This Week in Seattle Food News: Bale Breaker x Yonder Taproom Opens, Beth’s Cafe Closes For Now, and Chuck’s Hop Shop Announces a Third Location – EverOut Seattle

This week the highly anticipated Bale Breaker x Yonder Taproom opens in Ballard, Chuck’s Hop Shop announces a third location and Beth’s Cafe is saying goodbye, at least for the time being. Also, Flard Tamales is revealing more details about its new location, and the Portland food truck, Farmer and the Beast, is bringing a pop-up to Seattle. Read on to find out all this and other important culinary updates. You can find more ideas in our food and drink guide.

NEW OPENINGS AND RETURNS

Bale Breaker x Yonder Taproom
The well-received local cider bar Yonder Bar opens its new taproom on September 4th in collaboration with Bale Breaker Brewing from Yakima in the former premises of Populuxe Brewing. The two companies also join forces to open a new distillery called Wise Fool Spirits in the taproom.
Ballard
Pick up, go out to eat

Fuel coffee
The local coffee shop chain has teamed up with Ada’s (the chain of cafes / bookstores, not to be confused with Ada’s Restaurant and Bar on Phinney) and recently reported reopening their location on the 19th with a new look that matches Ada’s branding Capitol Hill Seattle. The refresh includes a blue and gray color scheme, an expanded coffee bar, an updated kitchen, and a selection of books similar to those from Ada’s Technical Books, as well as children’s books and literary titles.
Capitol
Pick up

SZN
The Korean-Mexican restaurant Lazy Susan in Queen Anne had its grand reopening at the end of July under new ownership under the new name SZN. New owner Jack Cheung keeps the menu and decor as before, with dishes like bulgogi fries and kalbi rib platters, but has added a number of new cocktails and is considering adding Chinese and Japanese brunch in the future.
Queen Anne
Pick up, go out to eat

Tides +
This upscale, seafood-focused eatery recently opened at Hyatt at Olive 8 and serves dishes like lobster mac and cheese, seasonal seafood dip, and locally sourced oysters.
Downtown
Dine in

Yomies rice and yogurt
This Australian chain, known for its signature purple rice yogurt, has opened an outpost in the Chinatown-International District. The company also has locations in Bellevue and the U District.
Chinatown-International District
Pick up

FUTURE OPENINGS

Chucks Hop Shop
The popular craft beer destination is working on a third location with Third Place Books in Seward Park. According to an Instagram announcement, the new spot will feature an espresso bar, a restaurant concept that has yet to be defined, a family-oriented environment and an “extensive and well-curated tap list”. An opening date has not yet been set.
Seward Park

Farmer and the beast
Known for its great burgers and seasonal vegetable bowls, this critically acclaimed Portland wagon plans to make it to every home game of the season on the 19th. The car’s signature “Beast Burger” offering was named Portland’s “Best New Smash Burger” by Oregonian’s Michael Russell last fall (high praise in a city full of them!).
Pioneering place

For decisions
After the opening of Bale Breaker and Yonder Taproom, another brewery-cidery duo is planning a collaboration: Everett-based companies Crucible Brewing and Soundbite Cider are jointly opening a new combined spot called Pour Decisions in the former Dane Space in Ballard soon.
Ballard

Serious cake
Local culinary mogul Tom Douglas plans to open a new location for his popular Serious Pie Pizzeria in Kirkland’s Village in the Totem Lake Shopping Center by spring 2022.
Kirkland

CLOSURES

Beth’s cafe
Oh, that hurts: the iconic 24-hour fat spoon Beth’s Cafe, valued for decades for its 12-egg omelets and bottomless hashbrowns, closes after Labor Day. The future of the restaurant is unclear. A Beth’s Cafe employee posted on Reddit that the institution, which reopened in July, will “probably close for the last time” on Monday; However, the restaurant posted on Facebook today: “Beth’s is temporarily closing – not forever, but temporarily! That is the bottom line …Our plan now is to be back in 3-6 months – or whenever COVID is better under control. Thank you for your patience. We’ll post here occasionally to remind everyone we’re still there. We’re just waiting to open in an atmosphere and under circumstances that will make Beth’s the long-term breakfast spot in Seattle it has been known for since the 1950s. “General Manager Janelle Norviel told the Seattle PI:”[We] just ran out of money. It’s too expensive to run and we just didn’t get the deal. “
Phinney Ridge

OTHER FOOD NEWS

Flard Tamales Reveals Upcoming Location (and Hints of a New Project)
Last week we reported that the popular Flard Tamales spot, which has garnered a loyal following for its handcrafted tamales and community engagement, advertised the opening of a second location on Instagram but didn’t reveal the city it’s in will lie. Now we know the answer: the company has announced that its second home will be in Bellingham and that it will open in spring or early summer 2022. Like the original, the new outpost will have a walk-in window and free delivery, and will advocate community issues such as environmental justice, immigrant rights, LGBTQIA + rights and wellbeing, education, and social justice. The Instagram announcement also promised a big opening party with “mariachi, live music, drinks and food” and dropped another teaser: “This place will be a Flard Tamales 2.0. What does that mean? Our location will not only contain a tamale shop, but also something very special. We were working on two projects at the same time: Flard Tamales Bellingham and something else. We will make a formal announcement about ‘something different’ in 1-2 weeks. “

Ezell’s induction program provides grants for black-owned businesses
Ezell’s Famous Chicken from Seattle (and well-known Oprah favorite) gave on the 30th with no strings tied. The program was created by Ezell’s co-founder Lewis Rudd and is backed by DoorDash, which contributed $ 40,000.

POP-UPS AND EVENTS

Grayseas Pies Pop-Up
Pop-up Grayseas Pies brings their adorable tiny pies to Hood Famous and created a calamansi meringue cake just for the occasion. Hood Famous offers its Kalsada Pour-Over for the perfect pairing.
Hood Famous Cafe + Bar, Saturday-Sunday, 11 am-2pm

Broadway Pride Fest at Nacho Borracho
Capitol Hill Waterhole is hosting a Pride Party with a beer garden, DJs, specialty drinks and Loxsmith bagels.
Nacho Borracho, Saturday-Sunday

Weekend on Labor Day at the Mountaineering Club
The Mountaineering Club is hosting a tropical themed bash on Saturday with island-inspired cocktails and music by DJ Cutz and DJ Lady Coco. On Sunday, the party continues with themed brunch specials (including Ube French Toast, Loco Moco, and Kalua Pork) by Happy Grillmore, a plant wall installation by Seeds & Steeze, and Pacific reggae music.
The Mountaineering Club, Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 10 am-2pm

Virtual interview with the authors: Mamacita x Kinfood with Andrea Pons
Seattle-based food stylist and immigration activist Andrea Pons will talk about her self-published cookbook debut Mamacita, which shares recipes inspired by her Mexican heritage and family traditions. Attendees can also order a special edition of the Kinfood Farm Box filled with local produce used in the book’s recipes.
Online, Wednesday, 5-6 p.m.

SPECIALTIES

Lowrider Cookie Company
The biscuit bakery is repeating their banana and peanut butter biscuit, which is made with bananas, oats, and coconut and topped with a homemade butter finger, for September. Lowrider owner Emily Allport says it’s in her “personal top 5 for sure”.
Central District, Georgetown
Collection, delivery

Mighty-O donuts
If you’re already looking for fall flavors, Mighty-O’s September specials include an apple and spice cake donut (dipped in apple icing and dusted with nutmeg) and a toasted marshmallow mocha donut.
Different places
Collection, delivery

Waala spice
The Indian street food spot, which recently added soft ice cream to its menu, brought out its September flavor: pistachio cardamom, inspired by the owners’ memories of pistachio kulfi.
Ballard, Capitol Hill
Pick-up, delivery, dinner