Sam’s Tavern is about to mark its fourth year in the Pike/Pine nightlife scene. Owner James Snyder has had a busy couple years. He’s a father with a two and a half year old son and twin little girls. There’s the Canterbury, a Sam’s SLU — and soon, a Sam’s Redmond. Meanwhile, the E Pike original has gone fully pink.
“Everyone that I have ever met has been touched by cancer,” Snyder tells CHS. This month, his Sam’s Taverns on Capitol Hill and in South Lake Union feature a special drink menu with 100% of the proceeds benefitting the Susan G. Komen foundation. As for the pink paint job, Snyder says he doesn’t know if it will say beyond Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
It has been nearly four years since Sam’s opened on E Pike with a New Year’s debut. The Pike/Pine burger bar’s name is an homage to the original Sam’s Tavern on Eastlake that became Sam’s Red Robin before the Snyder family expansion. To cut his teeth in the burger business, James operated fast-food chain restaurants across the state.
In 2014, Snyder also partnered with Neumos co-owner Mike Meckling to open the reincarnated Canterbury Ale House on 15th Ave E.
After opening a second Sam’s earlier this year in Amazonville’s new restaurant row, Snyder is now beginning work on taking over a former Redmond Way chain restaurant space for a new Eastside Sam’s.
With 50 employees across three bars plus the busy brood of new Snyders at home, the burger bar master is trying to keep things on the positive.
“I’m just trying to have fun,” Snyder said.
Capitol Hill food+drink notes
Plant-based ice cream shop Frankie and Jo’s is rounding out for a November opening on E Union. In the meantime, you can now buy the creations from Autumn Martin of Hot Cakes and Kari Brunson of Juicebox Cafe online at frankieandjos.com.
“Here’s What Happened When I Opened a Restaurant in Portland” —
Meanwhile, everything under the skin of the charming little building was in shambles. The electrical was an expensive mess, but that was nothing compared to bringing the plumbing up to code. $20,000 later we had a huge pit, filled with the gigantic, state-of-the-art grease trap the city now requires—all of which now benefit not us, but the landlord and his next tenant.
Also to be filed under “Good Advice”…
We are not on Open Table due to exorbitant cost, though there is a Stateside in Philly that is. Please reserve through our website…
— Stateside Restaurant (@StatesideSEA) October 13, 2016
(Image: CHS)
Congratulations, Bateau, Seattle Met’s 2016 restaurant of the year:
But don’t let its beauty or popularity obscure the single essential thing about Bateau: What it pulls off is nearly impossible.
CHS visited Renee Erickson’s pretty incredible trio of projects as the triumvirate opened at 11th and Union last November.
Skillet’s new head chef previous gig? CenturyLink Field.
Also with announcements in the kitchen: Omega Ouzeria with new Chef de Cuisine Brian Miyamoto and promotion of Sous Chef Jheremy Brown. Miyamoto previously worked at Restaurant Zoe.
More Capitol Hill talent shuffling here including changes at Stateside, Mamnoon and Naka.
Now open above Broadway: Malaysian chef-run Japanese ramen shop Ooink.
Also on Broadway: Wanderfish poke and Dueminuti “healthy pasta.”
Hood Famous made regular pop-ups in the fro-yo shop that Wanderfish replaces. It has now opened a home of its own for Fillipino sweets in Ballard.
The folks behind pop-up Middle Eastern restaurant Yalla apparently live on Capitol Hill. Hopefully they decide to settle close to home if they ever go brick and mortar.
Maybe:
The BEST chicken teriyaki in whole town! (@ Mia's Off Broadway Cafe in Seattle, WA) https://t.co/eiUM4O4RR0 pic.twitter.com/sQjHnoHZD2
— Th_Aviator (@SVGBRN) October 7, 2016
Beer giant Craft Brew Alliance which owns the Redhook brand announced it was cutting half of the workers at its Woodinville brewery due to slow business in its Pabst contract but the tough financial period for the $347 million publicly traded company doesn’t appear to have put its plans for its Redhook Brewpub and 10-barrel brewery destined for E Pike in jeopardy.
Who ordered the wrap? Remedy Teas still open despite the plastic wrap and construction.
(Image: Remedy Teas)
Happy birthday Capitol Hill Mighty-O. Also marking milestones — Altura (2011), Single Shot (2014).
Trouble on First Hill for Italian Family Pizza.
Now open in the Central District: Squirrel Chops salon + cafe.
Personally, we’ve never seen a King County Public Health warning that didn’t make us hungry.
Uh oh. Sunset Fried Chicken at 12th Ave's @rgbsoda dinged today by @KCPubHealth. Like I said with Gourmet Dog Japon, I'd eat that… pic.twitter.com/NQBZNqgiOW
— jseattle (@jseattle) October 4, 2016