Skip to content

Food & Drink

Read More ›

Wake up Right With Better Brunch Drinks

Four Seattle restaurants with a great brunch and drinks to match

thumbnail_YAAH-brunch

As spring begins to show its sunny side a little more often, I start to desire a big Sunday brunch. Not sure exactly why brunch and spring go together, but they do. And for me–maybe you, too–a perfect brunch needs a perfect drink. While there are loads of classics, it’s nice when restaurants have original or non-traditional drinks that match brunch beautifully. If you find yourself equally hungry and thirsty come brunch time, here are four good suggestions.

Ballard Bramble at the Young American Ale House: Since opening last winter, this Ballard stop has gained acclaim for its Washington state beer selection (which you can find on a chalk board along the entry aisle), but it also has a nice list of seasonal drinks, including a special menu of eight brunch options. The tops for me at a recent visit was this bramble made by friendly shaker Karen Johnson. With local Oola gin, Lillet rose, lemon, an egg white and a housemade blackberry shrub, as my pal Rachel said, it “tastes like a spring morning.” The bright, fruity quality is refreshing alongside an item like the house pork shoulder hash–with eggs, onions, peppers and salsa verde–as well as any available sunshine streaming in the big front windows.

Italian Lemonade at Thackeray: Sometimes for brunching, it’s best to look for drinks that don’t pack quite the punch of their more serious late-night relatives, unless you’re looking to nap the day away. The freshest hit along the Stone Way Wallingford corridor, Thackeray has a menu of five low proof highballs that fit this requirement. The Italian Lemonade screams springtime with Meletti limoncello from Italy, fino Sherry, hopped grapefruit bitters and soda: bubbly, tangy, yummy. Pair it with the Arabic Shakshuka, a sumptuous dish of eggs, peppers and tomato sauce.

Blue Beard’s Wife at E. Smith Mercantile: Only open for “Brunch Time” on Sundays (which is of course the best brunch time), this cuddly bar-in-a-store is a lovely place to begin your day–if your day begins at noon, which is when the brunching starts here. The menu of Suggested Morning Libations has five choices, but for maximum pick-me-up, try the Blue Beard’s Wife. Gin, lavender bitters and Italian Sambuca provide layers of spice, egg white, lemon and honey provide a tangy, frothy boost and cold brew delivers the pizzazz. Match it with the baked eggs with arugula and house ricotta.

Bloody Mary at the Dunbar Room: While innovative brunching drinks are divine, some days you want to sip up a classic. If that’s the case, then at least have it with live jazz, which is what you’ll get during the recently-unveiled Jazz Brunch, Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at this First Hill spot in the Sorrento Hotel. The Bloody Marys are build-your-own, with housemade spice mix, vodka choices and pickled garnishes. You can pair it with a build-your-own breakfast “tower,” too, made of toasts, cheeses, charcuterie and more. If your brunch taste runs more refined, try the Hummingbird with Champagne, soda and elderflower liqueur St- Germain.

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…