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Seattle’s Sexiest Dessert is Evolving in Delicious Ways

Seattle's Best Restaurant Trends: The local gelato landscape has grown well beyond Gelatiamo.

Strawberry-Ricotta

This article originally appeared in the September 2017 issue of Seattle magazine.

Check out the rest of our Best Restaurants package here.

What could cause us to waiver in our sworn allegiance to ice cream? Its sexier European cousin: gelato. Gelato is denser than ice cream, yielding a more concentrated flavor and made with milk rather than cream, so it’s actually lower in fat without any weird additives. No premade bases here. The trend has moved beyond the standard bearer, Gelatiamo, with the following three gelato shops making big changes recently.

D’Ambrosio Gelato
Rebecca and Jordan Barrows (a longtime local chef) quietly took over this Ballard darling last year, but it hasn’t been closed a day as they’ve been doing upgrades in an effort to make the vibe of the shop match its hip ’hood. The gelato speaks for itself with chef-driven flavors such as grapefruit Campari sorbetto and Theo chocolate chunk joining staples like pistachio and hazelnut. Ballard, 5339 Ballard Ave. NW; 206.327.9175

Nutty Squirrel Gelato
The Magnolia flagship is the third, but largest, location of this gelateria owned by Alev and Tolga Seymen. If it’s on the rotating menu, get the Magic Carpet Ride (black sesame gelato with dark chocolate swirls and a pomegranate reduction), which just won Nutty Squirrel an impressive finalist position in the Gelato World Tour. Magnolia, 2425 33rd Ave. W

Fainting Goat
Building on the success of their Wallingford location, Fainting Goat owners Yalcin and Sevim Ataman (who are helped in the shop by their three daughters) opened a second location in early 2016. Flavors change regularly; seek out the mastic, a spice from the resin of a Mediterranean tree, used here in a goat milk gelato in a nod to the owners’ Turkish heritage and the shop’s name. Fremont, 3415 Fremont Ave. N; 206.257.5267

 

Restaurant Roundup: 3 Pearls and Restaurant Week Redux

Restaurant Roundup: 3 Pearls and Restaurant Week Redux

Here’s what was served up recently in the Emerald City.

When something tastes good, you gotta go back for seconds—and that’s exactly what we’re doing for this fall’s Seattle Restaurant Week, Oct. 18-31. Building off a successful spring spread, this edition brings back curated menus at various price points ($20, $35, $50, and $65) at restaurants, bars, cafes, and pop-ups across the greater Seattle area….

House Special: A Taste of Ecuador at Bad Chancla

House Special: A Taste of Ecuador at Bad Chancla

Chef José Garzón brings a coastal Ecuadorian classic to his 335-square-foot Capitol Hill kitchen, where he hopes to introduce more dishes from home. 

There is not much room at Bad Chancla. The bright pink walk-up on East Olive Way seats a handful of people elbow to elbow, mostly outside, and the kitchen behind the counter is small enough that chef and co-owner José Garzón can talk to you while he cooks.  Garzón grew up between Guayaquil and the…

Opening Night: GoodMart Makes Lunch Feel Like Luxury

Opening Night: GoodMart Makes Lunch Feel Like Luxury

Victor Steinbrueck, owner of Fremont’s acclaimed Local Tide, opens his second seafood-centric restaurant in the heart of Ballard.

On a Thursday afternoon I was able to walk right up to the counter at GoodMart on Ballard Avenue and order lunch, which surprised me.  GoodMart is owned by Victor Steinbrueck, who opened Local Tide in Fremont during the height of the pandemic (August 2020) and built it into one of Seattle’s most acclaimed seafood…

Where to Warm Up With a Drink This Fall and Winter in Seattle

Where to Warm Up With a Drink This Fall and Winter in Seattle

From swanky speakeasies to a cozy literary bar, these spots serve inventive cocktails and zero-proof options.

Seattle’s drearier days are slowly arriving, but it’s not all gray and gloom from here. Finding a cozy spot to warm up is part of the trick to enjoying the darker, colder months. The right place lets you bring a friend, a book, a journal, or simply yourself, and let time pass by.  Whether you…