This is definitely a local hot spot, and lots of artsy folk as well, but the food and drinks don’t disappoint, which makes for a nice experience.
It is a very urban type of restaurant, with lots of young hipsters, out for a casual dining experience. Capitol Cider has been opened for 3 years and is the largest cider house in the United States. All of their food is gluten free; but you really don’t know the difference.
The art on the walls is created by artists from the Aristides Atelier at Gage Academy of Art, Capitol Hill Seattle. The work celebrate a centuries-old technique known as “master-copying” under the guidance of master artist Juliette Aristides. Gageacademy.org
Here’s What I Tried:
Blistered Snap Peas, Grilled Portobello, Treviso, Harissa Aioli. Super crunchy peas with delicious accompaniments, a lovely vegetable dish.
French Onion Soup, Bacon, Bone Broth, Bread. Could be the best onion soup ever, the bone broth really does the trick.
Potato Croquettes, Ham, Gruyere, Dijonaise, and Watercress. This dish is for the potato lover, for me I would choose something else.
Charred Broccoli, Garlic, Lemon. Such a simple concept, just loved this one.
Peaches & Burrata, Almond Praline, Mint Chutney. This is a great change to typical Burrata dishes; the sweetness of the peaches alongside the Burrata is so amazing.
Pound of Clams, Chorizo, Green Garlic, GF Ale, Toast
Mains. These clams are super plump and the sausage adds great flavor to this awesome dish.
Seared Halibut, Peas, Sweet Onion Soubise, Fingerling Potatoes, Spiced Hazelnuts. The fish is cooked very tender and the hazel nuts are terrific as well.
Fish & Chips, Blackhorne Cider, True Cod, Tartar. Huge pieces of fish, with a good amount of breading, great fish and chips.
Desserts:
Buttermilk Cheesecake, almond and pecan crust, local strawberries. A delicious array of sweetness with a fresh fruit topping, I liked it very much.
Ciders on Tap:
Ace Blackjack 21- 9.0% 10.0 oz. CA, a nice effervescent cider, it’s a combo of apples and beer to me.
Snowdrift Cornice- 7.8% 12.0 oz. WA, this one is a bit stronger, it is a nice departure from beer.
Cocktails:
The Bonaire – Plantation Dark Rum, Fernet Branca, Pineapple, Lime, Ginger, Mint. This is a very tropical drink, makes you feel like your in paradise, it is a nice blend.
Wine:
La Croix Belle, Chardonnay, France, 2014. A French chardonnay, what a novel idea. I liked this wine with the Halibut.
Christopher Michael, Pinot Gris, 2014, Oregon. I would order this wine with the clams, it is fruity but adds a nice balance to the seasoning in the clam dish.
A to Z Wineworks, Pinot Noir, 2013, Oregon. I loved this one with the onion soup; it worked really well with the meat broth.
There is dark paneling, old books and period architectural elements hearken back to another time, when the distance between The Old World and The New World was measured by the time it took for a ship to sail between the two. Capitol Cider occupies two floors in a 100-year old building in the heart of Capitol Hill. At street level is their main dining room where they offer happy hour, full dining menus, late night dining and weekend brunch. Downstairs, they have two shuffleboard tables, a bookcase full of board games, a stage for live music and arts programming, a fireplace and cozy gathering space. They also have two large TVs and a 91″ pull down screen for special cultural and sporting events. The music is lively and fun with 80’s Disco playing in the background.
Both upstairs and downstairs, have a full bar and 30 taps. They curate 20 rotating taps of specialty ciders featuring regional artisanal, Spanish, English, and other American – along with an additional 10 rotating craft beers. Their bottle shop features over 120 different kinds of cider to enjoy in-house or to go. Capitol Cider also houses one of the largest collections of Calvados and other apple-based spirits in the city.
Julie the owner of Capitol Cider has been gluten free for more than fifteen years; she had digestive issues and figured out that wheat (gluten) was the culprit. Both of her kids were also diagnosed w/ gluten intolerance. At Capitol Cider they love the challenge of developing a delicious menu, with its fresh take on old favorites, while being 100% (naturally) gluten-free. They keep careful track of all of their ingredients, so they’re able to cater to other food sensitivities as well. Perhaps as the result of food engineering or the wheat varieties that are currently being utilized, or perhaps because of the out sized proportion of wheat in the American diet, more and more people are discovering that limiting gluten intake or avoiding it altogether can result in an overall improvement in health and well-being.
This food is very delicious, inventive, and the fact that it’s healthy and gluten free is an added bonus. It has a gastro pub type of vibe, only with Cider’s instead of beer. It’s really worth trying!
Capitol Cider
818 E. Pike Street
Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 397-3564
http://capitolcider.com
*note some of the content was taken right off of the website.