By Emily Riehl

As Single Shot Kitchen and Saloon marks its 10-year anniversary on Summit Ave on Capitol Hill, the “food- driven” eatery has spanned a decade of crafting innovative cocktails, serving an imaginative variety of food, and helping to add to the vibrant community in one of the Hill’s most energetic neighborhoods. Single Shot occupies one of the very few remaining single-story, brick buildings in the neighborhood.

“The kitchen itself is pretty small,” says Rory McCormick, the owner of Single Shot. “We get daily deliveries just to keep up with our food program and that’s kind of why we maintain a limited, smaller, condensed menu. Working with local growers and following the seasons, people recognize that we print our menus daily so things have a way of organically falling on and off the menu.”

The original Top Pot Doughnuts, Summit Public House, Cornelly, and Sol Liquor Lounge also neighbor Single Shot. Single Shot has undergone surprisingly few changes in the past decade, with the exception of adding a parklet outside for additional seating as the result of the COVID- 19 Pandemic.

McCormick says that dense blocks of condos and apartment buildings surround the 960-square-foot restaurant, allowing them to exist in a “special pocket” thriving off of a walkable customer base.

CHS reported here in 2014 as Single Shot came to life where McCormick said the out-of-the-way location and the original masonry building drew him to Summit Ave. “I’m very aware as to what’s happening to Seattle as a whole,” McCormick said at the time. “You don’t find a lot of single-story brick buildings built in the 20s.”

To create Single Shot, McCormick teamed up with longtime Capitol Hill-based photographer Spike Mafford on the “food-driven bar” to replace Mafford’s gallery in the historic building. The name, of course, is a double-meaning nod to the old photo gallery and Mafford’s work.

McCormick says the small-scale nature of Single Shot has allowed the restaurant to build relationships with their customers over the years. They have had the opportunity to watch proposals and host a couple intimate weddings and celebrations. He says it’s very special that they can add that kind of value to the neighborhood.

“There’s just a different level of experience when you go to more of an independent restaurant. It’s not going to be as cookie cutter as what some people might expect, and you’re supporting your community. It serves and gives a lot of people jobs within the neighborhood and most of my employees live on Capitol Hill and are able to walk to work. They’re part of the neighborhood that makes Capitol Hill as cool as it is.”

In addition to managing Single Shot, McCormick is also a partner in Re:Public and El Grito, both restaurants in South Lake Union. Similar to Single Shot, Re:Public serves New American cuisine with “fresh ingredients and expert preparation”. El Grito serves a variety of Mexican food. The multi- restaurant owner says he’s lucky to have great managers at all locations.

“Being in the restaurant industry is definitely much more of a  lifestyle choice, and it’s just really worked for me,” says McCormick explaining he can’t imagine doing anything else. “I’ve always liked being in the restaurant business ever since I was a kid.”

McCormick plans on keeping Single Shot as consistent as possible as the neighborhood continues to grow and change. He adds that head chef Antonio Palma has a good grasp of what people like and is confident Single Shot can continue its exceptional stride forward after a very successful 10 years.

Single Shot is located at 611 Summit Ave E. You can learn more at singleshotseattle.com.

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