I tend to be indecisive when it comes to making choices at a restaurant so tapas and small plates-type joints are appealing. Enter Cicchetti, a Mediterranean-style eatery and bar in Seattle’s Eastlake neighborhood. In addition to the lovely bar on the first floor, the restaurant also features a beautiful loft above, with impressive views of Lake Union.
The menu often features a wide range of Mediterranean flavors and influences with everything from Italian to Lebanese, to Moroccan to Greek. As the restaurant models itself after the Venetian “cicchetti/aperitivo” or happy hour, you’d be remiss to pass up a cocktail or glass of wine here. They offer an intriguing list of craft cocktails that mirror the food’s Mediterranean slant, and even offer house-made tinctures such as fenugreek-saffron and ginger.
And if you’re after more than just a night of great food and drink, consider one of Cicchetti’s monthly cooking and cocktail classes. The photo above is from their “Secrets of Gin” class where I not only learned about one of my favorite spirits, but I also got to indulge in their expertly paired small plates that complemented the cocktails. Buon appetito!