Explore Like a Local: Linda Derschang

Occupation: Founder and CEO of The Derschang Group
Years Lived in Seattle: 28

Totokaelo | Amber Zbitnoff Photography

Linda Derschang is the queen of Capitol Hill. Or at least that’s the moniker locals have lovingly bestowed upon the successful restaurateur, who oozes effortless class, style, and cool.

The entrepreneur—founder and CEO of The Derschang Group—has seven businesses to her name, most of them in the Capitol Hill neighborhood (hence the nickname). They range from neighborhood cafes to purposefully rustic restaurants and bars. Derschang’s first was her namesake Linda’s Tavern, a 21-year-old hipster-cool dive bar. That was subsequently followed by King’s Hardware, considered a cousin of Linda’s Tavern in the Ballard neighborhood; Smith, which serves rustic food and craft cocktails; Oddfellows Cafe+Bar, an all-day, all-night cafe; Bait Shop, a slightly divey nautical-themed bar; Tallulah’s, which focuses on seasonal food made using local ingredients; and Little Oddfellows, Derschang’s latest cafe serving homemade baked goods inside Elliott Bay Book Company.

As Derschang puts it, “I try to create spaces for people to get together.” That simple, instinctual approach is what brought Derschang to Seattle in the first place. “I visited Seattle and, within a few days, found a place to live, made a few friends, and saw the perfect location to open a clothing store—so I did.” Some 28 years later, Derschang is still embracing the city and shaping its dining scene, too.

Elliott Bay Book Company | Amber Zbitnoff Photography

Glasswing | Amber Zbitnoff Photography

Oddfellows Cafe+Bar | Amber Zbitnoff Photography

Shop Talk

I love Totokaelo, Baby & Company, Sugar Pill, Glasswing, and Elliott Bay Book Company.

Local Eats

Westward is one of my favorite spots. I love eating oysters outside with the amazing view. I also love Manolin and Momiji.

Art Picks

In winter and spring, I enjoy going to any of the city’s fantastic museums—SAM, the Frye Art Museum, the Henry Art Gallery, to name a few—attending a lecture at Town Hall, or seeing a show at Neumos or The Paramount Theatre.

On the Town

When hosting friends and family, Pike Place Market is a must-see, and I love the Olympic Sculpture Park and Volunteer Park as well. I may take them to the Seattle Opera or Pacific Northwest Ballet in the evening—or to a rock show.

Baby & Company 1936 First Ave; babyandco.us
Bait Shop 606 Broadway E; baitshopseattle.com
Elliott Bay Book Company 1521 10th Ave; elliottbaybook.com
*Frye Art Museum 704 Terry Ave; fryemuseum.org
Glasswing 1525 Melrose Ave; glasswingshop.com
*Henry Art Gallery 4100 15th Ave NE; henryart.org
King’s Hardware 5225 Ballard Ave NW; kingsballard.com
Linda’s Tavern 707 E Pine St; lindastavern.com
Little Oddfellows 1521 10th Ave; oddfellowscafe.com/little-oddfellows
Manolin 3621 Stone Way N; manolinseattle.com
Momiji 1522 12th Ave; momijiseattle.com
Neumos 925 E Pike St; neumos.com
Oddfellows Cafe+Bar 1525 10th Ave; oddfellowscafe.com

*Olympic Sculpture Park 2901 Western Ave; seattleartmuseum.org
*Pacific Northwest Ballet 301 Mercer St; pnb.org
*The Paramount Theatre 911 Pine St; stgpresents.org
*Pike Place Market First Ave and Pike St; pikeplacemarket.org
*Seattle Art Museum (SAM) 1300 First Ave; seattleartmuseum.org
*Seattle Opera 321 Mercer St; seattleopera.org
Smith 332 15th Ave E; smithseattle.com
Sugar Pill 900 E Pine St; sugarpillseattle.com
Tallulah’s 550 19th Ave E; aneighborhoodcafe.com
Totokaelo 1523 10th Ave; totokaelo.com
*Town Hall 1119 Eighth Ave; townhallseattle.org
Volunteer Park 1247 15th Ave E
*Westward 2501 N Northlake Way; westwardseattle.com