(Image: @romaroma.pizza)
It will be “a Roman holiday every day” as a familiar face in the long ago Linda Derschang Capitol Hill food and drink empire returns to Seattle for his triumphant pizza return.
Roma Roma is currently under construction in the former Rachel’s Ginger Beer space below the 12th Ave Arts building.
The new project is taking shape as chef Forrest Brunton returns to the city and neighborhood where he formerly held down the kitchens at various Derschang-era joints including Oddfellows and Smith.
Derschang has since downsized as she enjoys adventures far from the drizzle of the Pacific Northwest. Brunton left the Derschang Group a decade ago to head out on his own with pop-ups and new concepts before a spin through chef-driven dining in South Carolina.
Roma Roma will mark the chef’s Capitol Hill return with an overhaul of the former Rachel’s to create a new 12th Ave and E Pine hangout with “naturally leavened,” Roman-style pizza “by the cut” and cocktails. More details are still to come — Construction permits were only issued for the new project last week.
The well-windowed layout of RGB will be a good starting point with its glass doors and sidewalk patio.
The quick changeover is also another sign holes left by an end of summer rush of shutdowns on 12th Ave shouldn’t last long.
As for Capitol Hill pizza contemporaries, Roma Roma is set to join the latest class of pie with the 2024-born Broadway joint Capitale Pizzeria and its ’round the world take on the dish. Other recent big pizza news on the Hill includes Cornelly expanding from Summit Ave to Queen Anne and the closure of celebrity chef Shota Nakajima’s Detroit meets Osaka pizza joint Kōbo.
Roma Roma is in the works at 1610 12th Ave. Follow @romaroma.pizza for updates.
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