Here's a closer look at Seattle's newest eateries, drinking spots, hotels, conference areas, private rooms, and other spaces available for events this summer. The new and renovated Seattle-area venues are available for corporate parties, weddings, fundraisers, outdoor functions, business dinners, team-building activities, conferences, meetings, and more.
Populus Seattle
Eco-focused Populus Hotels opened Populus Seattle in May, a 120-room "carbon positive" boutique hotel that boasts Pioneer Square’s first and only rooftop bar. Housed within a historic building reimagined by design firm The Miller Hull Partnership, a stunning skylight runs from the lobby through the roof, allowing for plenty of natural light for the hotel's collection of greenery, including tropical plants and a multistory moss wall. The design centers around raw woods, forged steel, organic lines, and an art collection with more than 300 pieces. Two event spaces flank the lobby: The Library (not yet officially open) and The Art Room, which can accommodate 60 guests for standing receptions. The hotel's Salt Harvest restaurant serves fare from the Pacific Northwest and includes two private dining rooms, while its rooftop bar, Firn, serves craft cocktails and snacks like pimento cheese profiteroles.
Photo: Ric Stovall
The Edgewater Hotel
Seattle's only over-water hotel, The Edgewater Hotel, unveiled a new look in April, thanks to a refreshed design within its guest rooms and designated public spaces as well as significant landscaping upgrades. This circa-1962 waterfront hotel is a city landmark for both its unobstructed views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains and for its famous guests, having hosted everyone from The Beatles to Eddie Vedder. The new guest rooms now feature portraits from legendary musicians, along with Frette linens, new drapery and throw pillows, and Adirondack lounge chairs. The lobby and Six Seven Lounge now channel a woodsy aesthetic via new brown saddle leather couches and brown leather dining chairs, black boucle and green velvet lounge chairs, and industrial wood and metal tables.
Photo: Courtesy of The Edgewater Hotel
La Loba
A Spanish restaurant helmed by a high-profile chef opened within the new 1 Hotel Seattle in May. Barcelona native and James Beard Award finalist chef Oscar Amador Edo's La Loba reinterprets tapas through the lens of the ingredients of the Pacific Northwest. Cold tapas include a salmon candy smoked montadito (a Spanish take on an open-faced sandwich) and 30-day dry-aged striploin carpaccio with puffed bread, goat cheese, and black truffle vinaigrette. The dining room incorporates greenery and plenty of wood, channeling 1 Hotel Seattle's ecological bent. A private dining room at La Loba seats 14, while a bar seats 11, and the dining room seats 150 at tables. The maximum capacity for standing guests is 160, though the space is primarily designed for seated experiences.
Photo: Mikkel Vang
The Cove
South Lake's new wine bar and event space with a waterfront view opened in June from local family-owned beverage company Ackley Brands. The Cove celebrates Pacific Northwest wines, along with sips from California and beyond, while local craft beers, wine slushies, and dishes like truffle mushroom flatbread round out the menu. The 4,000-square-foot space is decorated with a white tile bar with backlit arches, and an outdoor deck along the public promenade offers grand views. The total standing capacity for indoor and outdoor spaces together is 200 guests, while the indoor standing capacity is 150, and the outdoor standing capacity is 50. Indoor events can seat 96, and outdoor events can seat 42. A private room with AV capabilities can host eight, while the bar can accommodate 20.
Photo: Ellie Arciaga Lillstrom
Museum of Pop Culture
Seattle's Museum of Pop Culture is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and the futuristic, Frank O. Gehry-designed museum celebrated by unveiling a full-service restaurant called The Lounge. This upstairs space boasts soaring ceilings and art from the museum's collection. The menu begins with small bites that can be paired with cocktails, like tempura squash blossoms or smoked salmon mousse, and includes entrees like vegan "steak" au poivre or a burger accented with truffled cheese and bone marrow butter. The Lounge is available for private events, accommodating 110 for reception-style events and from 60 to 77 for seated events, depending on setup needs.
Photo: Courtesy of Museum of Pop Culture
Karoo Cafe
A cafe inspired by South African culture serves up coffee and cocktails in downtown Seattle’s historic Butterworth building. Karoo Cafe opened last October, and owner and South African native Olivia Vermaak also recently opened a wellness center called Protea Yoga upstairs, with both venues available for private events. The colorful decor includes prints depicting animals like leopards and zebras in addition to motifs of ostrich feathers. South African wines and spirits join food from the region on the menu, like peri-peri chicken skewers, vegetarian samosas, and beef pies. Karoo Cafe is available for private events for up to 120 standing guests.
Photo: Courtesy of Karoo Cafe
