Keeping it Fresh

Staple & Fancy serves up an ever-changing, Italian-inspired menu in Ballard

In the quiet Seattle neighborhood of Ballard lies Staple & Fancy, Chef Ethan Stowell’s elegant, yet understated restaurant. It boasts one of the freshest menus in Seattle, focused on simple, Italian-inspired food. The menu has a variety of local favorites, but it’s most famous for its tasting menu.

“At Staple & Fancy, you’ll really have two different menus here,” said Stowell. “One is the A La Carte menu, we call that our staple menu, and then the other one we call the fancy menu. It’s essentially a chef’s menu, but you just don’t know what you’re going to get there.”

Diners are sure to be pleased with the restaurant’s ever-changing menu, which features seasonal local ingredients.

“We go to the farmers market and get what we get, and that’s what we serve,” said Stowell. “We do it because it’s the best in the world, what we have here. It’s the forage things, it’s the wild edible stuff, it’s the shellfish, it’s the salmon, obviously, and halibut. It’s a real pleasure to be able to work with the products that are naturally that great. It makes my job a whole lot easier. The customers are happy, and they love it, and people want to know, they want to feel like they’re taken care of. I think that’s something that our menu really addresses.”

And they wouldn’t be an Italian restaurant without a thoughtful wine list that includes both old and new world selections. Don’t miss the opportunity to eat at one of the state’s best restaurants this season!