Brandon Paul Weaver at work (Images: CHS)

The sidewalk sandwich board announces “Finally! Another coffee shop on Broadway,” but the crew inside the recently opened Corretto are aiming to be more than just any old coffee slingers. In an effort to bring something new to such a drink savvy city, Corretto founder Travis Rosenthal reached back into espresso’s Italian roots for inspiration. What the Tango owner came up with was a bar featuring new spins on a classic coffee cocktail, caffe corretto or “coffee corrected”, and a distinctly Capitol Hill hangout.

“Think about it like a bar that happens to serve coffee,” said Corretto’s director of coffee Brandon Paul Weaver. “If you want to go to a bar to get a coffee on Capitol hill, where do you go? I think it offers something new to this block.”

On Monday Corretto opened for daytime hours after its official opening earlier in the month inside the former Panevino space. CHS previously reported on Rosenthal’s original plan to open in the new Pine+Minor building before deciding to relocate the project to Broadway, between Harrison and Republican. Be sure to stop in this week for half-off all coffee drinks.

One small business cannot completely embody a neighborhood, but it’s not uncommon for a single bar or cafe to reach symbolic status in a city, to be first thing that leaps to mind upon mention of a certain area or its inhabitants.

It remains to be seen if Corretto will become that business for Broadway or Capitol Hill. But the melding of craft cocktails with craft coffee wrapped in a decidedly Seattle decor certainly looks like Capitol Hill’s ultimate act.

Corretto is the creation of a Capitol Hill-centric crew that combines the efforts of a neighborhood bar owner, with Weaver’s Capitol Hill coffee consulting project Matte&Gloss, and locally roasted Slate Coffee.

Corretto currently features four of its namesake cocktails, which mix Slate Coffee espressos with Italian liquors like amaro or grappa. The bar features some 20 different varieties of the Italian brandy. The classic corretto, which the new baristas are happy to make, is a fairly uninspired affair back in the old country. Weaver recently told Sprudge about where Corretto wants to take the drink next. The cocktails go for $8 and if your wondering when its appropriate to start drinking one, Corretto opens at 9 AM.

The un-corrected espresso menu features a rotating number of 3-4 coffees with a pour over recommendation and simple “espresso with steamed milk” for $3.50, which can be taken to-go. Weaver promises in excessively acessible experience, but if you want to nerd out on coffee origins, tasting notes, or why its important to call coffee beans “coffee seeds,” you can do that too. Coffees can be ordered at the bar or with table service.

Kyle Oels and Brandon Paul Weaver of Slate Coffee bring their skills to the Corretto bar (Photo: Suzi Pratt)

Food service starts at 4:30 PM for happy hour, and is straight Italian, beginning with salad, soups, and antipasti dishes like bruchetta caprese and vongle en brodo (manilla clams in a rich broth). Pastas include gnocci al pesto and a rigatoni in marinara or bolognese, as well has a handmade ravioli menu. Main courses include involtini di pollo (roasted chicken breast rolled with prosciutto) and a eggplant parmigiana.

The addition of Corretto to Broadway’s daytime offerings foreshadows another coffee and cafe experience about to join the neighborhood. Last summer, CHS told you about plans for Cafe Solstice’s return to Broadway. The cafe’s buildout is nearly complete in The Lyric building at 10th and Thomas.

In February, CHS checked in with Nik Virrey, the second half of the “hospitality forward” Matte&Gloss team. Weaver, who opened Slate Coffee in Ballard after launching in an Airstream on Capitol Hill, said he knew he had to join Corretto after the first meeting with Rosenthal. “Corretto is an embodiment of this thing me and Nik have been philosophizing about,” Weaver said.

Capitol Hill food+drink notes

• In it or out of it? Here’s the new look for the newly refurbished Canterbury slated to open in May. CHS wrote here about the longtime Capitol Hill drink spot’s new ownership teaming a Neumos partner and Sam’s Tavern owner.
• Revolver also opens this May in the former home of Dinette on E Olive Way. Here’s the vinyl bar’s record collection — and its shiny new bar top. CHS talked here with owner Gary Reynolds about his retro-vibed project in December.
  

  Revolver’s records (Images: Revolver)

• Poppy’s Jerry Traunfeld wants you to eat weeds.
• Enjoy Traunfeld’s creations along with chow from locals like Altura at the Community Lunch A Taste of Capitol Hill benefit dinner.
• Thursday brings the annual Dining Out for Life benefit for Lifelong AIDS Alliance. You can dine at more than 150 venues this year across the city. Filter to the Capitol Hill roster here.
• Tips are the big stumbling block in forging compromises on raising Seattle’s minimum wage. Meanwhile, a new study says the percentage of tipped employees who earn $15/hour is lower than some owners are letting on. CHS coverage is here.
• Than Brothers Broadway is moving… across the street.
• Seattle Met counts down “31 Upcoming Bars and Restaurants” — 8 of them on Capitol Hill.
• These were the 24 new Capitol Hill bars and restaurants we were looking forward to at the start of 2014. Probably time to update, no?
• Freddy Junior’s burgers are only $2 each and have “the best pickles ever.” We told you about Freddy Rivas of Rancho Bravo fame’s foray into the burger business last summer.
• CHS would have shamed them on social media also.
• Marination Station is having a birthday party next Monday:
  We’re having a BIRTHDAY PARTY!!! Marination Station is turning 3 this year and we want YOU to come celebrate with us on Monday April 28th!! The quick party deets are as follows…*It’s an ALL DAY kind of party!! (11am-8pm)
  *Music and outdoor seating to enjoy the sun!
  *$3 STOUP drafts ALL DAY!
  *An off the menu special for $3.33 from Head Chef Angie!
  *Hula-Hoop Competitions!!
  *FREE DESSERT! (while supplies last)
  *FREE raffle prizes every hour on the hour!!
• Melrose Market cheese counter Calf & Kid turns four.
• Now open: Capitol Cider’s bottle shop.
• Construction on Rachel Yang’s E Pike project continues.
• Obnoxious, phony “trend” article with some nice things to say about Mamnoon and Lark. But, yeah, “new mediterranean” is probably not a trend. Same glossy mag does get it closer to right with call on 12th Ave’s Juicebox as one of 2014’s best new openings.
• Chuck’s Central District is getting a parklet.
• 12th and Jefferson nightclub Waid’s faced a Friday deadline to respond to the state’s decision to not renew its liquor license.
• You can now enjoy Ballard-based Hot Cakes sweets at Broadway’s SBUX-in-disguise Roy Street Coffee: