Cheap Date: Citizen
Those lucky Queen Anne kids. When longtime neighborhood resident Suzana Olmos decided to open the new coffee and wine bar Citizen, she didn’t look far—the ultramod hangout on Taylor Avenue is just five blocks from her home.
The loftlike cafe atmosphere makes for a great conversation spot, but the real reason to check out Citizen is the crepes. Take your pick between savory (like apple-smoked bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, and basil drizzled in maple syrup) or sweet (strawberries, ricotta cheese, and honey sprinkled with sugar), all ranging from $7.25 to $7.95. If you’re looking for something a little heavier, try the Vietnamese and pork sandwiches for $4.95 and $6.75, respectively. Citizen also draws a big crowd with its affordable wine selection—all glasses go for $4.50 and bottles range from $11 to $19. Tidbit to remember: The restaurant is also licensed to sell bottles to go.
With a $10 bill I opted for the turkey, raspberry jam, bacon, and Brie crepe. No complaints except that the melt-in-your mouth deliciousness ended all too soon.
What’s the must-try item?
[Olmos] Sorry, I can’t answer just one. My personal favorites are our creamy mushroom crepe, our September special crepe (with avocado, caramelized onions, bacon, and spinach), and our signature Citizen sandwich (with roasted pork and caramelized onions). The sandwich is a lot of juicy love on a really fresh baguette. And I can’t forget the must-try pint of mimosa. We’ve also really been turning people on to the sparkling shiraz, a really different sparkling red wine.