City hikers on E Olive Way can now enjoy an urban version of roasting marshmallows. Capitol Hill Hot Cakes opened earlier this week in the mixed-use building that now rises on the block where B&O Espresso stood. Here is a look inside. Old-timers and students of history can compare and contrast the clean, crisp, tall-ceiling design with the old living room feel from B&O days.
The organic dessert spot is more of a sweets laboratory with polished concrete floors and and “an all-brass, custom-built lit number sign to alert guests when their order is ready.” Hot Cakes includes soft serve in the Hill edition of its “cakery” along with the signature jars of molten chocolate cake, boozy milkshakes, and fancy s’mores. A fire pit and large patio along Belmont make space for E Olive Way hikers to enjoy the great outdoors of Capitol Hill. Inside the 2,200 square-foot Hot Cakes, “hibachi grills for roasting s’mores indoors” can be found “right at your table.”
While many food+drink trails in Seattle can feel repetitious as you wander from Ballard to Fremont to West Seattle to the Hill and find the same restaurants and bars opening the same concepts in each neighborhood, Hot Cakes creator Autumn Martin told CHS last year she was toying with the idea of stopping where she stands. “I would love to just have two,” Martin said. “One on just either side of the city. It’s kind of more of a commitment to come to Hot Cakes. I like it that way.”
The new Hot Cakes is located 1650 E Olive Way and open Monday through Thursday from 4 PM to 11 PM, until midnight on Friday. On weekends, the shop is open 10 AM to 12 AM on Saturdays and 10 AM to 11 PM on Sundays. You can learn more at getyourhotcakes.com.
I think you mean Belmont rather than Boylston. But, whatever: Yay!!!
Whoops! corrected.
Oops :(
I do miss B&O espresso…seems like it was ages ago when that place was open. Looking forward to checking out hotcakes, but I do get nervous that the hill will turn into a place of dessert and snack shops, even more than it already is. The building is aesthetically pleasing and I appreciate the natural light, though it does seem sterile and similar to new RGB bar and other recent additions. If someone opens a cozy living room-style cafe, I’m there!
Agree that the interior looks just like RGB. And I miss B&O like crazy. But I like this entrepreneur’s spirit, so I’ll probably give it a try.
PS for a cozy living room style cafe, try Cafe Argento on 12th/Olive.
Not to say anything against this place, but I have to agree it’s sad to see CH becoming all dessert & snack shops and high-end restaurants. Everything’s either get drunk or stuff your face. Seems like we need more stores that sell “things” (other than $500/pr YuppyShoes®).
I like the $5 happy hour menu!
Its a bit stark but looks like a nice addition to the corner. I look forward to checking them out soon.
Looks as sterile and soulless as a morgue; perfect for the walking cadavers that have flocked here in droves.
Welcome to the neighborhood Hot Cakes. I can’t wait to check it out. Please disregard the nasty, bitter trolls that make comments like this to nearly every new small business opening in the neighborhood.
This place looks very nice from the outside walking by. Happy to see a small business owner doing well with their concept.
not digging the $10 for a smores
the menu says it’s for 2 people. considering they have to buy the ingredients, pay for rent, pay their employees, provide the fire plus maybe try to grind out a little profit, $5 a smore seems reasonable to me.