Although I lived on Post Alley North for almost five years, just 10 blocks up from Pike Place, I had never set foot in the much raved about Pink Door until this fall. With virtually no signage and minimal lighting, I walked right by it at 8pm on a Wednesday in November, despite me having walked by the entrance at least a hundred times before.
Despite doing so, the outside is so humbling that there was rarely a reason for me to peek into the much spoken-of Pink Door more than a couple times. Mostly- during the height of the pandemic when walking my dog through Pike Place became my primary source of entertainment. Whenever I did peek in, a few chandeliers burned in the distance hanging over a bar, but that was all I could see. Thinking it was just a tourist trap set near Pike Place, I shrugged and never thought much of the otherwise beloved restaurant.
But in an effort to dip our toes into the Seattle jazz scene, my date and I decided to check it out. As we opened the metal door, the seemingly small 30-foot long or so restaurant opened up into a quite large, yet intimate, dining room built into Pike Places’ notable hill. We met the maitre d’ at the bottom of a steep staircase and she took us to our table by the bar. The smell of pasta in cream sauce hit both mine and my dates’ nostrils, and our eyes locked in excitement as we sat down. Solely coming to listen to a jazz band and hoping to save money, both of us had eaten dinner before coming. But as we sat down neither of us could resist the urge to order pasta.
I whisked myself to the bathroom before settling in, following the entryway labeled “W.C.” as smells of coffee, cream sauce, and wine popped up on the trail. Charmed, as soon as I arrived back at my table, my date pointed at the menu and wide-eyed exclaimed “This is it.” identifying the smell as Paglia e fieno- which we decided to split.
A small basket of soft sliced bread was brought to our table with the most memorable olive oil. Despite our waitress telling us what flavors were blended into the olive oil, my date and I debated it. Garlic? No. Anchovies? It was ever-so slightly fishy but nowhere near offensive. What was that bitterness? We continued to soak up the olive oil to try to identify the flavor.
Hoping to save money, we selected the cheapest alcoholic beverage, a $26 half bottle of moscato so sweet it could be mistaken for Welch’s grape juice. The alcohol menu was extensive and could make any patron happy if it fit their budget- ranging from seasonal cocktails to an array of liquors and wines primarily from Italy and Washington. Full bottles of wine ranged anywhere from $50-$375, with the median around ~$100. Fortunately for our pockets, we also had a drink at the pub across the alley while waiting for our table.
Jackie Roberts’ menu features Italian classics, with most of their produce supplied by a Bainbridge Farm. The antipasti selection for the table includes oysters, bagna cauda, ahi tuna crudo, arancini, a salumi platter, and a house antipasto that comes in two sizes. Pasta dishes are the centerpiece of the menu, including Ragu Bolognese, agnolotti dal plin, linguine alle vongole, and a seasonal autumn risotto just to name a few. A trail of steam followed a bowl of house-branded Cioppino as it was set down on the table next to us. If only we had the appetite to order more than one dish.
Orange lamp shades trimmed with wrought iron dimly lit the restaurant from the high ceiling and a plank hanging from two ropes caught my eye. A single shutter- what an odd piece of decor I thought, until I opened the second menu which read “Entertainment. Tuesday: Aerial Silks.” That’s when I looked up again and saw a wooden hoop hanging on the opposite wall. The shutter was actually a wooden swing, and the rest of the decor- a variety of chandeliers, candelabras, gems, crystals, and jesters hanging from the walls.
At the Pink Door, expect live entertainment every night, primarily consisting of aerial or jazz performances. A detailed schedule of rotating performers is listed on their website. The jazz band on this particular night unfortunately was unmemorable for us, disappointing since we solely came for the music. However, our bellies and mouths were delighted by the bread, pasta, and wine. If only we had room for the freshly made desserts- a beautiful blend of classic desserts featuring regional ingredients such as quince crostata, butterscotch budino, warm pumpkin bread pudding, mocha affogato, and perugina chocolate cake. And as a compliment, choose between a variety of teas, coffees, or sweet alcoholic beverages.
Finally our paglia e fieno arrived and our eyes locked again- proud to confirm that we had correctly identified the pasta dish that caught our attention when we first walked in. I scurried to pull my “half” of the dish onto my plate, excited by the tiny, local mushrooms nestled between the noodles. My date pulled the rest of the plate in front of him, happily declaring his property. The vegetarian cream sauce was just light enough to dress the pasta without leaving it dripping in oil. Delicate ruffled ribbons of handmade pasta swirled around my fork and into my mouth, nourishing yet somehow still light enough not to bother our already full bellies.
The Pink Door has been a favorite of Seattlites since its opening in 1981. Reservations are encouraged, as evidenced by our hour-long wait on a Wednesday night. Although their website suggests dressing to suit the ambiance of the restaurant, I spotted a couple in normal Seattle garb: sophisticated athleisure, likely Alo Yoga, with some black and white Hokas. Some outdoor seating is available in the summer, although indoor seating is more than satisfactory. The Pink Door is one of the loveliest restaurants in Seattle, and is clearly beloved for good reason. Normally when visitors ask me where to eat downtown, I encourage them to explore gems in other neighborhoods such as Queen Anne or Ballard, but I can’t wait to put “The Pink Door” on my “must visit” restaurants Downtown.
1919 Post Alley, Seattle, WA 98101
Open Tuesday-Saturday 11:30am-11:30pm
Price: $$$
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