New Gig Harbor eats include fresh seafood stews in minutes, top-tier pastries and Mexican ‘pizza’

Kristine Sherred

That fast-casual seafood restaurant has turned up the kettles in Gig Harbor, as the city has welcomed several new restaurants and cafes since summer.

Kettlefish replaced Kelly’s, and an all-day eatery takes the place of the humble bistro Gertie & the Giant Octopus.

Elsewhere, a cafe received an upgrade worth checking out, and pizza birria — popularized by Tacoma’s Los Tamales — has landed on this side of the Narrows. In May, a new Thai restaurant opened on Harborview next to Devoted Kiss Cafe.

TNT Diner looks at five new spots around Gig Harbor.

A fresh bowl of a cioppino, a seafood stew with clams, mussels, shrimp and cod in white wine tomato sauce, is one of many steamed-to-order dishes available at Kettlefish in Gig Harbor.
A fresh bowl of a cioppino, a seafood stew with clams, mussels, shrimp and cod in white wine tomato sauce, is one of many steamed-to-order dishes available at Kettlefish in Gig Harbor.

KETTLEFISH - GIG HARBOR

▪ 7806 Pioneer Way, Gig Harbor, 253-642-0700, kettlefish.com

Since 2019, the fast-casual Kettlefish restaurant has served fresh seafood steamed in stainless steel kettles in Silverdale. Owners Dave Montoure (who owned West 5 in Seattle for 20 years), Paddy O’Brien (whose family owned several diners) and Paul Prentice have brought the concept to downtown Gig Harbor. Doors opened in October, with a menu of “kettle classics” ($18-$22): bouillabaisse, cioppino, Pacific pan roast and steamers cooked to order. Inside the jacketed tubs, steam evenly cooks the fish without the risk of scorching. Chowder ($6.50-$14) and fried seafood platters ($9-$18) are also available, including Alaskan cod, prawns, clams and oysters. “We want people to enjoy a really high-quality meal without having to commit to two hours,” Montoure told The News Tribune in early 2022. Open daily at 10 a.m. Order online for quick pickup.

New Gig Harbor restaurant promises awesome cioppino in just 5 minutes

FORMOSA - GIG HARBOR

▪ 4747 Point Fosdick Dr., Gig Harbor, 253-514-6534, formosa-eat.com

Fashioning itself as an all-day eatery, Formosa debuted in Uptown Gig Harbor in late September with an eclectic menu that incorporates the chef’s Taiwanese heritage. It replaces Gertie & the Giant Octopus, which closed in June. Enjoy omelets, a breakfast sandwich with house sausage, hand-breaded buttermilk chicken tenders or a cheesy quesadilla alongside clams and mussels in a white wine broth, cucumber salad with soy sauce and chili and curried croissants. Also for lunch and dinner, there are paninis and pastas ($16.99-$24.99), soups and salad ($6.99-$8.99), as well as homemade desserts ($6.99-$7.99) — cheesecake among them. Adding intrigue are two steaks: one a black-pepper ribeye served with a side of linguine, veggies and a fried egg and the other marinated short ribs plated with a hunk of grilled pineapple and rice.

TACOS TIJUANA - GIG HARBOR

▪ 5500 Olympic Dr., Gig Harbor, 253-313-5198, facebook.com

Tacos Tijuana has been serving tacos, fajitas and a few modern Mexican favorites since May in Olympic Village. Seven specialty taco platters ($17.99-$19.99 with rice, beans and salsa) include al pastor, carnitas and nopalitos. The namesake taco platter is fajita-style: flour tortillas filled with carne asada, bell peppers, melted cheese and bell peppers. Another favorite is the house birria, available in quesabirria taco form or as a pizza, similar to a quesadilla but served with consomé for dipping. Open daily at 11 a.m.

7 SEAS BREWING - TEMPORARY MOVE TO LOCUST CIDER

3207 57th St. Ct., Gig Harbor, 253-514-8129, 7seasbrewing.com

After two summers of unbeatable waterfront views, 7 Seas has vacated its Harborview Dr. taproom — but only temporarily. When the Gig Harbor-based brewery moved here in March 2021, they did so in anticipation of this moment. The plan all along has been to tear this old building down, to be replaced with a brand-new, two-story venue with a wraparound porch and ground-floor patio. Owners Mike Runion and Travis Guterson hope to unveil the fresh digs before the end of 2023. For now, find 7 Seas in its original stomping grounds (from 2012, before their move to Judson Street) behind The Inn at Gig Harbor, sharing space with Locust Cider. The Tacoma taproom and production facility is open as usual, with a new food vendor, The Canteen by Camp Colvos, coming soon. Both open daily at 11 a.m.

Pastry chef Kylee Nelson, previously at Farm 12 in Puyallup, now leads a team at Table 47 and Ocean 5 in Gig Harbor creating house treats like this strawberry-vanilla scone. It’s a great excuse to visit The Cup Coffee Lounge.
Pastry chef Kylee Nelson, previously at Farm 12 in Puyallup, now leads a team at Table 47 and Ocean 5 in Gig Harbor creating house treats like this strawberry-vanilla scone. It’s a great excuse to visit The Cup Coffee Lounge.

THE CUP COFFEE LOUNGE AT TABLE 47/OCEAN 5

5628 Point Fosdick Dr., Gig Harbor, 253-857-4777, thecupcoffeelounge.com

This cafe isn’t new per se, but the team behind Ocean 5 and Table 47 rebranded the space earlier this year, adding a separate entrance and naming it The Cup. (You can enter through the main doors, too.) A couple of lounge chairs mix with several tables for taking your time — and you probably should. In addition to brewing Seattle’s Fundamental Coffee Co., the pastry case here beats most any in the area, thanks to the deft leadership of Kylee Nelson, one of six chefs profiled in TNT Diner’s Women’s History Month feature. Think sea-salt chocolate chip cookies, vanilla scones with strawberry jam, pristine custard tarts, baby quiche, cream puffs and flaky blueberry pinwheels. Try a flat white, with a higher coffee-to-milk ratio than a latte, in a real mug, a minor pleasure that is a strange rarity these days. Open daily 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

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