Lil Woody’s Just Opened a Fifth Location That’s Also an Italian Restaurant

The interior of the Darkalino’s/Lil Woody’s in Green Lake.

Do you like your burger chains with a side of Italian restaurant? Well then, you’re going to want to rollerblade on down to the mirco-neighborhood of Tangletown (between Green Lake and Wallingford), where the fifth location of beloved local chainlet Lil Woody’s opened this week. What’s especially notable about that is the space will also house the second location of Darkalino’s, a well-regarded Italian restaurant that opened last year in Pioneer Square.

Both restaurants are owned by Marcus Lalario, a finger-in-every-pie entrepreneur who has dabbled in everything from music (he used to manage Band of Horses) to socks (he’s co-owner of the brand Arvin Goods). Lalario also owns Fat’s Chicken and Waffles, Ciudad, and Mezzanotte, but Lil Woody’s may still be his most recognizable restaurant property, a strong local brand that is known for its rotating burger specials.

Darkalino’s and Lil Woody’s will each have “their own branded identity and entrance,” Lalario said in a statement, but “guests will be able to bring their burger over to Darkalino’s to join their friends who want a focaccia sandwich alongside an Italian-inspired cocktail or glass of wine.”

Join us right now for the rest of the news of the week:

A tiny new bar is coming to Capitol Hill

Kate Opatz, owner of La Dive, Rich Rich, Montana, etc., has a new project in the works. Called Laurel (named for Opatz’s mother), this is a tiny bar and all-day cafe that will occupy the space where Crumble and Flake bakery used to be on Olive Way, according to Capitol Hill Seattle Blog. Opatz says she’s shooting for an October opening date.

Which pizza reigns supreme?

Everyone loves brackets and ranking things, so kudos to The Seattle Times for putting together what it calls The Seattle Times Pizza Smackdown, where readers can vote on head-to-head matchups in a bracket of 32 pizzerias and pizza chains. Contestants range from chains like Paggliacci’s to independent spots like Bar del Corso. Follow that link to vote.

Seattle restaurants get green spotlight

Next month the Bloomberg Green Festival, a climate- and sustainability-focused conference, is coming to Seattle. It will be highlighting several local restaurants and bars for their sustainable practices, including the local sourcing legends at Driftwood, the plant-based bar Life on Mars, and cocktail mainstay Rob Roy, which is hosting a sustainable cocktail class. For a list of retaurants and bars taking part in the Bloomberg Green Festival, go here.