Unmarked Brick Building

I’m always on the search for a great happy hour in Tacoma and when I heard that Hilltop Kitchen was featured in Food & Wine magazine as one of The People’s Best New Bars, I, like much of the Tacoma population had to try it out. So I grabbed a friend and we headed out in search of this much talked about location. When I say search, I literally mean we had to search around to actually find it. Hilltop Kitchen is situated in an unmarked brick building on Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Easy to pass by if you weren’t looking for it.

 

Stainless Steel Straw

The interior space is modern and intimate, with the bar lining the back wall and antique light bulbs illuminating small tables. Hilltop Kitchen has an extensive list of craft drinks that focus on simple, seasonal ingredients made in house. There are a few select cocktail favorites on the Tacoma restaurant’s Happy Hour menu though. I decided to go with the Liza Island, a mix of vodka, vanilla/lime cordial, orange juice and ginger beer. It was refreshing with a kind of spice or herbal aftertaste served in a tall glass with a stainless steel straw, one of the many small details that we loved.

 

Deconstructed Street Corn

After finally deciding on a drink, we moved on to ordering, which was an ordeal in itself. We had heard enough raving about the deconstructed street corn that we knew it was a must order and then ended up getting lamb and pork tacos. Everything was amazing with great texture and tons of flavors. The corn was smoky and sweet, the tacos bold and savory. You can definitely see the Latin American inspiration that Hilltop Kitchen pulls from and the attention to detail in everything they produce. It is a must visit Happy Hour for anyone in the Tacoma area and if you do end up making the trip, heed the reviews and order the deconstructed corn; you won’t regret it. What other great local businesses or Happy hours should we check out? Make sure come back to the Cross District Association Blog for new developments and more featured businesses in Tacoma’s many districts.

 

Guest Blogger: Trang Nguyen

This Gonzaga University Alum is a sucker for great inspirational quotes, sweet treats and adventures in the Pacific NW, where she was born and raised. When not in the Marketing Puget Sound office learning from all the wonderful creative minds, you can probably find her running, in the hopes of training for a half marathon or on the search for an awesome Happy Hour with friends. Counterproductive? More like motivational!