Thrive Pacific NW To Replace Alameda Café After 30+ Years In Business

The Alameda Café closed this year, after more than 30 years in business, including a brief stint with the former chef de cuisine of Ava Gene's, Cameron Addy. Now there's a new chef on the block, Erika Reagor. Reagor is the executive chef and owner of the Thrive Pacific NW food truck, catering service, and retail line, and she specializes in hyper-seasonal, gluten-free food inspired by her world travels.

Talking with Eater this week while painting her new interior, Reagor announced that she will bring family-friendly casual dining with counter service and a mostly never-before-seen menu to the Alameda neighborhood. Thrive Pacific NW will seat 55 inside and 25 on the patio.

The restaurant will begin a prolonged soft opening on an undisclosed date in September, and the details are shaky. "We will not be showing all of our cards in September," said Reagor, "but the bowls will be the bowls." The bowls in question include the most popular bowls from The Thrive Pacific NW food truck menu, such as The Argentinian, a combo of brown rice, seasonal vegetable, chimichurri, and your choice of protein, from organic tempeh to grass-fed flank steak. The bowls will now be offered in family-style portions.

In regard to drinks, Reagor says, "We'll serve fruit and vegetable cocktails to go along with our theme," as well as beer and wine.

And the space? Reagor says it will be a vibrant, clean atmosphere with creams, oranges, and greens inspired by the restaurant's carrot logo, and she does not have any major construction planned. "It's already a wide-open space," she says, "and that's what we wanted anyway." Within its crisp colors, Thrive Pacific NW will have concrete floors, long tables made with reclaimed wood, and small benches to replace the long bench that previously dominated the dining room.

After September's prolonged soft opening, Thrive Pacific NW says it will open for real, Wednesday - Sunday, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.