Coffee, Creole, ice cream: New restaurants, cafes to explore around Tacoma, Pierce Co.

Can the PNW be caffeinated? Tacoma thinks not, as one veteran coffee roaster has expanded and another has gotten its start. In three anticipated openings, downtown finally welcomed the highly anticipated “Creole brasserie,” The waterfront gained Woven and Burger Seoul is back. In East Pierce County, the family behind a local dairy farm introduced the initial stages of their dairy market concept, beginning with super-fresh soft-serve.

Earlier this summer, the South Sound welcomed fresh digs for sushi, smashburgers, Cajun and Indian. Here’s a recap of recently opened restaurants in and around Tacoma. CHEZ LAFAYETTE 1101 Tacoma Ave.



S, Tacoma, 253-408-7037, One of the most anticipated restaurants of the year, quietly in July, bringing a wonderful whisper of New Orleans-meets-French brasserie vibes to downtown Tacoma. (This nook of downtown is gaining traction, as a plans a fall debut.) Don’t miss the fried appetizers — catfish, oysters, okra — and the standout house salad with gem lettuce, radicchio, frisée and toasted hazelnuts.

Co-owner Mikey de Alwis has also forged a great drinks program, honed through a decade at the family’s first restaurant, Bourbon Street Creole Kitchen. Open Tuesday-Saturday at noon. BURGER SEOUL 1701 Division Ave.

, Tacoma, Young La is back — this time in a full-fledged, brick-and-mortar restaurant at the cusp of Sixth Ave and Hilltop. Tacoma has been since last year, when the amiable entrepreneur was forced to leave his longtime food truck home on 19th Street. The new space boasts three flat-top grills, lots of fryer space, and a prep kitchen, with indoor and outdoor seating.

Look for new menu items like the Süperbulgogi (known to loyal fans as a special) and soon, a shrimp burger, chicken sandwich and more. He also hopes to add breakfast. Open daily at 11 a.

m. to start. ANTOJOS MEXICAN GRILL 6104 6th Ave.

, Tacoma, 253-565-0505, You might be familiar with the Antojos name through its prevalent taqueria chain, El Antojo, which also just opened a new location on Tacoma Mall Boulevard. This has more space and, following a remodel this spring, a bigger bar. At happy hour, snag 2-for-1 tacos deals, half-off the house burrito and lots of drink specials.

Open Monday-Saturday at 11 a.m. and Sunday at 10 a.

m., with service until 11 p.m.

on weeknights and midnight on weekends. BLUEBEARD COFFEE STW 5428 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma, Roasting since 2011 in tight quarters on Sixth Avenue, for a couple of years. Signage finally emerged earlier this year and in July, the doors and windows rolled up for espresso a-plenty.

Owner Kevin McGlocklin is especially excited about being part of this growing nook of creative businesses in the heart of South Tacoma — among them, Howdy Bagel, The Church Cantina, Airport Tavern, and Hive Co., with more actively in the works. Open Tuesday-Sunday 8 a.

m.-3 p.m.

Note that the Sixth Avenue shop remains alive and well! OUTER DARK COFFEE 750 Market St., Tacoma, 253-327-1388, Downtown Tacoma has plenty of coffee shops, you might say, but it didn’t have a roaster-owned option. under TractionSpace and next to Cider and Cedar in early July.

hopes to find a space that can accommodate roasting in town (harder than it might seem due to the necessary ventilation). The cafe is simultaneously dark and mysterious but sunny and cheerful, with high ceilings, bright yellow chairs and big windows. Open weekdays 7 a.

m.-4 p.m.

and Saturday 8 a.m.-2 p.

m. MT. RAINIER CREAMERY 287 Route 410, Buckley, Haylee and Ryan Mensonides are part of a dwindling number of dairy farms on the Enumclaw plateau, an area that once was home to dozens.

They started their Buckley farm in 2012, and this summer introduced the first element of their new retail storefront. Whether you live nearby or are traveling through this Pierce County town near the mountain, you can now . Look for a market with eggs, milk jugs, fruit and other produce this fall.

Get ice cream Friday-Sunday, noon-6 p.m. CAMP BAR 1310 Tacoma Ave.

S, Tacoma, 253-267-5075, Not a new bar, but , which reopened in early July. Brothers Mike and Matt Murray with their friend, Dean Smith-Richard, are continuing the popular Friday and Saturday karaoke nights. There’s also Bingo, trivia a.

k.a “pub quiz” and all-day happy hour every Wednesday, when drinks start at $3 and snacks at $6. MS.

JANE’S FINE DINING (AT BJ’S BINGO & GAMING) 4411 Pacific Highway E, Fife, 253-231-4434, BJ’s Bingo and Gaming welcomed Ms. Jane’s in August under the leadership of Puyallup Tribal members Shawn and Joshua Turnipseed. The name honors their grandmother, Bertha Jane.

The concept aims to celebrate indigenous and local ingredients and anticipates seasonal menu changes. Appetizers include short rib and bleu cheese mousse over crispy polenta cakes and PNW mussels with chorizo and harissa. Mains focus on meat and fish, including duck with “beets four ways” and charcoal-baked salmon.

Cocktails lean classic and wine focuses on Washington, Oregon and California. WOVEN SEAFOOD & CHOPHOUSE 3017 Ruston Way, Tacoma, 253-650-9500, The Puyallup Tribe of Indians’ exciting endeavor with celebrity chef Roy Yamaguchi and executive chef Dexter Mina joined Ruston Way in July. The space boasts a wood-fired grill, two decks, a vast dining room and a large open kitchen.

Reservations are recommended, but the bar and lounge is first-come, first-served. Staff seats the tables on the bar side of the space, which also offer awesome views of the bay. in July and spoke with the chefs about what it means to bring this indigenous-led concept to Tacoma.

THE BLIND PIG 2515 N Proctor St., Tacoma, Millhouse and The Blind Pig have dropped the Millhouse. John and Alyssa Ross, also behind Millville Pizza Co.

in Gig Harbor, in 2022 — an all-ages restaurant on one side and a cocktail bar (with the same available pizza, salads and panuozzos) on the other. They carved out a doorway to blend the two spaces together. It’s now fully 21-and-up, with a concerted focus on craft cocktails, affordable wines, local beers and their thin-crust, drink-friendly pizza.

SIG BREWING STW 5419 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma, Talented brewer Jeff Stokes has been fermenting the good stuff on Tacoma Avenue South near the Brewery District since 2020. There, you can also find top-notch Neapolitan-style pizzas and fun, snackable plates. The new brings the same beer to a new neighborhood.

Outside food welcome, or order a Radnor’s smashburger at your table, and staff next door will deliver it straight to you in a brown paper bag. Score a taste of the Tacoma Beer Week special Almond Roca cream ale before it’s gone! Open Wednesday-Friday at 4 p.m.

and Saturday-Sunday at noon..