Tackling a large pepperoni and cheese is always better with a friend. Now imagine that experience, but elevated to a Michelin-star level. That’s what you get from Pizza Pals, a one-night pop-up from Isaiah Ruffin of Pizza by Ruffin and Forrest Brunton of Roma Roma at the latter’s restaurant on Monday, Sept. 21 at 6:30 p.m. This degustation—a classy French term for a tasting—will unfold over six courses, including a tavern-style seafood pizza, stone fruit and arugula salad pizza, a pizzette with curry and lamb, and more, with gelato for dessert. 

New life for a 121-year-old building

Fremont’s Theo Chocolate building, an official Seattle landmark since 1989, was home to Redhook Brewery’s production facility as well as The Trolleyman Pub, an homage to its previous role as storage for streetcars. Now, owners Here Today Brewery & Kitchen will redevelop the space with three concepts confirmed and room for as many as six businesses. Good Bones Coffee, the Glitter Paw Lounge, and Marigolds are already in the works for a fall debut. 

Say adios to August

Tin Lizzie Lounge is sending August out with a bang during a weekend of spritzes and the flavors of Spain. The bar inside Queen Anne’s historic MarQueen Hotel will host an Aperol pop-up, Aug. 28-30, with three different drinks on offer: the Viper’s Nest Granita (Aperol, rose water, orange, agave, Cava), Moon Joy (Aperol and St-Germain, apple brandy, pear, Cava), and the Kir Spritz (Campari and Chambord, soda, fresh blackberry). And on Saturday, Aug. 29, 4-7 p.m., you can join Paella on the Patio, where Chef Emelio Sansone will cook a giant mixta paella loaded with chicken, chorizo, bacon, and fresh seafood, as well as a small-batch vegan paella.

Slurp right up

Noodle lovers, assemble! The Seattle Times’ Jackie Varriano is similarly passionate about the versatile food, and she recently highlighted two West Seattle dishes you can really twirl on a fork. On a visit to The Neighborhood, she ordered the creamy pesto fusilli with chicken; at KinD Asian Noodle House, she chose the scallion oil noodles. Both were deemed worthy of a second visit. Give her whole write-up a read.

Steak frites on the cheap

These days, confronting beef prices is like staring down a bull with calfhood trauma related to the color of the shirt you’re wearing (why’s it always red?). Thankfully, this isn’t Pamplona, and the offerings at Steak Easy, the pop-up inside Stumbletown, are much less painful on the old wallet while still maintaining a level of quality that makes you wonder how they do it. At $15, we’re not questioning it, because the four-ounce sirloin slathered in garlic and thyme butter and plated with beef tallow fries is a bargain any way you slice it.

​​Summer’s hottest reservations

Just in—OpenTable shared the most-booked restaurants in Seattle for the month of July and The Pink Door, an Italian standard serving up seafood and pastas made with fresh local produce in Pike Place Market since 1981, came out on top. Salty’s on Alki Beach, another tourist-trodden hot spot, claimed the second spot. The top 10 has a few standouts, including a lofty newcomer (Fogo de Chão’s rooftop Next Level Lounge) and Portage Bay Cafe’s South Lake Union location. See the rest of the lineup.