Brunch & Books: Oddfellows Café & Bar and Elliott Bay Book Company

Located wall-to-wall in Capitol Hill are Elliott Bay and Oddfellows—one a bookstore of some renown, the other a restaurant where lines often form out the door. Since 2002, the Burgess/Hall Group has owned both spots, which add up to a preeminent brunch-and-book duo worth anyone’s time.

To start with the restaurant: Oddfellows’ modern-brunch menu may not be overwhelmingly original, but its take on it is aboveboard. My shakshuka was flavorful, with a spicy tomato sauce serving as a foundation for the runny eggs. A handful of cilantro paired with cumin and paprika added an earthy contrast.

On the lighter side, the salmon Niçoise came served in a zesty dressing for that springy touch. The flavorful potatoes gave the salad an oomph, though the fresh, clean salmon played the lead, and rightfully so. You don’t order Niçoise if you want something hearty, after all.

Arrive early, and finding seats is not an issue—lines start forming around 10 am, so prepare for a wait if you arrive later.

For more shakshuka, check out my recipe for an Awesomeness take on it.

Elliott Bay Book Company

Next door is Elliott Bay, a bookstore that has held strong since 1973. Twenty-thousand square feet house more than hundred-and-fifty-thousand books, so set aside some time to browse the selection.

We’ve stopped by the place a good amount of times and have never had issues finding what we are looking for. They’ve even kept Norwegian copies of Knausgård’s oeuvre—respect!

You can find both places on the corner of 10th and Pine in Capitol Hill, and if you really want to combine the experiences, there is a “Little Oddfellows” coffee shop inside the bookstore.

Web Source

Elliott Bay Book Company. (2022, October 18). In Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elliott_Bay_Book_Company