New restaurants: Karaoke bar, waffle towers, sushi burritos, crepes and more
The end-of-year rush is well underway, with new restaurants, coffee and boba shops popping up around Pierce County.
In Tacoma, a popular choice for sushi burritos and ramen has expanded again, and a new bar specializing in sparkling wine is drawing crowds, especially for its brunch — and maybe bottles served with a sparkler.
In East Pierce, find a new choice for bubble tea, the return of a coffee shop and creperie, and an old dive that has been completely refreshed.
This month’s list follows other fall openings that included all-you-can-eat sushi, another U-Pour bar and more Korean barbecue.
Here’s a look at recently opened restaurants around Tacoma and Pierce County, from Gig Harbor to Puyallup, Sumner and Milton.
ZEN RAMEN & SUSHI BURRITO
▪ 1812 S. Mildred St., Tacoma, 253-328-6772, zenramenbrothers.com
With established presence at three restaurants in Pierce County and two in Thurston, the families behind Zen Ramen and Sushi Burrito have expanded again, this time to Tacoma’s West End. (The restaurant lists this location as University Place on its website.) Find the same bowls of tonkotsu and shoyu ramen, fresh-fish burritos and poke, plus snacks including pop-rock shrimp, bao, gyoza and karaage. Dishes are filling for the price, with nothing over $17. Open daily 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Online ordering available.
HAPPY BELLY EATERY & JUICE BAR
▪ 1122 Market St., Tacoma, 253-365-6706, happybellytacoma.com
Happy Belly opened almost 10 years ago in downtown Tacoma, serving juice pressed in house, smoothies, sandwiches, wraps and salads focused on whole foods. Owner Jennifer Johnson spent a couple of months remodeling, installing new floors and opening up the space to allow for more seating. Try the protein-packed Moon Majik smoothie with cacao, avocado, peanut butter and Oat Mylk or a refreshing juice like the Ruby Roots with carrot, beet, ginger and apple. It’s also a nutritious spot for breakfast (breakfast sandwiches, vegan burritos, Dude’s Donuts) and lunch (grain bowls, vegan soups, paninis). Open Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Online ordering and local delivery available.
WATER FROM WINE - TACOMA
▪ 1704 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, waterfromwine.org
Another winery tasting room has opened in Tacoma, this one by the nonprofit Water from Wine, which has locations in Leavenworth and Paterson, about 25 miles south of Prosser along the Columbia River. The entirety of proceeds from sales of Horse Heaven Hills cabernet sauvignon and rosé support organizations working to ensure equitable access to clean water around the world. The downtown Tacoma space debuted in late October next to Zeeks Pizza. Open Sunday-Wednesday noon-8 p.m., Thursday-Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
EBONY & IVORY COFFEE
▪ 1145 Broadway, Tacoma, 253-292-9442, ebonyandivorycoffee.com
Located in a great expanse of the revamped Tacoma Centre, this coffee shop supplies downtown with a spacious zone for a pick-me-up or a work meeting. Ebony and Ivory also has shops in Federal Way and Lacey. There’s plenty of seating at high-top tables and living-room lounge areas separated by tall curtains for privacy, all with ample natural light through floor-to-ceiling windows. Guests can also take advantage of a quiet room in an old bank vault. On a mezzanine is a baby grand piano, all of which has the makings of a post-conference happy hour. From the counter, owners Kennon and Makenzie Maurer also serve beer and wine. Open weekdays at 7 a.m. and weekends at 8 a.m.
POWDER ROOM CHAMPAGNE BAR
▪ 12 N. Tacoma Ave., Tacoma, 253-720-1493, powderroomchampagnebar.com
The Powder Room is Tacoma’s only bar dedicated to bubbly. Cocktails are also available with a sparkling topper. Owners Kia Smith and Cameron Gilmore have redecorated the former Gilman House space with emerald green velvet chairs, ocelot wallpaper behind the bar, and Instagram-ready tables and photo opps, including a flower wall up front and a pastel-pink phone booth in the back hallway. Chef Angel Navarro serves a menu with more vegetables than most, from tempura cauliflower nuggets and steak salad to seared tuna and spinach gnocchi. Weekend brunch is a big draw, with waffle towers, cinnamon rolls and tableside drink service. Open for lunch and dinner Wednesday-Sunday, with brunch starting at 10 a.m. on weekends.
HILLTOP A GO-GO
▪ 1016 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma, instagram.com/hilltopagogo
Though Hilltop lost the very cool Zodiac Supper Club earlier this year, the neighborhood has gained a karaoke bar. Hilltop A Go-Go opened in September after many months of work on the same block as Pho King, Le-Le and Broken Spoke. There’s room to dance under disco balls and a stage if you volunteer to sing. The 21-and-up bar also offers darts, shuffle board and table games. Open Thursday-Saturday 7 p.m.-2 a.m.
MILLVILLE AT 7 SEAS - GIG HARBOR
▪ 2905 Harborview Dr. (in 7 Seas parking lot), Gig Harbor, millvilleat7seas.hrpos.heartland.us/menu
John and Alyssa Ross opened their first restaurant, Millville Pizza Co., in 2016 and brought Millhouse and The Blind Pig, a pizzeria and cocktail bar, to Tacoma in 2022. Now they also bake their unique pies from a wood-fired oven attached to a vintage blue truck parked next to the new 7 Seas taproom on the Gig Harbor waterfront. At 8 inches, they’re perfect for snacking along with an order of garlic knots with marinara to dip. Open along with the taproom daily 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
CRAFT.19 - SUMNER
▪ 1201 Main St., Sumner, 253-447-7957, craft19coffee.com
Craft.19 has returned to supplying downtown Sumner with hot coffee and satisfying crepes after more than six months on hiatus. In April, the driver of a rental car accidentally ran onto the curb and damaged the building on the corner of Main and Ryan, known for its “live like the mountain is out” mural. The space has been remodeled a bit with more seating — all the better to enjoy a Nutella and banana crepe or perhaps a savory version with spinach and pesto. Pair with a seasonal latte like the autumn spice apricot or the blackberry bergamot. Open daily 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
GEORGE’S BONNEY LAKE TAVERN
▪ 18212 Route 410, Bonney Lake, 253-402-4258, georgesblt.net
Almost two years in the making, the new incarnation of BLT has finally arrived. The owner of Al Lago at Lake Tapps, George Filiss, has reinvigorated this old dive. It’s been wholly remodeled, with a big new bar, round leather booths and a menu overhaul to boot. (They kept the hand-painted BLT Sports Bar sign.) The menu has been updated accordingly, with salads including a Caesar and wedge joining snacks like warm olives, fried pickles and parmesan-truffle fries. Pizzas ($11-$26), burgers and sandwiches ($13-$18) round things out. A cocktail list includes a margarita, sazerac, smoked old fashioned and a marionberry martini. Look for weekend breakfast to start soon, 9 a.m.-noon. Open daily at 11 a.m.
SOL BOBA - MILTON
▪ 900 Meridian Ave. E., Milton, solboba.com
One of the region’s best bubble tea shops has opened a second location, expanding from its first in Lakewood to a second in Edgewood, in the same plaza as Safeway and The Mill Steakhouse. Classic milk teas meet specialties like the dalgona latte (with coffee foam), ube latte (available with freshly brewed Olympia Coffee espresso) and various fruit teas. Add tapioca pearls, star-shaped jellies and more. Open Wednesday-Monday at 11 a.m. and Sunday at noon (closed Tuesdays).
This story was originally published November 27, 2023 at 5:30 AM.