Columbia City’s small but ambitious Off Alley earned a major distinction Tuesday: it became the first Seattle restaurant ever reviewed by The New York Times. Chief restaurant critic Tejal Rao gave chef-owner Evan Leichtling’s casual, locally driven spot two stars, designating it an NYT Critic’s Pick and highlighting the strength of its ever-changing menu. (The Times rates restaurants on a scale from zero to four stars: zero for poor to satisfactory, one for good, two for very good, three for excellent, and four for extraordinary.) The milestone review is part of the publication’s broader effort to expand its restaurant coverage beyond New York City.
Off Alley opened in August 2020 and now operates with a staff of just four. The narrow space—just over six feet wide—seats only about a dozen guests. Leichtling, who hails from nearby Whidbey Island, emphasizes hyper-local, seasonal ingredients. His approach includes whole-animal butchery, along with in-house curing and charcuterie. Rao notes his skill at “cooking the odds and ends of the Pacific Northwest” and “transforming miscellanea into simple-looking but sumptuous dishes.”
Rao characterizes the tiny dining room as “lively, informal and a little bit squished… with Basque punk music on the speakers and overlapping conversations in close quarters.” While the menu shifts daily, she points diners toward standout items when available, including rabbit kidneys on toast, blood sausage with apple salad, fisherman’s rice, drop dumplings, and pain perdu.
Off Alley has already landed on best-of lists from both The New York Times and The Seattle Times, and Leichtling was named a James Beard Award semifinalist in 2024. Even with those accolades, he told The Seattle Times that the restaurant has yet to make a profit in its five years of operation. This latest recognition from The New York Times could mark a turning point.
Off Alley is open for dinner Thursday through Sunday, with reservations available.