While many local businesses have had to shut their doors during the economic fallout of the pandemic, one new Issaquah restaurant is opening them.
Enzo’s Bistro & Bar, located at 120 NW Gilman Blvd. in downtown at the former Pogacha location, opened last week serving classic Italian fare. It includes indoor and outdoor dining space and a bar. Enzo’s was able to rehire some of the former Pogacha staff for the new restaurant.
Enzo’s is operated by restaurateur Hal Griffith, founder of Great Western Pacific Inc., which runs restaurants along the West Coast including Miner’s Landing at Pier 57 as well as The Crab Pot in both Seattle and Bellevue.
Great Western Pacific Vice President of Operations Troy Griffith said this is the third Enzo’s they’ve opened, with the other two being in the Palm Desert area. Being based in Seattle, Griffith said they were looking for a more neighborhood area that would contrast their Pier 57 location. He said knowing the booming growth of the Eastside, and hearing the Pogacha location was opening up, made Issaquah the perfect choice.
Adhering to Phase 2 guidelines of the Safe Start Washington plan, the new restaurant offers a large patio for outdoor dining and also utilizes a state of the art ultraviolet HVAC system, ensuring a safe and delicious experience for maximum safety, according to the restaurant.
Griffith said there has been a loss of business due to fewer tables allowed for safety restrictions as well as losing any bar customers, but takeout and having outdoor dining has helped. They also lost the special lead-up events that would traditionally be done with an opening, with the exception of a socially-distanced ribbon cutting.
Enzo’s menu features local ingredients in Italian classics like wood-fired pizza and house-made pastas, as well as nightly specials. View the full menus here.
“We’re making our own pasta, dry aging our beef, making our own cured meats, but it’s not super fancy, it’s very family friendly,” Griffith said. “Just always trying to keep it fun and fresh, and keeping the locals in Issaquah coming out.”
For more information on Enzo’s, visit EnzoBistroandBarIssaquah.com.
