Reviving the Belltown Pub

Belltown dining news has been dreary of late, what with Flying Fish moving to South Lake Union and a gangland-style murder on Second Avenue. So it's good to see the Belltown Pub returning to First Avenue.

It never really left, just changed its name to Belltown Bistro for a few years as part of the Bluewater Bistro group. The lease ran out, the owners opted not to renew, and the place sat empty for several months until a threesome of industry veterans got together and made the landlord, Brook Barnes, an offer he didn't refuse. (Must have hurt to own an empty bar, watching those lines out the door at Del Rey and Black Bottle.)

The three newcomers are Dave Tolan, who's tended bar at Gordon Biersch and Paragon, and two gents from The Rock in Tacoma, Erwin Arceo and Zack Nethercutt. They think there's room for an informal pub that's neither fine-dining nor nightclub, where you can watch sports on the big screen, drink craft beer and order sophisticated (but not too sophisticated, rainbow trout sort of thing) pub grub.

Opening is planned for late July.