Sitka and Spruce

You’ll want to arrive early at Sitka & Spruce to allow time for browsing the other shops inside Melrose Market: Calf and Kid’s artisanal cheeses, Rain Shadow Meats’ sausages and steaks, Glasswing’s home decor, and Marigold & Mint’s fresh flowers. At Sitka & Spruce, chef Matthew Dillon features a rotating menu of hyper-local Northwest cuisine in shareable small plates and mains. The artfully arranged charcuterie platter is a must-try, and don’t skip the bread — the Columbia City sourdough loaf with whipped butter is a local favorite. Just want a snack? Try Bar Ferd’nand next door, also co-owned by Dillon, for a glass of wine and simple bar snacks, or take home a bottle.

The menu at Sitka & Spruce is seasonal and hyper-local, presented as shareable small plates. Think dishes like roasted broccoli, anchovies, pickled seaweed, dill and breadcrumbs; or king salmon, Saskatoon berries, turnips and kohlrabi broth. Don’t skip the bread—the Columbia City sourdough loaf with whipped butter is a local favorite.

A dash of London style; hints of Scandinavia; a generous dollop of Seattle cool: Sitka & Spruce brims with gastronomic oeuvres that demonstrate that good things happen when fresh, high-quality ingredients intersect with meticulous preparation. Sitka & Spruce is the crux of the Matt Dillon empire. There are many culinary empires in Seattle (see e.g., Tom Douglas) but Mr. Dillon’s might be the most apropos to Seattle. Each vegetable-centric dish is beautifully plated to showcase the local products. Radishes with whipped butter and trout roe; fermented celery and cabbage; roasted beets with elderberries; heirloom tomatoes and eggplants; lemon cucumbers with chèvre and aleppo chili: Mr. Dillon should be given considerable credit for helping me to enjoy and even appreciate vegetables I have long sought to avoid. (Perhaps this talent is from whence his James Beard Award stems.) Sitka & Spruce made me think of Denmark. There are paralleling philosophies on sourcing and preparation. The food at Sitka & Spruce is clean and fresh and simple; meant to be shared, although you might be very well tempted to not.

Have you been here? Tell us about it below!