LGBTQ+ Seattle and fans of the Pike/Pine corridor of Capitol Hill were deeply saddened when popular bistro Pettirosso Cafe closed up shop earlier this year, citing pressures caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and other issues. The 27 year old cafe at the corner of 11th & Pike was a popular spot for coffee breaks, lunches, meet-ups and first dates and was a primary anchor for the redevelopment of that block as “Chophouse Row” which featured other food vendors and retail shops.
Happily, that location will live on but under a new name. GEMINI ROOM opens this Friday, December 16th in the former Pettirosso space and under the ownership of some familiar names…husband/business partner team Joey Burgess and Murf Hall add to their growing Capitol Hill empire which already includes LGBTQ+ venues like queer/bar, The Cuff Complex and The Woods as well as other businesses like Elliott Bay Book Company and Oddfellows Cafe. But, calling the shots at Gemini Room will be the management team of Creative Director Tanner Mclaughlin, Operations Director Jackie Proctor and Operations Manager Ioana Andrei.
The 2000 square foot space was co-designed by Murf Hall, co-owner and the former store design director for Nordstrom, with Aaron Olsen. Hall and Olsen had a very specific look in mind for the new space:
“Gemini Room blends materials, forms, and colors that are at once both nostalgic, new, and unexpected….With warm tones of furniture, paint, and lighting, the interior is perfect for both day and night. Mixed material walls of rockery, greenery and cork are encased in a warm wood slatting lit with color-adaptable lighting to help shift mood and emotion to hit just the exact right vibe. Our goal was to create a space that evokes an emotion of familiarity and warmth while being uncommon and offbeat.”
-Murf Hall
Per the press release, the new venue was “designed to shift seamlessly from morning to night” and will feature “locally roasted espresso and unique coffee and tea lattes, grab-and-go breakfast staples, fresh seasonal bowls, salads, and sandwiches by day” but things get a bit more cocktail oriented after dark with “shareable bites and imbibe in signature cocktails featuring house-infused liquors, herbaceous elements, fresh juices, and glassware that will transport them back to ’73….”
And, judging by the photos, the design looks dreamy…all the warmth and orangey charm of retro 70s decor but without the muddiness and plasticity of that era.
Check out the menu:
Macaroni Bites ~ $12
Sambal mac & cheese, panko battered & deep fried, served w / tomato sauce & a hot honey drizzle.
Panko Chicken Skewers ~ $12
Panko fried popcorn chicken bites, w/ sweet & spicy sauce.
Pickled Plate ~ $12
Roasted sweet potatoes, quinoa, spinach, & kale, topped w/ a fried egg & spiced ricotta.
Cocktails
Daybreak ~ $15
Blue Curacao, OJ, lemon, simple, orange marmalade w/ an Empress gin float.
Sour Sphere ~ $13
Bourbon, lemon & simple w/ a Lambrusco float.
It all sounds and looks great!
And, all the info you need to know:
OPEN
Tuesday-Thursday 9am-Midnight
Friday & Saturday 9am-1am
LOCATION
1101 E. Pike St. Seattle, WA 98122 (Entrance on 11th Ave.)
Email contact@thegeminiroom.com
Web https://www.thegeminiroom.com
Social https://www.instagram.com/geminiroomseattle
About the Author: Michael Strangeways
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