Food & Drink
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Outside the Box: Gourmondo Founder Launches Olivina
Alissa Leinonen’s new venture brings her seasonal, Northwest approach to weddings, milestone celebrations, and elevated events.
This article originally appeared in the September/October 2026 issue of Seattle magazine.
After 30 years, Alissa Leinonen—founder of renowned catering and box-lunch company, Gourmondo—has launched a new venture. Called Olivina, the new luxury catering and events company focuses on highly personalized, elevated experiences ranging from weddings or other milestone celebrations to corporate gatherings.
What started with $4,000 from a refinanced car (and a tiny café in Pike Place Market) has grown into a regional empire. With her new venture, Leinonen plans to continue her dedication to fresh, quality, seasonal ingredients and helping Northwesterners mark special moments in their lives.
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Restaurant Roundup: Literary Libations and Tequila on the Docks
Here’s what was served up recently in the Emerald City.
There are still three weeks until Thanksgiving, but the spread of offerings this year at Seattle-area hotels is already impressive. Whether you’re traveling in the city or simply don’t want to deal with dirty dishes, the cornucopia overfloweth. Enjoy a feast at the Four Seasons’ recently remodeled Goldfinch Tavern, or a three-course meal at The…
Best Coffee Shop: Drip Drip Coffeehouse
This women- owned and minority-operated coffee shop gained popularity for its Vietnamese-style coffee and matcha flights. The former is brewed with a phin—a Vietnamese coffee press in which hot water slowly drips through coffee grounds—yielding a bold, concentrated brew. Drip Drip’s phin-brewed coffee comes in sweet and savory flavors, including banana, salted egg yolk, coconut…
Best Brewery: Stoup Brewing
Like any good craft brewery, Stoup has a little chaos to it. Dogs tuck under tables, kids tear into snacks, food trucks hum in the background, and friends squeeze together at long tables. Husband-and-wife Brad Benson and Lara Zahaba opened the original Ballard brewery with their friend Robyn Schumacher in 2013, amid the neighborhood’s craft-brewery…
Best Bakery: Bakery Nouveau
If one pastry can explain Bakery Nouveau’s appeal, it’s the twice-baked almond croissant, dipped in simple syrup, filled with almond cream, and sent through the oven twice. Co-owner William Leaman, who has more than 35 years of experience in professional baking, was named one of the country’s Top 10 Next Generation Chocolatiers and captained a…