(Image: Smith)
With reporting by Hannah Saunders
A longtime 15th Ave E favorite founded by a legend of Capitol Hill is now moving forward under the guidance of a Seattle food and drink industry veteran taking his first step as an owner with help from his family.
The hope is that Smith hasn’t changed a bit, new owner Victor Gonzalez tells CHS as the pub moves forward with his family at the helm.
“This is our first restaurant that we own,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez’s son graduated from the University of Washington with a master’s degree in business and is now guiding Smith after working in the industry.
“He feels great,” Gonzalez said. “He’s ready. The good thing about the restaurant Smith is it’s a neighborhood restaurant, so we get a lot of regulars. It’s been great so far.”
Smith’s menu contains delectables made from scratch with favorites like buffalo and blue cheese wings or mini duck poutine, plus the signature Smith burger, a quarter pound burger with locally farmed beef, cheese, and bacon, but Gonzalez believes it’s the fries that make the difference.
“We have garlic fries so that changes the flavor of the Smith burger,” Gonzalez said.
CHS reported on Gonzalez’s plans for Smith here in December. The deal is done and the new ownership has been in place as Smith begins its 16th year.
Smith broke a string of failed restaurant concepts from Jake’s to Mango to Mcguire’s to Kozak’s to Cypress when Capitol Hill nightlife legend Linda Derschang debuted the bar and restaurant in the summer of 2007. 15th Ave E has grown up around it — but not as much as areas like Pike/Pine and Broadway.
In 2019, Derschang found new owners for Smith in Christopher Forcyzk and Marianne Ide as she began downsizing her Capitol Hill nightlife empire. The investors were first time food and drink owners who, Derschang said, she was happy to match up with on their intentions to find a Seattle venue ready to move forward as unchanged as possible. Now Gonzalez steps in with the same hopes of continuity.
As for looking forward, the new owner has modest goals of being part of the slow reawakening of restaurant crowds and later nights as the height of the pandemic has faded.
“We want to be the night neighborhood restaurant that can be open,” Gonzalez said with hopes of stretching current 10 PM closing hours to something later around midnight.
“15th Avenue is a good neighborhood area, but they don’t have that late night spot where people can go,” Gonzalez said.
That energy might be the biggest change for what Gonzalez hopes to otherwise be a smooth and consistent transition for the longtime part of 15th’s scene.
Smith is located at 332 15th Ave E. Learn more at smithseattle.com.
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