The Pink Door

Hidden away in the streets on Pike Place is this amazing restaurant. It is super easy to miss if you aren’t looking for it. I have probably walked passed it a couple dozen times and never even knew what was waiting for me behind the door. I finally had the chance to try the Pink Door after hearing raving reviews time and time again. They serve up delicious Italian dishes that will have you thinking you took a quick trip to Italy. Upon entering the pink door, you walk down a set of stairs and it opens up to a beautiful, large space – honestly it is deceiving from the outside but this space was huge!

The menu has so many delicious offerings from pasta to seafood and everything in between it really is a challenge just deciding what to order! One thing is certain, you’ve got to grab a bottle of wine and antipasti and just relax and enjoy the atmosphere and conversation with your friends or family. For appetizers, we ordered the Antipasto Half ($14) and Fresh Northwest Oysters ($3/oyster). The Antipasto comes with salumi, tuscan bean salad, fresh mozzarella, tapanada, roasted peppers, and grilled zucchini. The tapanada and fresh mozzarella were probably my favorite components on the plate – but everything was truly incredible! We also were served fresh bread and olive oil for dipping. I can’t comment on the oysters because I am not the biggest fan – but my husband downed them pretty quickly and said they were delicious and fresh! Next time I really want to try their arancini – which is fried rice balls stuffed with cheese.

For our main course it was so hard to decide – I really wanted to try their handmade pasta but ended up opting for the Beef Short Ribs with Polenta ($34). I chose this because this is way harder to replicate than handmade pasta. The short rib was tender and fell apart with just a fork! They braised it in a Chianti which added a rich flavor that I couldn’t get enough of. I was also super impressed by the portion sizes – I was expecting a small piece of meat but it was legit, there was enough to take home for lunch the next day. My husband ordered their special which was a whole grilled Rockfish served with Salsa Verde and Gigande Beans. I am not the biggest fish fan (even though I live in Seattle.. I know..), but THIS this was incredible! The fish had a subtle flavor and was flakey. The Salsa Verde was the perfect accompaniment. When I think of Salsa Verde I think of more Mexican vibes, but this was similar to a pesto but thinner.

Definitely check them out for your next special occasion or when you are wanting something extra delicious! Just make sure to check ahead and make reservations because they do fill up fast!