Even when Capitol Hill bars and restaurants have been able to be open in 2020, the world has thrown in a few kinks. No fries at Dick’s? We will persevere as long as Liberty remains forever open.

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Somehow, despite the ongoing pandemic, the necessary but painful restrictions, and government’s ineptitude and neglect on creating meaningful financial relief, flickers of life continued to burn in the hardiest core of Capitol Hill’s food and drink scene.

Below, we look at the year in food and drink through the brave new businesses that joined the neighborhood, the favorites we lost, and a few tweaks and changes along the way. CHS looks forward to more openings — and, hopefully, not too many painful closures — in 2021.

NEW BEGINNINGS

• La Rue Creperie and Espresso emerged from below The Reef on E Olive Way
• Rapport introduced self-pour beer and wine — a concept made for these times — on North Broadway
• Communion delivered on its promise of grits, Seattle Soul, and equitable development in the Central District
• Mezcaleria Oaxaca’s new taco window arrived just in time
• Drip Tea Cafe preceded the pandemic and brought Instagram worthy boba and tea to Pike/Pine
• Star Fusion and Bar brought its family-run business and Mongolian roots to replace Añejo Restaurant and Tequila Bar on Broadway
• The Doctor’s Office saw its first patients on E Olive Way in February just as the pandemic set in
• Taku, from chef Shota Nakajima, is another we barely got to know after it debuted on E Pike in April
• La Josie’s added to Fogon’s family on E Pike
• Soul Shack brought hot dogs to Broadway’s smallest commercial space
• Light Sleeper added a “terroir bar” to Chophouse Row as the exit of Bar Ferdinand also marked the exit of Matt Dillon from Capitol Hill
• Meet Korean BBQ replaced Rove on E Pike
• Seoul Bowl replaced Aloha Bap on 12th Ave
• Bounty Kitchen replaced Tallulah’s on 19th Ave E
• In the Central District, Temple Pastries opened on Jackson. (UPDATE: A reader noticed we left Temple out of our poll. We’ve now added!)
• Sumo replaced sushi trailblazer Ha Na on Broadway
• Locust Cider opened a First Hill taproom

• Surrell put the E Madison Crush house back into motion
• Local Bigger Burger replaced Blue Moon Burger on Broadway without skipping a beat
• Batch Baking Company brought its nostalgia-filled Squareos to 12th Ave
• Alexandra’s Macarons and Cafe replaced Tougo on 18th Ave
• Union Coffee got new ownership on E Union
• Cure expanded with Remedium Island Grill at 15th and Pine replacing Adana
• Kakigori Dessert Cafe replaced Tigerly Ox on Madison
• Central Cafe opened on E Cherry
• Mirch Masala got new owners on Broadway
• Aoki? Also new owners
• Fuel joined the Ada’s family
• Biang Biang replaced Chuan on E Pike
• Soju Anju debuted on 12th Ave
• Rondo debuted on Broadway replacing Junkichi Robata Izakaya
• Caffe Vita, 25 years after its founding, got a new owner
• The Cuff also got familiar new ownership

• Spice Box replaced Moti Mahal in a former Taco Del Mar on Broadway
• Mai’s Kitchen replaced Semillon on the back of Pike/Pine
• Love + Flour replaced Essential Bakery in Madison Valley
• Cornelly added handmade pasta and leavened pizza to Summit in the old Toscana space
• Pagliacci’s Pike/Pine pizza HQ added a slice bar and “Center for Excellence”
• Post Pike Bar and Cafe opened for days and nights on Broadway
• Sea-Tac unveiled its (kinda goofy) Capitol Hill Food Hall
• Gyro House replaced My Thai on 10th Ave E
• Glinda natural wine shop replaced Juicebox Cafe on 12th Ave
• Americana replaced… Americana
• Capitol Hill got an Amazon Go Grocery
• The E Olive Way Starbucks survived

SAD GOODBYES

• Oola Distillery is moving to Georgetown
• Mentioned above but worthy of mention again here. Sayonara, Ha Na, and thanks for all the fish. Also, A & A Cafe Organic Tamaleria closed before we were able to return
• Bill’s Off Broadway won’t reopen after 40 years on Capitol Hill
• Barca, 2000-2020
• Suika lost its lease — But Rondo (see above) lives on
• E Jefferson’s Nate’s Wings & Waffles, Happy Grillmore, and the Central District Ice Cream Company family shut down
• January’s closure of Central Smoke on E Jefferson was seen as part of possible signs of a slowdown to come in Seattle food and drink. Little did we know…
• Panera Bread exited Broadway — and it wasn’t even COVID’s fault
• The Heritage Distilling tasting room, Amandine, and Souther flavored Bar Sue all gave up the ghost
• Intrigue shuttered its 15th and Madison chocolate and coffee house
• Stumptown 12th Ave closed for good and, somehow, CHS didn’t write about it
• Marination Station announced its permanent closure as Seattle’s catering business dried up
• UPDATE: A late addition to the sad part. The Wandering Goose has wandered away

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