Il Nido
Italian restaurant · Alki
2717 61st Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116
Highlights
Handmade pastas, seasonal fare, and wine in a historic cabin.
Handmade pastas, seasonal fare, and wine in a historic cabin.
"Little has changed at this classic restaurant since the departure of lauded chef Mike Easton has left (Il Nido is now in the hands of longtime management). You come here not just because of the beautiful mansion-like setting, but because the pastas are always fresh and gorgeous to look at. If you’re tired of just-made pasta — couldn’t be us — check out the seared ribeye. For groups, you’ll want to make a reservation, but bar seating is often available on a walk-in basis." - Laura LeMoon
"For a cabin experience that involves more wine and pasta than exposure to nature, there’s Il Nido, a fancy restaurant inside the historic Alki homestead where you can eat great handmade pasta without worrying about applying a 15th layer of bug spray. This Italian spot has an always-changing menu full of things like the tagliatelle with beef and pork ragu, and hunks of focaccia that could send memory foam pillows straight to the unemployment office. It’s a dependable option for date night, a special occasion, or when you want a touch of wilderness without driving to a desolate forest in Sequim." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley, gabe guarente
"A big draw here is the setting — Il Nido occupies the Alki Homestead, a humbly named 120-year-old mansion-esque building that exerts a psychic pull over the comparatively modest surrounding waterfront. Famed chef Mike Easton no longer owns the place, but his former employees Cameron Williams and Katie Gallego have maintained the emphasis on the fresh pasta — you’ll be glad most dishes here go light on the sauce, letting the pasta shine. There’s also an extensive wine list from both Pacific Northwest and Italian producers, and a cocktail list that is heavy on the negronis." - Harry Cheadle
"When Il Nido founder and pasta genius Mike Easton moved to astern Washington in 2022, he sold the West Seattle restaurant to executive chef Katie Gallego and manager Cameron Williams. The restaurant hasn’t missed a beat: The daily fresh pastas here are still painstakingly made textural marvels that achieve the just-right sauce-to-pasta ratio (enough to be present and flavorful without overwhelming the pasta itself). The can’t-miss menu still changes with the seasons; the summer bangers are Dungeness crab mafaldine with paprika butter and charred shishitos, corn and lobster mushroom cavatelli, and bucatini boosted with guanciale and sungold tomatoes. And can you ever go wrong with a tagliatelle in a beef and pork ragu? (You cannot.)" - Eater Staff
"Beaches and fish and chips aren’t the only reasons to visit Alki—Il Nido should be on the list, too. With consistently tasty handmade pastas and a stellar selection of antipasti to fill the table, it’s one of those places to go out of your way for during any season. The restaurant is both fancy enough to celebrate a 15th wedding anniversary, but also informal enough that when a grown woman at the table next to you asks for an off-menu “butter pasta” the server doesn’t skip a beat. An ideal dinner order starts with prosciutto de parma, takes a detour to a pasta like their meaty tagliatelle, and ends with panna cotta. Throw in focaccia and a vegetable dish for a well-rounded, great meal." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley
