(Image: Meliora)
The Canterbury knight still stands sentry as the Capitol Hill public house at the corner of 15th and Mercer begins anew as “New American Restaurant” and cocktail bar Meliora.
“With a New American inspired menu centered on sustainability, and a highly curated, complementary wine program focused on Pacific Northwest wines, Meliora aims to captivate the senses and provide a delicious, welcoming experience,” the announcement for the new venture’s Tuesday grand opening reads.
Born of the dynamics around a history of raucous nightlife, the profit margins required to survive a Capitol Hill commercial lease, a 115-year-old apartment building, and Seattle’s never-quit real estate market, Meliora has transformed the former home of the Canterbury Ale House into a quieter but hopefully still lively use of the 5,000-square-foot space with “a spacious main dining area with original wood paneling sourced from a local barn paying homage to the rich history of the building which first housed a tavern in 1976.”
(Image: Meliora)
(Image: Community Roots Housing)
“The ambiance is further enhanced by the presence of the original stained glass and the iconic Canterbury Knight, which has stood guard since original ownership,” Meliora’s press release reads. Murals from artist Robert Williamson mixing elements of “Tudor styled stained glass” and “large mammal taxidermy” complete the overhaul.
The probably not something you might have ever considered mix of “vibrant Pacific Northwest vibes with a touch of medieval influence” is the result of an overhaul to an overhaul. In 2014, the Canterbury was gutted and restored under new ownership under Pike/Pine restaurateur James Snyder and Neumos club partner Mike Meckling. Changes in ownership would follow.
And the more than a century old apartment structure it called home would also be prepared for sale as longtime owner affordable housing provider Community Roots Housing decided to put the 12-unit Fredonia on the market. A Seattle developer and real estate investor with experience renovating and managing historic apartment buildings bought the property earlier this year for $5 million.
The Meliora lease was in the deal. CHS first reported on the plans for the new restaurant in spring 2022.
A year and a few months later, the Singh restaurant family is debuting its newest addition to Seattle’s food and drink scene. Meliora is a sister to Rasai, the Fremont “progressive Indian” joint that celebrated a grand opening in spring 2021 on N 36th.
At Meliora, Jeet Singh says the hope is “to honor the legacy of the Canterbury while creating a fresh and elevated neighborhood dining experience.”
The changes are part of a ripple of a new generation in food and drink on 15th Ave E. New ownership is in place at Smith and Coastal Kitchen reopened with a makeover late last year that transformed the neighborhood diner into a more streamlined a “fish house and oyster bar.”
(Image: Meliora)
Nunnelee (Image: Meliora)
Meliora’s changes will come with a new effort in the kitchen. The Singhs brought in executive chef Rhys Nunnelee, formerly of the Queen Anne Beer Hall, to create a seasonal, locally sourced, New American menu built around flavors like “watermelon gazpacho, albacore, halibut, and burrata” to accompany a “beverage program” with “an array of carefully crafted drinks and wine selections.”
At 15th and Mercer, the Cant and its knight live on, sort of. Meliora has a private lounge room that can seat up to 15 guests in “a space for specialty cocktails and food only available there.”
They call it the Canterbury Room.
More evocative of ye olde Canterbury memories will be the hours. Meliora is planned to serve daily from 3 PM to 2 AM with a special menu still available late night through last call.
Meliora is now open at 534 15th Ave E. Learn more at melioraseattle.com.
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NGL… I miss when it was a grimy sports bar. Just didn’t like the racist owner.
I didn’t like that iteration because I hated all the tvs, but I do miss the Canterbury of the 90s when it was a low key neighborhood bar with a good mix of hipsters and old people. That said, my taste in food has evolved and I do enjoy a bougie meal, so I looking forward to trying this.
We just have so many clones of this type of place.
> Just didn’t like the racist owner.
As I recall he said he didn’t like looters or something and that was enough for the pitchforks to come out and calls to destroy his livelihood. There’s a point where this stuff isn’t helpful at all and is just mindless bullying like during the cultural revolution china, which had nothing good out of it.
As i recall the head chef was African American when the “racist” owner still had the spot.
you do the math on that one.
I miss when it was a grimy punk/metal dive bar.
WOOOOT! Welcome to the neighborhood, and 15th Ave!
Anti-tent person…why are you even in Cap Hill bro?
Can you maybe explain? I am confused.
Many, many people on Capitol Hill do not want tents here Derek. Is it required to approve of tents in our public domain in order to live on Capitol Hill? Perhaps you should instead ask yourself why you are here.
Agreed, it’s not necessary and has no basis in compassion. One of the main reasons to not go to a shelter is safety, when you’re homeless you don’t have police protection and you’re targeted by other homeless people who know that. I know this because I’ve spent time with the homeless on my own, specifically a homeless man who I became friends with years ago who felt comfortable enough to explain what happens candidly to me, and then a lot suddenly made sense. He was homeless because he hurt his leg and couldn’t work. The picture you see from politicians or likely even social workers is no where near the reality of what a different world you find yourself in when homeless. If there was any sense in the politics, they’d focus on making shelters safe first and foremost. That would allow at least some percentage of the population in tents to move off the streets. There’s more to it I’m sure, but the realities are much more sobering than what you see from “progressive” activists that are not in the inner circle of the homeless.
Answer: There are plenty of people in Capitol Hill who are “anti-tent.”
*Capitol Hill bro.
“The Cant”? Please, no.