Brendan McGill’s Hitchcock Restaurant Group to open Seattle trattoria and pizzeria

Hitchcock Restaurant Group recently announced the opening of Bar Solea, a brainchild of chef and founder Brendan McGill, who says it was inspired by his love for Italian cuisine.

Featuring what McGill called “thoughtful and comfortable food,” the 2,200-square-foot restaurant will be located in the historic 23-story Exchange building in Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighborhood at the corner of First Avenue and Marion St. that until recently was Bar Taglio. Its scheduled opening date is Nov. 1.

On the menu is “Neo-Neapolitan” pizza as well as a full menu of classic Italian food. The bar will focus on Italian wines and cocktails inspired by the country.

McGill said calling his pizza Neo-Neapolitan “breaks from the rules of tradition,” and gives him room to play with different dough-making techniques and to use locally grown and milled grains.

He said the dough will have higher hydration levels than traditional Neapolitan dough and will be fermented for 72 hours, hand-stretched and fired at 800°F. Some pizza options will include Marinara Pomodoro with garlic, olive oil, and mediterranean oregano, as well as a Margherita Pomodoro, with fior di latte mozzarella, basil, grana padano cheese, and olive oil.

Also on the menu will be antipasti choices such as the albacore crudo with cioggia beets, olives, pickled red onion, parsley oil, and lemon zest, as well as insalata tonno with preserved tuna, heirloom chicories, burnt almonds, Castelvetrano olives, new potatoes, lemon, olive oil, and oregano.

Among the entrées will be rabbit legs, and rockfish as well as more standard fare.

Chef de Cuisine Joseph Walter will be running the kitchen. Most recently he was at Bruciato on Bainbridge Island, Wash. Pete Stalvey, who was bar manager at Bar Taglio, will keep that position at the new restaurant.

Cocktails will include Negronis on tap as well as a selection of spritzes and other cocktails. Bar Solea’s wine list will showcase the portfolio of sibling wine importing company Solea USA, as well as organic and boutique producers of Italian wine.