Lombardi’s Celebrates 30 Years
Lombardi’s Italian Restaurant and Wine Bar is an Everett classic.
The beautiful restaurant is in a prime waterfront location on the marina— perfect for al fresco dining or viewing boats. It's the place to have a date night, stop in for a stylish lunch, or catch drinks with a friend.
This month they commemorate thirty years of delicious food, excellent wine, and fine company.
View from the Lombardi's dining area.
The story of Lombardi’s actually begins not in 1987, but in 1970.
Seattle was hard hit by an economic downturn. Boeing jobs had dried up. Things looked bleak for the region.
At this time Diane Symms bought a sandwich shop for $1500 in an industrial park near SoDo. The counter was made of 2x4s and plywood with a table cloth stapled to it. The place wasn't much more than a counter and a cooler. Diane called her venture “The Wild Strawberry Cafe and Catering Company.”
The going was never easy. Kerri Lonergan-Dreke, Diane's daughter (and now the Vice President of Lombardi's) remembers spending high school days working a meat slicer, cutting roast beef for sandwiches. Workers from the industrial park would stop by for lunch and to chat.
Over the decades the family worked long hours, turning their business into something quite successful. Diane and Kerri moved on to a food truck, and eventually opened a new restaurant on Lake Union.
They opened the first Lombardi’s in Ballard in 1987. Diane wanted to invest in an Italian restaurant because she knew it would be a hit. In the late 80s good Italian food was something of a novelty, but trending upward. Most of their initial customers had never heard of pesto.
The first Lombardi's on 22nd and Market Street in Ballard.
The restaurant took off. As gourmet Italian food gained popularity, so did fine Washington wines. In 1987 you’d be lucky to find a local riesling in stores. That changed in the 90s. Lombardi’s made good wines a part of who they are. They were in the right place at the right time.
Lombardi's owners Kerri and Diane with Piero Antinori, current proprietor of Antinori wines.
The Everett Lombardi's opened in 1998.
Diane says Everett was a “meat and potatoes town” at the time. Still, she strived for authenticity. Her gelato was made on the peninsula by a guy who had an imported Italian gelato maker. She took trips to Italy to research authentic food, favoring traditional flavor profiles and light cheese over sauce-heavy, Americanized Italian fare.
She says the cuisine in her waterfront restaurant is "influenced by the sea," much like the Italian food she's enjoyed abroad.
"We eat at our restaurants all the time," says Kerri. "We like our business— it shows."
Lombardi’s has earned a loyal Everett fanbase because of their from-scratch cooking. They make sauces in house, import noodles and olive oil from Italy, and know how to basil up a pizza. They’re not afraid to offer squid ink pasta for authenticity.
Their menu changes five times a year: four seasons plus a holiday menu.
And, yes, the Everett Lombardi’s kitchen still has the original meat slicer from the Wild Strawberry Cafe days.
As Lombardi’s moves into their 31st year, they seem to once again be in the right place at the right time. The Everett waterfront is changing. 276 brand-new apartments are being built. In October construction will begin on a footbridge that will connect Grand Avenue Park to the parking lot of Lombardi’s. Foot traffic should bring in even more business as people stroll the Everett waterfront.
Thirty years of experience have helped Diane, Kerri and their family to hone their favorite recipes. Several of their best dishes will be available at a special anniversary event. It's a chef’s four-course wine dinner featuring Tuscan wine from Carpentino Winery.
The anniversary dinner will be on Thursday, September 21. Reserve your spot while you can.
Congrats Lombardi's! Here's to many more.
Richard Porter is a musician and Live in Everett's content magician. He lives in North Everett and enjoys running, bicycling, and endless cups of coffee.
