B and I aren’t exactly spontaneous people. It’s not that we don’t enjoy the occasional adventure. It’s just that we find a great deal of comfort in routines that we enjoy, in looking forward to going to the places and having the experiences that we know will make us feel good. Last month, we had a pizza craving and decided to head up the hill to Via Tribunali. They have four locations, but ours is on Upper Queen Anne. We’ve been going there for years, but our visits are generally sporadic. I wouldn’t have called it a favorite so much as a place we really enjoy when we go there. Our visit in January was a little bit different, though.
Via Tribunali is a Neopolitan pizzeria. The space is long, narrow, and dark with seating both downstairs and upstairs. Dark wooden booths, tall ceilings. It’s not comfortable in the most conventional sense, but it is cozy and inviting, particularly in the dark days of Seattle winter. Not long after our first visit, we were ready to go back, so we did… and then we figured out the best seats are at the bar (though that means arriving precisely when they open since it’s tiny). We decided to make it a bi-weekly Sunday night date. Neither of us is particularly partial to Sundays (meaning we hate them), and for some reason, sitting at the bar with Noah (on of their amazing bartenders) made the prospect of going back to work on Monday that much more bearable.
As is becoming our custom, we don’t deviate from our order. Tricolore salad (arugula, cherry tomatoes, hand dipped ricotta), Lupino pizza (sweet coppa, Italian sausage, fresh mozzarella, pomodoro, basil, and grana padano), and Polpette al pomodoro (House-made veal meatballs in pomodoro, grana padano). The only variation is whether we are able to resist their tiramisu to end the meal. Noah’s cocktails are also amazing.
Via Tribunali has become a place of respite for us, a stop on the way to a stressful work week. It’s an extremely family friendly restaurant, and those tend not to be my favorites, so finding a place that’s often filled with families with kids that’s still relaxing is a testament to how great they really are. Also, you have to see their pizza boxes. I won’t tell you why. Go there and find out for yourself.
Thursday Night Bites 