Poulsbo’s ChocMo is a business that never stands still. From its original beginnings as a tiny chocolate shop, it has evolved into a full-fledged restaurant that continues to surprise. Case in point: A new lunch menu being introduced this fall that takes the … read more

If you walk past the Occasions Coffee and Crepes “hole-in-the-wall” spot in Gig Harbor too fast, your first impression is likely to be that of a coffee/gift shop. Walk a little slower, and you many notice the menu by the door — and … read more

Before starting his Slaughter County Brewing Co., Scott Kirvan had been home-brewing for about 30 years. “That’s how I got started, and Slaughter County Brewery is my first time doing professional brewing,” he said. “‘Been doing this, at this location, for about two … read more

Drive too fast through downtown Poulsbo, and you’ll likely miss the double restaurant in a solid-cement building on the edge of Front Street. But once you’re there, depending on which of two sides you choose, you’ll either discover an upbeat setting (at Paella … read more

For more than a hundred years, the Keyport Mercantile has stood as the heart and soul of its community. Affectionately known as “the Merc,” the business has ridden out the rise and fall in the fortunes of its hometown alongside the people it … read more

During the last few years, Gig Harbor has grown from a relatively quiet little town to a shopping and dining destination — it’s almost hard to recognize the former sleepy fishing village, even from a decade ago. As the dining scene has exploded … read more

Editor’s Note: In this issue, we revisit restaurant owners we’ve featured in the past to check in following either a major expansion or a complete transformation. In both cases, the resulting restaurants were different enough to invite a second look or — better … read more

Everyone should have friends like Jamie Villella. When Villella, owner and operator of Mama Villella’s Personal Chef Service on Bainbridge Island, needed to test-drive her new business, she recruited her friends to be “pilot clients.” For their honest opinions about her food, they … read more

A casual drop-in to Intentional Table on Bainbridge Island is likely to reveal a spot not unlike other small shops strung along the island’s Winslow district and its many nooks and crannies. The 700 square feet of space is home to a demonstration … read more