The Ridgeback Cafe just opened a short time ago in the old Renick Printing space at 500 N.W. 65th St, next door to Slave to the Needle.
Owner Justin Taft said they received final permit approval from the City of Seattle at 2 p.m. and rushed to open the family-friendly cafe months after they originally intended to open.
“It feels fantastic. It’s been such a journey, but it’s been a great experience,” a very satisfied and relieved-sounding Taft said. “We’re so ultra prepared. We are so stoked.”
No stranger to the restaurant business, Taft also owns Georgetown’s well-regarded Hangar Cafe.
The cafe will be open 7 a.m. – 9 p.m., Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. on Fridays, 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. on Saturdays and 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Sundays. Taft eventually hopes to hold communal dinners on Sunday evenings.
The Ridgeback will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The menu includes crepes, waffles, sandwiches, light tapas, soups, salads, beer, wine, desserts and Stumptown Coffee. Taft says The Ridgeback (so-named because it’s on the backside of Phinney Ridge) provides a “pro-family friendly” option on a street with a lot of bars.
He’d been looking for a second location for some time and saw the “for rent” sign go up in the window the day it was posted, while he was on one of his frequent visits to The Sneakery.
You can find out more about the cafe on Ridgeback’s Facebook page.
