The future home of Bakery Nouveau Capitol Hill (Images: CHS)

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• In the first weeks of last year, we posted our roster of  “15+” Capitol HIll restaurants and bars too look forward to in 2012. It was a busy year in Capitol Hill food and drink. We ended up featuring 44 choices in this poll on the most important 2012 openings — we’ve extended that poll until 11:45 Tuesday night, by the way, and will feature the results and an interesting cut of the data later this week.

We begin 2013 with even clearer optics, as the analyst types like to say. Below, you’ll find nearly “20+” bars and restaurants and barstaurants to look forward to on Capitol Hill in the coming year. Like 2012, not all of them will come to fruition. Like 2012, there will also certainly be more that we didn’t know about than what we did. Enjoy the surprises.

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20 Capitol Hill bars & restaurants to look forward to in 2013

1.  Tap House Grill — Let’s start this list with a new name. CHS has learned that one of the retail spaces in the new Terravita building on E Pine will be filled by the local steak and beer chain as it adds its second Seattle location to join its 6th Ave venture and its ginormous Bellevue flagship. If its anything like its 6th Ave sibling, expect more than 100 beers on tap and “a relaxed and modern atmosphere.” When? Unknown! UPDATE: We’re told this won’t be a Tap House Grill, *exactly,* but it will have a lot of beer. So there you go. More details soon.
2. Starbucks Pike/Broadway — Speaking of unknown, who’s to say the new Starbucks Corp.-leased space replacing Tully’s will even be a coffee shop? Could be tea. Could be some other new fangled SBUX creation. But, yes, it will be a Starbucks venture. When? Unknown!
3. Chipotle — Another big chain entry on the list. Chipotle is destined for Tacos Guaymas old space on the street level of Harvard Market. Tacos G, by the way, is already safely ensconced in the former home of Broadway Cafe. When? February.
4. Einstein Brothers — Wait, this list sucks. Another corporate chain? Also, hey, it opened *before* New Year’s. Anyhow, yes, the chain made good on its vow to return to Broadway. When? Already happened, homes.
5. McDonald’s — Our first pure rumor on the list. We only have word of mouth on this one — but we’re talking some really knowledgeable mouths. When? Unknown!
6. Secret burger joint — This one is not a rumor but we can’t say more about it yet. Let’s just say a familiar face in Capitol Hill food+drink is ready to get the sizzle on in the neighborhood to do battle with the Hill’s hamburger purveyors including the newly opened Sam’s Tavern . When? Latest forecast is late spring.
7. The Old Sage — Meat, meat, meat. The boys from Tavern Law will be part of the great Capitol Hill charcuterie bar trend of 2013 when they open The Old Sage in the former Local Vine space just a few doors down from the speakeasy-style bar. When? We’d give you a more specific forecast than “early 2013” but the PR folks aren’t returning our SnapChat requests.
8. Unnamed Ethan Stowell Sausage Production — Stowell can do the old, cured meat thing, too, and plans to in a long-empty retail space next to his Anchovies & Olives at 15th and Pine. When? February.
9. Capitol Cider — How about something actually good for your body like copious amounts of fermented apple juice? The hotly anticipated Capitol Cider will debut in 2013 in its effort to give cider a showcase venue and to give gluten a kick in the ass. Expect an artful experience. Here’s a description from designer — and owner Spencer Reilly’s mom — Julie Tall:
   

   In the main room, I envisioned walls covered with old oil paintings depicting Founding Fathers, royalty from the old world, clipper ships, and ocean themes, and so turned to a Capitol Hill treasure — the Gage Academy of Art. I chair the Board of Trustees at Gage and knew that paintings from their students would be spectacular in this space. I also loved the idea of showcasing these talented emerging artists.

   We showed you some of the preliminary concept plans for the space here. The downstairs Ballast Bar and Game Room will have a “below decks feel, with warmer tones, built in bookshelves, a fireplace, stage and shuffleboard tables.”

   Reilly also gives us an update on what to expect from the kitchen:

   The food at Capitol Cider could be described as “Farm to Pub-Stool”.  I previously mentioned to you that the kitchen is entirely gluten-free,  and while that remains the case,  my best description of this aspect is that we are a gluten-free kitchen that doesn’t serve any gluten free food.  No subpar “reenactment” of familiar wheat-based dishes,  but rather things that stand on their own,  and are not part of a “trend”.  Sustainably and Ethically Sourced Seafood, Steak, Poultry,  Fresh Salads, Housemade Soups,  Flavorful Vegan/Vegetarian Entrees,  Unbelievable House-Made Fries and more.  Watch out for a Cider Sorbet!

   When? Here’s the “bad” news because I know you are insufferably impatient. Construction, etc. delays have Cider on track for a mid-March opening. You can make it!

10. Ada’s Technical Books & Cafe — We don’t know a great deal about the cafe component yet but we do know that the buildout is underway on 15th Ave E following the attention-grabbing yarn bombing — and a significant undertaking. The project will transform the single family-style house that was once Horizon Books into a new home for Ada’s that will include a second-story addition to the structure as well as a cafe. When? Late 2013.
11. Skelly & the Bean replacement — After shutting down on 10th Ave E, Skelly seems less and less likely to return to a brick and mortar space on the Hill judging by its social media quizzings on which Seattle neighborhoods would be best for the community-oriented venture. What will take over the challenging restaurant space down Roanoke Park-way? Dunno. You? When? Dunno. You?
12. New Kanape location — After shutting down on Broadway, owner Sabine Ruthensteiner said she was on the hunt for a new space in the neighborhood. When? Unknown! 
13. Von Trapps — The Hill is alive with the sound of clanking beer steins, sizzling schnitzel and… bocce ball. A swing by the 12th Ave location the Poquitos folks are building out reveals a transformed Austrian setting across the street from Seattle U. Bocce — Beer — Brats, the signs promise. Facebook has more to say: “A Bavarian-inspired bier hall with house made sausages and other authentic eats, 24 drafts and a vast selection of European/Northwest bier and spirits, 5 indoor bocce ball courts, 2 mezzanines, 3 bars and much more.” Principal Rich Fox tells us that the still busy work site is coming together and that a few of Von Trapps rooms are nearing completion. When? “End of the month”
    
14. Chico Madrid — Prefer Spain? Jacob Daley and Honore Bakery’s Franz Gilbertson are building this cozy cafe featuring meaty bocadillo sandwiches, bikinis and other Spanish-influenced offerings inside the new apartment project built around Bellevue Ave’s Bellroy building. When? “Spring”
15. Cintli — More Latin flavors will be part of the mix when gallery+cafe Cintli debuts on Broadway in the former Bleu Bistro space. Designer Beto Yarce is expanding from his Pike Place gallery to create a cafe and art space on the bustling street. When? “Late March”
16. Kedai Makan — Malaysia will be the new flavor at Montana as Broadway Market faves Kedai Makan take over the former Tacos Gringos space on E Olive Way and become the kitchen solution for the expanding watering hole. No, we don’t know why Gringos decided to hang ’em up. No, we don’t know if they’ll reopen. When? “Mid-January” — hey, wait… that’s soon!
17. Pie Bar — Hailing from the great nation of Pie-rovia… not true. They’re from Granite Falls. But the “identical mirror twins” behind Pie Bar love pie. So much so that they plan to mash it up and drink it and get you to do the same. Expect pies sweet and savory. Expect beer and wine. Expect quiche. When? “Early spring”
18. Pike Pine Diner — They haven’t backed off the 24-hour promise… yet. The guys behind the Capitol Hill Block Party — Jason Lajeunese of Neumos and Dave Meinert of Big Mario’s and etc. — are bringing late-night diner dining to Pike/Pine in the space that used to be home to the Basic Plumbing sex club. Meinert said the buildout was still in the demolition phase a few weeks back but offered a brief update of what we can expect when PPD comes online: “Still planning on 24 hours, bar opens at 6am, closes at 2am daily. Lots of beers on tap. It’ll have the best happy hour on the hill. And we’ll have huge portions of good food for great prices. And a great jukebox.” When? “Mid March”
19. Tallulah’s — The great hope of every resident living east of 15th Ave who used to go out more but doesn’t so much these days because, you know, the kids, and stuff, Linda Derschang’s 19th Ave E venture will be part of a four-story apartment building currently under construction near the area’s quiet cultural and commercial center featuring Monsoon, Fuel Coffee and Kingfish Cafe. Here’s what we said about it when CHS broke news of the project last year:

    Tallulah’s today

Tallulah’s is planned as a restaurant and bar cut from similar cloth to Derschang’s Smith and Oddfellows but with a lighter, brighter take and more of a focus on the simple, rustic food the sister locations have specialized in. It will start as a dinner and brunch restaurant — no lunch — with plans to be open seven days a week in the eastern reaches of Capitol Hill’s leafier, quieter and more wow there are a lot of kids in here-ier end of things. Tallulah’s will have around 75 seats and what is being described as an enormous patio.

And, no, Linda isn’t also going to open a grocery store in the new building (though somebody should!) When? “Late summer to early fall”

Tallulah’s tomorrow

20. Bakery Nouveau — When CHS broke the news that the much-loved West Seattle bakery was eyeing a peculiar Capitol Hill location for expansion, owner William Leaman talked a good game about the uncertainty about making the space in the forever-empty East John Court building work and the tentative nature of the whole affair. And then BN promptly confirmed the whole thing on its blog. Cat’s out of the bag, indeed. If City of Seattle permits for electrical and refrigeration work are any indication — and, they are! — work is soon to be underway in the space to bring the bakery to Capitol Hill. When? Late spring.

More food+drink notes

• Coming soon: Wandering Goose, the book.
• You can now score Capitol Hill-based Juicebox at Broadway’s Lab5 Fitness.
• Speaking of Chipotle, they’re hiring.
• Purr found out the City of Seattle was going to require 11th Ave businesses to go without electricity on a Friday night. Purr fought back:

Seattle City Light phoned me today asking for my opinion on what it would take to make this scheduled outage happen. They said the Mayor made it clear to them to make this issue a Top Priority. They took my suggestion on a “non holiday” Sunday night the end of January, after midnight. They also apologized for not working with us local business owners a little more closely, and assured me in the future they would do so. Big thanks to All of you who helped, and to Mayor Mike McGinn for his timely responses. His office also called this morning as well as King 5 News wanting to know the progress. As far as I’m concerned, this situation got resolved as best as it could.

• Bait Shop is now open for lunch on the weekends starting at 11:30 AM.
• Tacos Gringos. Tacos Gringos. Tacos Gringos. What happened to Tacos Gringos? “There are no plans to reopen. After five plus years, it’s time to step aside,” a Tacos Gringo tells Eater Seattle.
• More Eater: Lookout owner opening Belltown gastropub.
• RIP Guanaco’s Capitol Hill.
• Food porn. Poquitos serves up this ahogada torta – “a Mexican style ‘drowned’ sandwich”

 

This week’s CHS food+drink advertiser directory

Broadcast Coffee — Web/Twitter/Facebook Coastal Kitchen — Web/Twitter/Facebook Fuel Coffee — Web/Twitter/Facebook High 5 Pie — Web/Twitter/Facebook Honeyhole — Web/Facebook Marination Station — Web/Twitter/Facebook Monsoon — Web/Twitter/Facebook Ba Bar — Web/Twitter/Facebook Poppy — Web/Twitter/Facebook Poquitos — Web/Twitter/Facebook Sun Liquor — Web/Twitter/Facebook Paris Eastside — Web/Twitter/Facebook

Auto Battery – Web/Twitter/Facebook Poco Wine+Spirits — Web/Twitter/Facebook Big Mario’s — Web/Twitter/Facebook Lobby — Web/Twitter/Facebook Other Coast — Web/Twitter/Facebook Sugar Bakery — Web/Twitter/Facebook WildRose — Web/Twitter/Facebook Bombay Bistro — Web/Twitter/Facebook Tommy Gun — Web/Twitter/Facebook 8oz. Burger Bar — Web/Twitter/Facebook Clever Dunnes — Web/Twitter/Facebook Bamboo — Web/Twitter/Facebook Essence Wine Shop — Web/Twitter/Facebook