Serious Pie Downtown

Serious Pie Downtown is a pizzeria at 316 Virginia St in Seattle's Denny Triangle, part of the restaurant group run by Seattle chef Tom Douglas. It bakes Neapolitan-style pizzas in a wood-fired oven and is one of several Douglas restaurants clustered in the downtown area. The cuisine is wood-fired pizza with a Pacific Northwest approach to toppings, favoring seasonal and foraged ingredients. The chanterelle pizza, topped with wild mushrooms, is among the best-known examples of that style, and other pizzas combine cured meats, cheeses and vegetables on a blistered, chewy crust. Pasta is also served, including a penne dish with Calabrian chili, along with salads and small plates that fill out the menu. The restaurant has an open, lively dining room with a visible oven, communal-style tables and an energetic but approachable mood, with moderate to high noise levels at peak hours and a mix of office workers, theatergoers and visitors staying nearby. Dress is casual. The beverage list features Italian and Northwest wines, beer and cocktails that pair easily with pizza. Prices are moderate, around $20-40 per person. Reservations are generally not needed for small parties, since the restaurant operates mostly on a walk-in basis, though reservations can be made through the website for groups. Lunch and dinner are served daily, and the busiest times are weekday lunch and the pre-theater dinner period, so arriving slightly before the rush helps. Pizzas are sized for one but are often shared alongside a salad or pasta. Because the location is near Westlake, the Amazon campus and the monorail, it is a handy stop for downtown visitors, and the seasonal toppings mean the menu changes through the year. The restaurant is a reliable option for a quick but satisfying meal before a show or after a day of shopping downtown, and the open kitchen adds some entertainment while waiting.