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Hill food and drink: New Capitol Hill lounge’s familiar owners, barista takes over Broadway’s TNT

Here’s the latest from the tables and bars of Capitol Hill. Have a tip? E-mail us at [email protected].

  • TNT Espresso, Capitol Hill’s only coffee shack, has a new owner and a new paint job. A former TNT barista, Momo has taken over ownership of the little walk-up in the parking lot of Teriyaki & Wok at 324 Broadway East. She’s given the shack a classy new paint job and should be open for business any minute now. Here’s her statement from TNT’s Facebook page:

    TNT has been serving the people of Capitol Hill for over ten years. Long time TNT barista, Monica aka MoMo, recently took the reins and is the proud new owner. TNT is passionate about coffee and ecstatic to be serving Seattle’s own, Herkimer Coffee.

  • We still haven’t talked with the principals despite a few phone calls, e-mails and Facebook messages, but we have learned more about the couple behind the new lounge coming to the 700 Broadway building where Asanova will neighbor Glisten Tanning Lounge, Kinko’s and Roy St. Coffee. Turns out, some familiar names from the Seattle club scene are behind the new venture.

    Chris Ruthensteiner, longtime owner of 1st Ave’s Contour, and wife Sabine Ruthensteiner are teaming up on the new bar that will take over the space vacated by a failed pizza franchise on north Broadway across the street from Poppy. We’ve learned that the Ruthensteiners sold the Contour but no word on what the planned opening date for the Asanova. The duo already have their liquor license application turned in and there are also no construction permits in progress for the address. That either means things are close and they’ll be doing a quick turn around on the former pizza cafe or they are simply checking out the waters regarding the liquor license before going forward with more work. Stay tuned. (Picture of Sabine Ruthensteiner from Facebook)

  • The Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce is holding its second annual Spirit of the Hill fundraiser dinner at Osteria La Spiga next Monday night, October 4th. Along with the special menu and music, there will also be a silent auction and the Spirit of the Hill awards ceremony recognizing a community member who ‘represents the best of Capitol Hill.’ Tickets are $85 for members, $95 for non-members for the night.
  • La Bête has been open for just over a month now in the former home of Chez Gaudy down on Bellevue Ave. Reviews on Yelp have been all highly positive thus far. Here’s the Yelp trend:
    If you’ve been, add a La Bête note in the CHS Reviews. Recent CHS reviews: Chungee’s, Rosebud and The Living Room.
  • Seattle Met interviews Espresso Vivace’s David Schomer : “I’m not a good enough cook to be a vegan.”
  • CC Attle’s leaves its Madison home this Thursday, September 30th. Where to next? Mystery UPDATE: CC’s Chris Daw tells us that they are about to sign the lease for the new place and — ‘barring some unforeseen disaster’ — will announce the location of their new home later this week.
  • East Olive Way’s B&O Espresso is holding a garage sale “for about two weeks,” we were told when we gave them a call. They’re selling tables, benches, glasses, plates, etc. “We need more space. We are NOT going out of business.” B&O has been through a fair amount of drama recently as a planned redevelopment threatened to push the restaurant out. An agreement was reached early this year for B&O to stay — if the development ever happens.
  • Broadway’s Wedgwood Vegetarian II is open.
  • Sun Liquor Manufacturing took a big step forward as the city has granted its permit to operate a craft distillery. CHS reported earlier this year on Sun Liquor’s plans to open a craft distillery by fall on East Pike.
  • New Italian-styled bar and cafe Varro is gearing up for its opening with a Facebook-based $500 treasure hunt.
  • Belltown Messenger on the Capitol Hill-like future of Belltown’s restaurant scene: “Ironic, don’t you think, that Belltown’s restaurant renaissance, if you can call it that, is to copy Capitol Hill? On the other hand, who wouldn’t want farmers-market quality produce at First & Bell? Could be huge.”
  • Welcome new CHS advertiser Big Mario’s Pizza to the family.
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Uncle Vinny
Uncle Vinny
13 years ago

Somehow Herkimer coffee has flown under my radar for a long time, but now it’s one of my very favorites in town. I’m glad to hear TNT is using their beans. (Or did they all along?!)

Jameson
Jameson
13 years ago

They’ve been using Herkimer for quite a while. I have really been missing Monica and I’m thrilled she’ll be making coffee again at TNT soon. She’s a gem and the coffee is fantastic!