TNT Diner has the scoop on restaurants, bakeries, bars looking to open in 2026

One thing on which we can all agree: the more new restaurants, cafes, bars and bakeries around Tacoma, the better.

Another year brings another promise of fresh faces to the Tacoma food and drink scene, as well as some familiar ones in new places. While several new spots have opened around town in the first few weeks of 2026, many more hope to open their doors as winter shifts to spring, and summer to fall.

It’s not scheduled to open until 2027, but TNT Diner would be remiss to neglect a nod to the incoming Uwajimaya, the awesome, family-owned Japanese supermarket that recently announced a new store in Central Tacoma.

Here’s a look at some of the most anticipated openings of the year, organized by neighborhood. There is a lot happening downtown! This list is subject to grow. Did we miss one? Email TNT Diner or message on Instagram.

In or around downtown

Wooden City

• Moving to 1102 Broadway, Tacoma, woodencitytacoma.com
• New concept planned for 714 Pacific Ave.

The perpetually busy Wooden City will move from its original location at 714 Pacific Ave. to a much bigger home at 1102 Broadway this year, hopefully by summer. At 7,000 square feet with a mezzanine, the new digs will provide the talented team — led by Jon Green, Abe Fox and Eddie Gulberg — more room in the kitchen and, for the rest of us, more seats in the dining room. The upstairs will be able to accommodate overflow and special events.

After announcing the forthcoming move in late 2024, the Wooden City owners had anticipated opening the next year, but converting an office space, in a 120-year-old building, into a full-service restaurant undoubtedly poses challenges. In addition to ducting for the brand’s signature wood-fired oven and related hoods, work has required updates to accommodate a walk-in cooler, plumbing and fire-suppression systems, according to permit filings. In recent weeks, decals have appeared on the big windows and the oven is visible in the burgeoning open kitchen.

When moving day does arrive, expect a brief transition as staff settles into the new restaurant. On Pac Ave, meanwhile, the ownership trio plan to retain that lease for a fresh, equally casual and cool bar-focused concept.

The Redd Dog Brewery

• 2302 Fawcett Ave., Tacoma, theredddog.com

The Redd Dog became Tacoma’s first U-Pour bar when it opened in 2021 on Sixth Ave. Then owners Lane and Jamie Scelzi added sister spots in Puyallup and Bellevue, where they realized that outdoor seating was essential to fulfilling the mission, in part, of pups on patios. Meanwhile, Tacoma’s Black Fleet Brewing had slipped into a subdued existence before closing last summer. The Scelzis bought the business at 2302 Fawcett Ave., where — with the help of their sons, one of whom is a brewer — they anticipate a summer opening of The Redd Dog Brewery.

Ricky’s Lounge

• 1111 Tacoma Ave. S., Tacoma, rickysloungetacoma.com

Joining a block with Chez Lafayette Creole Brasserie, Ricky’s Lounge promises a “speakeasy-style” bar with classic cocktails and, to nosh, Mexican fare. Owner Santino Telles, who is aiming for a spring debut, said the salsas won’t play around. He also plans to host live jazz, karaoke and themed nights. Tacoma Avenue South deserves some attention, from Go Philly to The Camp Bar a few blocks south and The Crafty Beaver Bar and Medzo Gelato a few blocks north.

Eternal Soul Bowl

• 767 Market St., Tacoma, eternalsoulbowls.com

Jewel Randolph has been serving acai bowls, toasts and more in the Tacoma area since 2019 — first at farmers markets and since 2022 from a Sumner cafe. Work is underway at 767 Market St., formerly a convenience store called Candy Market, to open another shop in downtown Tacoma. The menu will be similar, including energy-packed smoothies and snacks to enjoy on site or on the go. After some delays with the build-out, Randolph said in February that she’s feeling positive about a mid-to-late spring opening.

Cove’s Bakery

• 766 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, instagram.com/covescookies

Adriana Shaffer makes some darn fine cookies — all in her home kitchen. Just ask the hundreds of people who found themselves returning week after week to farmers markets in Tacoma (Broadway), Gig Harbor and Port Orchard, where the baker lives with her partner in life and business, Jaxon. Ghirardelli chocolate and Maldon sea salt take these rounds over the top, as do nostalgia-tuned flavors like Animal Cookie and Strawberry Oreo Cheesecake. Washington’s cottage-food license rules limit how much you can make and sell, which led the couple to search for a brick-and-mortar. At the new bakery, which they hope opens later this year, they will also bake a variety of banana breads and cinnamon rolls, many with fresh fruit.

Kelly’s Olympian

We know — the sign went up long ago on the corner of Rhodes Center. Is this Portland export, which promises a stage for live music and lots of television screens around a big bar, for real? It is, the developers at J Squared have assured TNT Diner. (The News Tribune rents office space from J Squared.) Construction was atwitter in 2025 until other building concerns and tenants took precedent — they also own 1102 Broadway across the street, where Wooden City is taking shape on the ground floor next to Mom’s Bistro, a popular lunch option for high-school students and downtown office folk for bagel sandwiches and bulgogi bowls. Kelly’s will open, possibly by year-end but only time will tell.

Flatstick Pub - Tacoma

• 809 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, flatstickpub.com

Flatstick Pub might not open this year, but the project is still breathing. The Seattle-based company has been working on a Tacoma venue for its eatertainment concept since 2019. It first leased the space at 809 Pacific Ave. before the COVID-19 pandemic ruined that plan. By 2024, it had reached an agreement with the family behind Learning Sprout Toy, which occupied the early-20th-century building for two decades, to purchase the property. Co-owner Andy Largent confirmed in February that Flatstick is “still hopeful” to bring the project to life, but “it’s a large and costly project.” The company closed its still-nascent Bellingham location last year. “These are challenging times for bars and restaurants and we are not immune, so we definitely are weighing our options and taking our time before jumping into such a big undertaking,” he told TNT Diner by email in February.

Outer Dark Coffee Roastery

• Court C & S. 11th Ave., Tacoma, outerdarkcoffee.com

Owner Mike Murphy turned his attention from years in the brewing business to coffee, opening his first cafe at 750 Market St. in 2024. He has been roasting carefully sourced beans at a shared facility in Auburn, from a medium roast for everyday drinking (The Feels) to single-origins that lean into the light and fruity side of things. Outer Dark will move production to a new roastery in downtown Tacoma, located technically in the Rhodes Center but through a Court C door. Meanwhile, a second Outer Dark Cafe could open in another downtown location this spring.

Stadium District

Lil Woody’s

• 29 N. Tacoma Ave., Tacoma, lilwoodys.com

Marcus Lalario is a well-known figure in Seattle’s food and fashion scene, but he had long had eyes on Tacoma, where he said he has built up a good community of fellow business owners and friends. His classic burger and shake joint Lil Woody’s should open later this year in the corner unit of 29 N. Tacoma Ave. in the Stadium District, formerly home to Harvester. Various permits have been filed (water, sewer, fire, etc.), as the rest of the historic structure — undergoing a serious renovation — will also fill in with other as-yet-undisclosed tenants.

Sixth Ave

Balloon Roof Baking Co.

• 1702 6th Ave., Tacoma, balloonroof.com

After hoping for a 2025 debut, Balloon Roof Baking Co. should open by this summer on Sixth Ave. The old It’s Greek To Me restaurant has been overhauled from top to bottom to accommodate a kitchen with ample room and high-quality ovens for the bakery’s primary goods of sourdough loaves and croissants. Co-owner Don Broyles confirmed to The News Tribune in February that they were awaiting what he hopes will be the final green-light from the health department, and from there will work to train staff and prepare for a smooth and soft opening. While there will be tables for on-site seating as well as grab-and-go-style sandwiches — on homemade bread, of course — the new storefront will focus on retail sales. They sell a load of bread just at farmers markets, so their customers are attuned to taking it home. When it lands, Tacoma can (fingers crossed) breathe a sigh of sourdough relief.

Katsu Burger

• 2805 6th Ave., Tacoma, katsuburger.com

The terminology belies the sandwiched truth of this Japanese fusion chain, which started in Seattle in the early 2010s. The owners opened locations throughout the region, as far south as Federal Way — until 2024, when they landed in Lacey. It turns out they had been exploring Tacoma, and they finally found “the one” on Sixth Ave as The Redd Dog vacated its storefront to open a full-service brewpub. Operations manager Christopher Poetter has been with the company basically from the beginning and moved to Puyallup a few years ago; he’s eager for the easy commute to Central Tacoma. After some light redecorating, Katsu Burger hopes to open this spring.

South End

Mây Buffet & Events

• 8736 S. Hosmer St., Tacoma, instagram.com/maybuffetevents

Remember Ming Palace? It’s no more. But a restaurant that purports to be the “first Vietnamese buffet in WA” is slated to take its place, according to posts on Instagram. A Dec. 31 post shows workers on ladders around arched bookshelves and doorways with gold accents, funky pendant lights, and a mixture of marble-style and Moroccan-inspired tile flooring. Attempts to reach the owners, listed as Hoan Ngyen and Lang Tran on state business filings dating to June 2025, have so far been unsuccessful. Social media posts indicate a hopeful 2026 opening with a broad menu of Vietnamese dishes, including seafood, as well as “party rooms.”

Chicago’s Pizza Kitchen

• 1305 S. 56th St., Tacoma, chicagospizzakitchenwa.com

Former Chicagoan David Noble opened a pizza restaurant in University Place in 2024. In January, a banner went up outside 1305 S. 56th St. — an address once home to a saloon that, in 2023, was caught in a drug bust. Its next chapter: deep-dish pizzeria. A real sign with white lettering has since appeared. Noble did not immediately respond to a request for comment on a timeline for the South End restaurant. One of the only choices for independent pizza in this neighborhood, Spud’s Pizza Parlor, has been closed since last summer after a kitchen fire.

South Tacoma

Tausi Restaurant & Lounge

• 5231 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma, instagram.com/tausi_restaurant_and_lounge

Tausi has been teased for more than a year on Instagram and Facebook, with photos of Kenyan and other African dishes, including mandazi (puffed, fried bread), beef sausage and chapati (unleavened flatbread), intermingled with posts of crème brûlée and halal gyros. Owner Joseph Okoth responded to a message last August, hoping he would have a better sense of a timeline “soon.” He later posted that the restaurant would open in November, but it hasn’t. A video shared Nov. 13 shows what appears to be a largely complete new dining room with orange walls and mustard-yellow booths. Okoth did not immediately respond to requests for comment on an updated timeline.

New Tacoma Mall restaurants

• Tacoma Mall, 4502 S. Steele St., Tacoma, simon.com/mall/tacoma-mall

Tacoma Mall is on a hot streak when it comes to new restaurants. Taco Street recently opened in the food court, while Shake Shack and Dave’s Hot Chicken hit the ground running with crowds at the new Village expansion. A few additional restaurants and cafes are anticipated to open this year, including Simply Thai and Gong Cha, a bubble tea shop.

On the high end of the heck-yeah scale, Supreme Dumpling, known in part for xiao long bao, has made waves in Bellevue and will add a location at Tacoma Mall. Happy Lamb Hot Pot, which markets a “6-hour bone broth” with dipping in sauces an unnecessary step, will also head to Pierce County for the first time. The chain has several restaurants around Seattle, Portland and Vancouver, B.C.

Gig Harbor

The Midway by Morso Bistro

• 3118 Harborview Dr., Gig Harbor, morsobistro.com

When Heritage Distilling Co. closed its tasting rooms at the end of last year, the waterfront location in Gig Harbor immediately felt like prime real estate. Soon after, Trish Huff, the owner of Morso Bistro on the north side of the harbor, announced she would open a bakery, deli and coffee bar called The Midway. By night it will slip into a casual lounge atmosphere (still counter-service) with beer, wine and small bites. Her brother, chef Nick Hosea, will lead the new project, which they hope will arrive by summer.

This story was originally published February 20, 2026 at 5:00 AM.