Checking out Seattle's newest waterfront restaurant

August 21, 2022

Checking out Seattle's newest waterfront restaurant | Salt District

A Bayside Bellini from Salt District. Cheers to summertime on the Seattle Waterfront.

Located on Seattle's historic pier 55 is Salt District. They opened in late May of this year. They're an Italian spot that took over the space that used to be Red Robin. I have a ton of memories of it being Red Robin and even worked there one summer in my early twenties.

I was curious to see it as a different restaurant. Salt District calls refers to their cuisine as "Casual Italian". They serve classic Italian dishes and craft cocktails. I found the prices to be on the steeper side, so this spot is best suited for a special occasion or bringing out of town guests. Salt District seems to be geared toward visitors since they're located right on the Seattle waterfront.

We went for a cocktail and appetizers. It was a hot day and we were seated on the patio, with views of Elliott Bay, the Seattle Great Wheel, the ferries, and the Argosy cruise boats. Not a bad view at all to accompany some cocktails and snacks. I sipped a Bayside Bellini. This summery and pretty drink had Vodka, nonino aperitivo, peach, lemon, and Prosecco. My husband's drink was called The Usual which had rittenhouse rye, amoro nardini, demerara, and cardamom bitters.

My son had a lemonade, and we were shocked by the $7 price. They also add a 20% gratuity to each check. The four of us shared some Focaccia Bread which came with whipped lardo and garlic herbed balsamic and olive oil. The bread was a little hard but had good flavor. We also shared a cheese board which had several types of cheese, veggies, cherries, honeycomb, and bread. It was an interesting assortment of bites on the board, but the cheese tasted really fresh.

The menu we received seemed smaller than the one online, but that could have been because it was late afternoon when we dined. Their interior was dim and classy, and quite a contrast to the former Red Robin space. The staff was friendly, and the service was upscale and accommodating. This would be a great spot to watch the sunset and have some drinks with friends on the waterfront!