Here's what is replacing Heritage Distilling in downtown Gig Harbor
It wasn’t going to be empty for long.
A new business will take over the piece of downtown Gig Harbor real-estate formerly occupied by Heritage Distilling Co., which closed its tasting rooms at the end of last year.
Picture European-style coffee, warm sandwiches and croissants and scones. The Midway, a new bakery, deli and market from Morso Bistro owner Trish Huff, will open its doors by the summer of 2026.
“By day, The Midway will operate as a bustling bakery, classic European espresso bar, and lunch-forward deli offering fresh breads, pastries, sandwiches, soups, and salads made daily, along with an assortment of cookies, cakes, and other sweet treats,” a press release said. “As the day unfolds, the experience will naturally shift into an inviting afternoon and early evening atmosphere with simple bites and a curated beer and wine selection — encouraging guests to slow down, stay awhile, and connect.”
The target atmosphere for the business is “approachable, high-quality, small-town casual — not pretentious, but special,” according to written notes Huff shared with The News Tribune. She said it will be “totally different” in concept from Morso Bistro, a restaurant, market and wine bar at 9014 Peacock Hill Ave. Morso, which she opened in 2020, isn’t changing and will continue serving customers as usual, Huff said.
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The spot at 3118 Harborview Dr. hosted Heritage Distilling Co.’s whiskey tasting room for over a decade, before the business shifted to focus on other priorities such as their partnerships with Native American tribes and forays into cryptocurrency.
Huff described The Midway as a “cross between a New York deli, an Italian coffee shop” and a European market. It will be order-at-the-counter style, rather than a sit-down restaurant, with plenty of grab-and-go options but also spots to sit and chat.
“I’ve been looking for this space in downtown Gig Harbor for probably 15 years,” Huff, 52, said in an interview with The News Tribune. “And the perfect space just opened up. It’s, to me, the most beautiful building in the downtown.”
Gig Harbor-born brother and sister will run new eatery
The Midway’s name hearkens back to a piece of Gig Harbor history, according to Huff. The first school in Gig Harbor was midway between the bay of Gig Harbor and Wollochet Bay, and Huff said her bus stop was right by it. The name also honors her mother, who was a schoolteacher, she said.
Huff and her brother, Nick Hosea, will head the new establishment. Hosea, 48, is a chef who “spent his entire career working in kitchens throughout Seattle, New York and Barcelona,” where he currently resides, said Huff.
The two attended culinary school and became classically-trained chefs in Seattle. Huff went on to work in restaurant management and then the wine business, where she became a sommelier (a trained wine professional), she continued.
“I’m looking forward to having the adventure and working side-by-side with my brother,” Huff said. “I think we have very complementary talents within the hospitality industry, in the culinary world.”
Bakery-deli-market will have ‘European vibe’
The Midway will bring a different kind of energy to Heritage Distilling’s former tasting room.
The new space will likely be a little brighter, with more daylight, and “lots of fresh, beautiful food,” Huff said. She also envisions what she described as a “European vibe,” which she described as a place with “that bustle and the buzz,” curated goods and fresh and local ingredients.
The menu, as described in Huff’s concept notes, has something for everyone: coffee, juices and smoothies; signature breads such as sourdough and rustic loaves; pastries and treats; sandwiches, soups and salads; charcuterie bites; curated wine and beer options and more. The market-side of the eatery will offer items like local jams, snacks, “picnic essentials” and other items.
The business plans to support local food vendors by creating a space to sell their goods, she told The News Tribune: Think farmers market vendors selling items like “fresh homemade pastas or honeys or jams,” which The Midway could carry.
“At its heart, The Midway is about community,” Huff said in the press release. “Fresh food, friendly faces, and a place where people feel comfortable stopping in for a few minutes or a few hours. It’s about creating somewhere people can return to throughout the day — whether that’s for coffee, grabbing a quick bite, or meeting friends for a drink after work.”
This story was originally published January 19, 2026 at 11:00 AM.
