Toulouse Petit – Queen Anne
Recommended by: Our server at The Hi-Life, a recent transplant to Seattle, was really friendly and engaging. She tried to give suggestions on where some of her favorite restaurants in Seattle were, but she was so new to the area that she hadn’t gone to a lot of places and the ones she suggested, we’d already been to. She actually went to the co-worker who suggested Toulouse Petit.
Description on the Toulouse Petit’s website: Toulouse Petit brings the Big Easy to Seattle. Located in Lower Queen Anne, It’s known for having Seattle’s favorite happy hour, New Orleans and cajun creole cuisine, and an amazing cocktail list. Its texturally rich and intricate décor and the general desire to deliver the various possibilities of dining, drinking and adult escapism to others leaves everyone better off for having had the experience.
Neighborhood/Type: Queen Anne
Address: 601 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
What we ate/drank: Spicy Creole Andouille Hash- Potatoes, tasso, housemade Andouille sausage, mama lil’s peppers and tomato confit. Cured Pork Cheeks Confit Hash, Spicy Shrimp Creole & Eggs over Creamy Grits. Chicken Fried Chicken w/Spicy Creole Sausage Gravy. Two eggs, homemade buttermilk biscuit
Comment: Toulouse Petit claims to be Seattle’s Premier and Most Visited Brunch for the Past Ten Years. We’ve got to admit it’s hard to argue. For us, it’s just such a difficult place to get to on weekday mornings being in lower Queen Anne and it’s always packed on the weekend. But once you get there, they have such a huge variety of dishes and interesting things to try, that you could go here every week and still try something new each week. Besides their claim mentioned above, they also have a few other accolades:
- Their Cured Carlton Farms Pork Cheeks Confit Hash was featured on Food Networks’s “The Best Thing I Ever Ate”.
- 2012 Trip Advisor Traveler’s Choice Award – 5th Favorite Restaurant in the US
- 2012 Trip Advisor Traveler’s Choice Award – 10th Favorite Restaurant in the world
Yes, you read that right – 10th Favorite Restaurant in the world! Toulouse Petit specializes in Creole food.
Unlike most Seattle brunch places, Toulouse Petit is open early every day(not just weekends). There’s even a happy hour breakfast from 8-11 on weekdays and a 10pm-1am late night happy hour every day including the weekends. We’ve mainly been to Toulouse Petit for the brunches, but their dinners are equally delicious. The space is huge by Seattle standards.
The tables in the booths have really intricate details as does the tiling on the floor. And you can’t ignore the ornate lighting and 270 candles on the wall, which makes for some romantic dinners. Large windows let in as much light as possible, but certain areas of Toulouse Petit are dark due to it’s size.
One nice touch about Toulouse Petit is if you order coffee, they will give you a French press and a warmed up coffee mug. I love this. No need to request refills. The menu has so many interesting choices. The best way to try a variety is to get a group of friends and order family style so you can get a taste of multiple dishes. For this visit we got the four dishes below:
Spicy Shrimp Creole & Eggs over Creamy Grits. Score: (5.0/5.0)
This is not a your normal greasy spoon diner and prices are on the higher side for brunch, which is why you should really try to go during the weekday happy hour. It made many of the dish prices go from $17 to $12. Toulouse Petit is not a place I’d suggest to friends on a struggling artist’s income, but it really is an out-of-the-ordinary spot that stands out in Seattle and appropriate for special occasions or impressing out-of-towners. It’s not like anyplace else in Seattle. In fact, if you were blind folded and dropped inside, you’d have no idea you were in Seattle.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 5.00
Service: 5.00
Food/Drinks: 4.75
Bang for the Buck: 4.50
Overall: 4.80
Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.
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- Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
- Most locals know about it
- Locals “in the know” know about it
- Only those who live close by know about it.
- You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!
Servers recommendations to visit in the future: Our server, Angela(?) suggested Portage Bay Cafe as having really delicious locally sourced brunches.
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