The January Hit List: Communion, Hitchcock Burgerhaus, Lady Jaye, and More

Despite the pandemic, Kristi Brown of That Brown Girl Cooks! forged ahead to open her long-awaited project in the heart of the Central District. Located on the historic site of Liberty Bank, the first Black-owned bank in the Pacific Northwest, Brown features “Seattle soul” dishes — from smoky berbere grilled chicken to black-eyed peas hummus. If you can’t snag one of the 20 highly coveted, covered and heated outdoor seats, Brown’s Southern favorites with a Seattle spin are available to go. 

Dining status: Outdoor seating available; find takeout info here.

Sure, Hitchcock’s original concept was a fancy date night favorite – the charcuterie plate alone was worth the ferry ride. But chef Brendan McGill’s shift to his Bavarian-style Burgerhaus is now a destination in its own right. The deliciously messy Biercheeseburger, a 28-day dry-aged beef patty sauced with beer cheese and whey-fermented mustard, is perfect with a stein of pilsner. There are also salads, excellent fries, cocktails, and even hand-dipped milkshakes. Sitting in the newly created beer garden feels like you’re somewhere much farther away than Bainbridge Island.

Dining status: Outdoor seating available in the biergarten; takeout is available, too.

Pre-indoor dining pause, chef Evan Leichtling’s five-course, nose-to-tail tasting menus were one of the best secrets in town; a steal at around $50. But since the small space can only hold six diners at a time, he pivoted to being primarily a pantry and bottle shop for now, with limited and regularly changing food options for takeout. Watch for menu updates, but you might score fried rabbit sandwiches smothered in honey mayo; pâté made with Armagnac prunes; or confited rabbit legs served with farro and turnip ragout. Cocktails like the Rumanhattan, or a cherry gin and tonic, go with everything.

Dining status: Indoor dining closed until further notice; watch the website for the rotating menu, available from Wednesday through Sunday for takeout. Find more info here.

As temperatures dip, cozy up to fire pits in the Ballard beer garden with a mug of gløgg (that’s “glue-gh.” in case you were wondering). The Scandinavian version of mulled wine definitely brings on that soothing hygge feeling, and it goes particularly well with DIY s’mores you can make right there. The full menu is available, but on Sunday afternoons, the walk-up window sells gløgg (individual servings or pre-batched containers) and sausages to go. 

Dining status: Outdoor seating available, reservations recommended; takeout, delivery, and growler fills are available, too.

Cooking with fire takes center stage on the 2,000-pound smoker that sits out back at Lady Jaye. The meat-and-three menu changes weekly, which means going back more than once a month is the norm. Keep your eyes peeled for things like pork-belly burnt ends that taste like fatty little pieces of candied bacon, smoked bologna sandwiches, and bulgogi steak melts. Hole up on the cozy, heated patio with one (or three) of mixologist Sara Rosale’s famous cocktails. The Straw-Barry Manilow, a modern take on a strawberry margarita, pairs particularly well with barbecue — then warm up with a hot buttered rum.

Dining status: Patio dining, reservations recommended; takeout is available, too.

This Beacon Hill spin-off from the husband-and-wife team behind Homer hit the ground running last summer. There’s a reason people obsess over their fried-chicken sandwiches — the Virginia Boy with shaved country ham, hot honey, and pickles is particularly good — but it’s the soft serve that has everyone lining up.  Yes, even during The Big Dark. Flavors change monthly but run the gamut from traditional vanilla and malted chocolate, to Rainier cherry, fig leaf-coconut, and pear-rosemary. Should you get cocoa nibs, “fancy” cherries, Fruity Pebbles, or graham cracker crumbles on top? Yes.

Dining status: Takeout only. Order online and skip the line for pickup (slushies and soft serve are made to order upon arrival).

When it comes to Manhattans, we believe more is more — especially this winter. Super Six serves a trio of variations, including a rye version warmed by chocolate Scrappy’s Bitters, and an herbaceous one named for the classic car made by Hudson that the place is named after. Sometimes they’re offered as a tasting pack, and if so, get it. Foodwise, watch for specials like spicy chicken wing adobo bowls and vegan Sichuan noodles.

Dining status: Outdoor seating in covered patio and tents available; get takeout and delivery are here.

With so few tourists, hotel occupancy is way down in Seattle. This means hotel restaurants are especially hurting, too. The rooftop restaurant at Motif, however, was one of the few that managed to remain open during the mandates. Prior to the pandemic, you needed stealth skills and some luck to score a table. Now you can make a reservation for a socially distanced spot on the tented fifth-floor deck, and it feels like you’re hitting the town. The Sunset Supper deal (5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday) is a steal: Three courses, things like warm caramelized onion dip or smoked mushroom cream pasta, plus that view (!!) for only $35.

Dining status: Outdoor seating available, reservations recommended; takeout is available too.

During these long gray days, Eve Fremont’s sun-drenched dining room is sorely missed. After a time-out to sort out the whole takeout situation, the good news is the neighborhood staple is back in action and serving its wholesome dishes. Boost your immunity with nourishing chicken bone broth with mushrooms, black garlic, and cilantro, or feed your soul with Eve’s beloved bowl filled with ancient grains, greens, legumes, and vegetables. 

Dining status: In-person dining on hiatus until further notice; find takeout info here.

It’s official. We’ve reached peak fried-chicken sandwich fever in Seattle. It’s been a year since chef Brian Chandler’s first Cookie’s Country Chicken pop-up hatched at Mean Sandwich. Since then, his crunchy golden chicken has become a cult item served from Sneaky Tiki to Good Day Donuts. Now he’s landed at the former Quality Athletics spot to join comfort food forces with Burbs Burgers and Trophy Pizza. The sprawl is a COVID-19 dining dream, with plenty of pet-friendly outdoor seating, fire pits, and all your favorite sporting events on TVs. Go-to order: The ‘tendies’ with sunny sauce. 

Dining status: Outdoor patio service; takeout is available.