The Book Bindery: beautiful.
  • Geoff Smith
  • The Book Bindery: beautiful.

New places for stuffing faces! Click through for more info or to write your own review.

• THE BOOK BINDERY in north Queen Anne: Patric Gabre-Kidan and Shaun McCrain have a metric ton of restaurant experience between them—as Ethan Stowell’s business partner, Gabre-Kidan opened Tavolata/How to Cook a Wolf/Anchovies & Olives, while chef McCrain’s résumé includes four years at Per Se. The Book Bindery is located in a former bookbindery overlooking the Fremont Ship Canal; it’s got a winery next door and will eventually have a greenhouse dining area. The place looks beautiful, and the menu looks insanely good.

• THE BERLINER in Pioneer Square: Victor Twu became such a fan of the doner kebab—the Turkish version of a gyro—served on the street in Berlin that he opened a doner shop here at home, in a space that used to be a Quizno’s. The sandwiches, chicken or lamb, come in the customary pita bread, or stuffed into a Grand Central ciabatta roll, or as wraps; they’re messy and spicy and great, with variations like the Fiery Kreutzberg Doner (chili sauce, banana peppers, more) available for the adventurous. The Berliner—order-at-the-counter, with high ceilings and nice old Pioneer Square exposed brick—is kitty-corner from where Elliott Bay Book Company used to be.

• WHEELER STREET KITCHEN in Magnolia: Greg Campbell, the longtime chef of Kirkland’s late Third Floor Fish Cafe, is “happy to be serving Magnolia great food!” as the owner, at last, of his own place. The menu of sandwiches and salads isn’t anywhere near as fancy as the Third Floor’s was, but everything sounds good—especially Campbell’s soups.

• STREET TREATS mobile: It’s treats—cookies, brownies, custom Bluebird ice cream cookie sandwiches, and more—ON THE STREET! Look out.

• CORK HOUSE WINERY on Capitol Hill: Two Capitol Hill guys run this cellarlike wine shop/wine bar, which stocks lots of bottles priced under $15 and gives free tasting flights with purchase. Well played, gentlemen.

• THE INDEPENDENT PIZZERIA in Madison Park: Where a wine bar unfortunately called Impromptu used to be, you may now find “craft pizza and tasty libations in a chill atmosphere.” The pies have seasonal toppings like chanterelles, and the owners appear to be beer geeks. Yay!

• CALOZZI’S FAMOUS CHEESESTEAKS in Pioneer Square: This hole-in-the-wall, order-at-the-counter place smells good and could be a lifesaver during or after Pioneer Square drinking (it’s open until 3:00 a.m. Thursday through Saturday). And yes, it is the same Calozzi who dishes out the cheesesteaks for tipsy folks at Belltown Billiards.

• FUSION ON THE RUN mobile: It’s fusion—mostly in the form of tacos—ON THE RUN! Look out.

• THE BOURBON BAR in Columbia City: The new bar at the Columbia City Theater promises “a taste of Southern sophistication in Seattle’s South End” with a prodigious selection of whiskey. Also: Neapolitan pizza from Tutta Bella (you might want to have a beer with that).

• SKYBOX SPORTS BAR in Lower Queen Anne: The space across from KeyArena (formerly Mr. Lucky’s) is now a sports bar with pub grub (“wings, petite tacos, mini hot dogs”) and HDTVs.

• SUSHI THAI YUMMY YUMMY in the U-District: At this cheap-eats place on the Ave, both sushi and Thai dishes are on offer (as well as lots of yummy, presumably).

Buns on Wheels: NOM NOM NOM.
  • Buns on Wheels: NOM NOM NOM.

• BUNS ON WHEELS mobile: It’s gourmet hamburgers—starting at $10 for the basic one-third-pound organic grass-fed beef model—ON WHEELS! Look out.

• WEDGWOOD II on Capitol Hill: Vegetarians, take note: The new Broadway sibling of Thai of Wedgwood is meat-free. (The original location, however, serves both the vegetables and the animals.)

• VARSITY INN in Wallingford: The dependable diner-style breakfasts aren’t new, but the internet is full of fresh praise for the Mexican dinner menu: The chef's from San Luis Potosi, and specialties like rockfish tacos, carne asada, and mole are served Tuesday through Saturday evenings. Entrees aren't as inexpensive as you might assume—$10 to $16—but the portions are huge, and the food's authentic, homestyle goodness incarnate.

ALSO: CUPCAKE ROYALE in Bellevue • FLYING SQUIRREL PIZZA in Ballard (at the Sunset Tavern) • HIGHSTRIKE GRILL in West Seattle (at West Seattle Bowl) • PHO THAN BROTHERS on Lower Queen Anne • PNK RESTAURANT AND ULTRA LOUNGE in Pacific Place • TWIRL CAFE on Queen Anne

COMING SOON: CHELSEA DELI in Columbia City • THE CONSERVATORY in Madison Park • EASY JOE’S on Capitol Hill • THE OTHER COAST CAFE on Capitol Hill • REVEL in Fremont • ST. DAMES CAFE in Columbia City • THAI CURRY SIMPLE on Capitol Hill • UNEEDA BURGER in Fremont

NOW CLOSED: BLUWATER BISTRO LAKE UNION in South Lake Union • IMPROMPTU WINE BAR in Madison Park • KELLY’S in Belltown • LOMBARDI’S in Ballard • MADAME K’S in Ballard • SAFFRON in Seward Park • TODAI in Pacific Place • VIA TRIBUNALI in Belltown

Assembled with the valiant assistance of Chow intern Rachel Eggers.