Northwest Restaurant Champions

Part 6 of our series on restaurants that have stood the test of time and are successful after ten years or more. These are in no particular order; you will find something to love at all of them.

A cozy neighborhood spot with brick interior walls, wood tables and chairs, and an outdoor patio, you'll be pleased with its simplicity. In fact, they occasionally use a sidewalk sign to clarify: "Come in and eat pizza and drink alcohol." Nothing could be clearer, although they do offer more than pizza: calzones, appetizers, salads, and sandwiches. Pazzo's has been around since probably 1990 with several owners, and it's still going strong. They offer TVs to watch the games, and can handle small and large groups. Their patio is only available in warmer months, so take advantage. They are open daily from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. (late night!), and offer happy hour daily from 3-6 p.m., and Sunday-Thursday 10 p.m. to close.

2307 Eastlake Ave East, 206-329-6558

www.gopazzos.com

Salty's Seafood Grills

Salty's goes back further than you may realize. The first location was on the Willamette River in Portland and opened in 1980. Owner Gerry Kingen was using long names to capture people's attention and he named it Salty Pickerel & Angus McHereford. But everyone just called it Salty's and it stuck. They moved the Portland location to the Columbia River in 1987. Their second location opened at Redondo Beach in Des Moines in 1981. Salty's on Alki (photo) opened in 1985. Their brunches have become legendary and each location has a stunning view. Because of those views and their great catering staffs, they are very popular locations for private parties and weddings. Famous for seafood, they offer many other options as well, plus live music. Check the website for hours and events.

Alki: 1936 Harbor Ave SW, Seattle, 206-937-1600
Redondo: 28201 Redondo Beach Dr S, Des Moines, 253-946-0636
Columbia River: 3839 NE Marine Dr, Portland, 503-288-4444

www.saltys.com

Umi Sake House

Opened in 2006, Umi is just sliding in on our 10-year-or-more restaurant champion list. The interior is very fun: yes, a sushi bar, but it looks out onto a "back yard" (totally inside the building). The idea is that it's a house. When you're in the "back yard," you look back into the house and there is siding on the walls. They offer a large list of appetizers that includes noodles; fried, baked, steamed and grilled items; soups; salads; raw bar items; rolls and sushi. A full bar offers cocktails and other beverages, but their sake list is amazing. Go wild! They are open daily from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. (late night!), with last call for food at midnight. Happy hour depends on where you are and when you're there. It's 4-6 p.m. daily, but 4-8 p.m. daily on the front porch and in the cocktail bar. Late night happy hour is 11 p.m. to close Sunday-Thursday.

2230 1^st Ave in Belltown, 206-374-8717

www.umisakehouse.com

Café Flora

Opened in 1991, Café Flora has always been vegetarian and led the way in convincing people that there is a lot of delicious food that just happens to be vegetarian. They also offer vegan and gluten-free items. From the beginning, they included giving back to the community and taking care of their employees as part of their concept. That didn't change when the original owners sold to Nat Stratton-Clarke. The dining room was remodeled in 2009, and the herb garden around 2012, allowing it to be used for dining as well as growing. The atrium was originally an outdoor space, but enclosed in 1996. It has remained the same and is a very popular space for private events, weddings, and, of course, their famous brunch (which can be had anywhere in the restaurant). They have a full bar and many non-alcoholic beverages to enjoy. Breakfast is offered weekdays until 2 p.m., lunch weekdays 11 a.m.-5 p.m., weekend brunch 9 a.m.-2 p.m., dinner from 5 p.m. On weekends, they are closed between 2-5 p.m. Happy Hour is available weekdays from 3-6 p.m.

2901 E Madison St, 206-325-9100

cafeflora.com

The Pink Door

Marketing genius, really, to simply paint the door in Post Alley pink-no need for a sign, just find the pink door. Plus it was the color of tiles owner Jacquelina Di Roberto saw in Florence. Even in 1981 when it opened, it was about using all parts of the vegetable and animal, and appreciation for the small-to-medium farms and seasonal items. You'll find wonderful Italian-American food here; some of the items from the original menu, they're just that good. Beyond the warm feel of the restaurant and the amazing deck with the Pike Place Market and water view, The Pink Door has always also been about the experience: cabaret, tarot, burlesque, opera, magic. You'll see trapeze artists or perhaps a tap-dancing saxophone player. You just never really know. It's good to check the website or call ahead. Restaurant hours are Monday-Saturday 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday from 4 p.m. The lounge is open until 1 a.m.

1919 Post Alley at the Pike Place Market, 206-443-3241

thepinkdoor.net

June 2016