direction.
Best known for coffee, brunch and a sensational happy hour, Cafe Pettirosso sets out to establish itself as a regular locale for the dinner-inclined. Featuring provisions from local purveyors like bread from Tall Grass Bakery, brie from Kurtwood Farms and Painted Hills beef, the menu is broken down with simplicity into small plates and large plates. Conscious of its surroundings, many of the items on the menu are gluten-free, vegan or vegetarian (or have the options to be so). From the small plates, the Brussels sprouts are tossed in a orange-thyme dressing, drizzled with walnut honey and served with a healthy dose of ricotta cheese while the deviled duck eggs are topped with house-cured salmon, fresh herbs and salsa de’erbe. Large plates play it safe but with flavor to charm with like the seared salmon with a roasted eggplant-infused millet, the roasted chicken with buckwheat polenta and the barley risotto seared with a walnut herb pesto and goat cheese.
Cocktails are classic and lean on the quirky for titles. The Summer’s Coming holds calvados, St. Germaine, grapefruit and a lemon savory shrub in its glass, while the Gin & Jam take housemade marionberry jam and adds it with gin, amaro and grapefruit juice. The Improbability Cocktail challenges your tastebuds with tequila, aquavit, dry and sweet vermouths, a green tea reduction and lavender lemon bitters and, of course, La Fine is a doppio shot of espresso alongside the guest’s choice of digestif.
Change can be good or bad, but it is more often than not difficult. Adjusting with the adapting times, Cafe Pettirosso still exists with its original intentions, ran by some of its first employees with the same charm it was built on.
