Tag Archives: pizza

Hitchcock’s pizzeria spinoff opens in November

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Chefs Brendan McGill, right, and Brandon Thompson

A popup pizzeria on Bainbridge Island will become a permanent restaurant in November.

Bruciato, a gourmet pizza popup created by Hitchcock chef Brendan McGill and partner Brandon Thompson, is taking over a renovated space in the former Winslow Hardware building.

687697According to a news release, the 2,000-square-foot restaurant will provide seating for 75, with another 15 spots at the bar.

The interior design showcases exposed beams and metal that “recall the building’s history,” and white marble that “lightens it up a bit.”

Bruciato will feature wood-fired Neapolitan “pizze” and more modern pies, with an emphasis on authenticity. Dough will be mixed by hand, tomatoes imported from Italy and salami cured in house.

0307_ksap_hitchcock3Seafood, salads and antipasti will round out the menu. The bar will serve Italian and American spirits, wine and beer.

The restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and stay ope until 1:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Bruciato isn’t the only new eatery McGill has in the works. He plans to open a Café Hitchcock north of Seattle’s Pioneer Square in early 2017.

Check Bruciato’s Facebook page for updates on the Bainbridge opening.

New owner plans relaunch for popular Suquamish pizzeria

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Sunrise from a table at Bella Luna

A new owner plans to relaunch Suquamish’s Bella Luna Pizzeria this month, rebranding the waterfront restaurant as Scratch Kitchen.

Lisa Hunt Ledbetter, who served as manager of Bella Luna for a year and a half, bought the business from former owners Bob and Kari Rowden in June.

In a farewell post on Facebook, the Rowdens thanked patrons for their support over 17 years, adding that “it’s been one hell of a ride.”

103_34621-300x277Hunt Ledbetter said she hopes to broaden the appeal of the restaurant, but her Scratch Kitchen won’t start entirely from scratch.

Fans of Bella Luna’s pizza will be comforted to know the pizza recipes will remain intact.

Scratch Kitchen will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. The eatery will have an Internet café vibe in the morning, with coffee, fresh baked goods, Wi-Fi, and perhaps a new seating area in the back room.

Hunt Ledbetter plans to expand the breakfast and lunch menus with more pasta recipes. Scratch Kitchen, as the name suggests, will emphasize locally-sourced produce and dishes made from whole ingredients, complemented by a selection of local beers (and kombucha.)

Hunt Ledbetter said she is a little nervous making changes to a restaurant that already has a strong following, but she believes Suquamish will embrace a fresh concept.

“I feel like in smaller communities, like the one we live in, people love something new,” she said.  “… I’m only going to expand on what Bob had, and keep it going.”

Work on a light remodel will begin this weekend. Hunt Ledbetter said the makeover will include new floors, new paint inside and out, and a revamp of the back room used for trivia nights and live music.

The restaurant should remain open throughout the project. Scratch Kitchen is tentatively scheduled to debut Sept. 12.

Check out the Bella Luna page on Facebook for updates.

Bainbridge pizzeria featured on Forbes

B0012876307--549344Forbes.com contributor Micah Solomon interviewed a Bainbridge Island pizzeria owner for an in-depth look at customer service in the pizza business.

That’s A Some Pizza owner Will Grant told Solomon about the importance of maintaining quality service in a fast-paced environment, and how Yelp reviews used to keep him up at night.

Grant also recalled the time his Winslow Way shop received a barrage of prank phone calls from Green Bay Packers fans, all ordering cheese pizzas.

You can read the full interview here. 

Sadly, they don’t discuss That’s A Some Pizza’s recent rollout of a beer delivery service.

MOD Pizza opens Sunday at The Trails

MOD Pizza copy

MOD Pizza will be the next restaurant up and running in The Trails at Silverdale, with a grand opening planned for noon Sunday.

The first 52 people in line will receive a free pizza or salad, and be entered to win free pizza for a year, according to a news release. MOD will donate all proceeds from pizza sales on its first day to the Paul Linder Educational Foundation, which supports Central Kitsap School District.

The Seattle-based, “made-on-demand” pizza chain was founded in 2008 and has grown in bounds. The company tripled its store count in 2015 and plans to grow to from 110 to 190 stores this year, according to Puget Sound Business Journal.

Permitting documents indicate a Jersey Mike’s Subs is also headed for The Trails, though I haven’t confirmed that with the chain. Chipotle opened in the Greaves Way development last Saturday.

Hitchcock pizzeria expanding to old Winslow hardware

As we recently reported, the long-vacant Winslow Hardware space on Bainbridge Island is being renovated to accommodate a restaurant and offices. 

Now we know what restaurant will be moving in.

Hitchcock owner and chef Brendan McGill announced on Facebook that his pizzeria popup Bruciato will open as a standalone restaurant in the old hardware this summer:

With full hearts and tremendous gratitude, allow us to introduce our new home in the heart of Winslow Way. That's…

Posted by Bruciato on Tuesday, February 2, 2016

The 6,350-square-foot hardware had been owned by Storyville Coffee, which for years teased islanders with promises of a café “coming soon.”

Storyville sold the property to California developer Joseph Lacko for $1.73 million this winter. Lacko planned to subdivide the space and bring on two tenants.

We’ll have more on this story soon.

Port Orchard Godfather’s becoming Westside Pizza

Godfather27s_PizzaGodfather’s Pizza in Port Orchard is closing but its space on Mile Hill Drive won’t empty long.

Port Orchard Godfather’s owner Steve westsideRunge plans to retire. A Westside Pizza franchisee is taking over the location.

The pizzeria will shut down Saturday and remain closed for about a month for renovation, said Westside Pizza franchise owner Teresa Mahoney. She plans to remove carpet, install hardwood floors, repaint and hang new signs before reopening.

“Basically just update it,” she said. “Then it’s all about customer service, and who I can please.”

Mahoney said the new shop will offer discounts for military personnel, first responders and teachers. The Enumclaw resident is moving to Port Orchard to run the business.

Port Orchard will be the 28th location for Westside Pizza, a fast-growing West Coast chain. Westside was founded in Colville and has shops on Bainbridge Island and in Bremerton, Kingston and Poulsbo.

Godfather’s has been a popular Port Orchard gathering place since opening in 1982. Runge took over in 1997. He said he’s excited for retirement but sad to close the restaurant.

“It’s always hard to give something up after 18 years,” Runge said. “And we’ve had great customers.”

Godfather’s Pizza, soon to be Westside Pizza, is located at 1700 SE Mile Hill Drive.

‘Create-and-bake’ pizza store opens on Sedgwick

10622941_718641408184712_452561601081238653_nA new Port Orchard store is putting a gourmet spin on the “take-and-bake” pizza model.

Mama Looney’s Gourmet Pizza opened earlier this month in the Sedgwick Landing center, near the corner of Sedgwick and Sidney Road. The founder is Ronda Looney, who owns Cafe Soleil in the same development.

Looney said she noticed the popularity of a certain take-out pizza franchise, and decided she could use a similar model with upgraded ingredients.

“We’re a step up beyond the other take-and-bake companies,” she said.

Customers can build their own pizza or choose from some of the shop’s standards. The menu includes classics like Hawaiians and supremes, as well as “gourmet” recipes like a gorgonzola pear and BBQ barbacoa pork.

Mama Looneys also has take-out pasta and salads. Looney said the store may eventually bake pizzas in-house.

The shop opened quietly, but Looney said business is growing as word spreads.

“We’re getting our name out there,” she said. “Every day it’s picking up a little bit.”

See the Mama Looney’s website or page on Facebook for more information.