A new family-friendly diner slid into White Center last month.
With its ski lodge decor – think vintage wallpaper, collections of outdoor gear, memorabilia, and a ski chair-turned-bench from Snoqualmie Pass, the Alpine Diner & Bar is the new kid in a family-owned business that includes the popular red-upholstered Lost Lake Café on Seattle’s Capitol Hill and five Big Mario’s Pizza locations.
Readying to open at Alpine Diner & Bar. Photo courtesy Alpine Diner & Bar Instagram
So what’s on the menu? A whole lot of American classics with new kid twists.
Alpine offers most of the dishes that define the American diner. On the breakfast menu, you’ll find biscuits and gravy to country fried steak, pancakes, corned beef hash, a bunch of versions of eggs Benedict, and some restaurant originals. For dinner, it’s like heading to your favorite grandmother’s house: pot roast, mac and cheese, burgers and grills on the dinner menu.
I recently went in to check out the pot roast in a fit of nostalgia. It’s not my favorite dish, given that I teeter on the edge of full vegetarianism. But I have awfully fond memories of gathering around the smell of a roast at my grandparents’ house when I was young and later bringing my own family over to enjoy the same meal — caramel crisped roast, mashed potatoes, a sea of gravy and dill butter carrots. My grandma was convinced I was starving my then-husband of protein. She’s watch him worriedly as he dished up thirds with a satisfied smile. Later, usually in kitchen, she’d whisper no very quietly: “A man needs a pot roast now and then! You need to bring him over more often.”
Alpine’s roast would more than satisfy my ex-husband and son, who inherited his dad’s carnivorous tastes. As for me, it wasn’t Grandma Julie’s pot roast, but it was pretty darn tasty to a mom who hasn’t eaten roast in the 15 years since her grandmother died. Hat’s off to the chef.
Did I mention the sharables? There are several places to find good poutine (look it up!) in Seattle but Alpine’s gets some stars. Kids will love the tater tots, and other cozy comfort foods. Most regular meals run between $11.99 and $16.99 and the eatery offers a list of adult libations.
Alpine Diner’s kids menu includes pancakes, French toast both at $5.99, and something called the “Kid’s Morning Special” ($6.99). Lunch or dinner kids fare runs the same price with a few low-cost sides.
Photo courtesy Alpine Diner & Bar Instagram
After you tuck into your meal, duck into Alpine’s cozy, lodge-themed game room for a round of ski ball, pinball, darts, and, soon, billiards. A large, shared patio with bocci ball and outdoor seating will open in the spring of 2024.
The diner is located at 9625 16th Avenue SW and is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
