The coat of arms above the door to Von Trapp’s Restaurant features two rearing horned stags along with the motto Brats Biergarten Bocce.
Bocce? The Italian version of “boules” in a German beer garden? Why not, this in Seattle.
© Von Trapp’s
Located on 12th Avenue in Seattle’s uber-trendy Capitol Hill nabe, Von Trapp’s is a palatial beer hall cum gourmet frat house, perfectly situated right across the street from the city’s Jesuit haven, Seattle University. What was once a candy factory from the Forties is now the sort of playground where Willy Wonka might meet Harry Potter for “wieners und balls,” which is what the waitstaff wear on their t-shirts.
© Von Trapp’s
Created by the same interior design team that has transported Seattle diners to Scotland, Mexico, and Paris without ever leaving their hometown, Von Trapp’s is a fervid trip to a Bavarian schloss, complete with majestic fireplaces, oriental carpets, European antiques, a stately staircase, and several crystal chandeliers from which you almost expect to see a German couple swinging and singing, steins in hand. Oh, and also, there’s bocce: five full courts.
© Von Trapp’s
As for the food – and yes, there is food, and very good food at that, to complement the raucous good fun – there’s the requisite beef goulash and pork wiener schnitzel, as well as Berlin’s acclaimed currywurst and Polish kielbasa – but there’s also a falafel dog and Von Trapp’s ‘Seattle’ brat, a twist on the Seattle classic with obatzda (a lethal Bavarian cheese and butter combo) and caramelized onions.
At Von Trapp’s, all of the “wurst” and breads are made in-house daily, from scratch, and everything tastes fresh and homemade, as if your German grandmother and her sisters were happily cooking and singing beer songs in the kitchen.
© Von Trapp’s
The German variant of pizza, the crispy flatbread “flammkuchen,” comes in a variety of toppings (including basil-pumpkin seed pesto), although the classic with smoked bacon, onions, and sour cream is certain to evoke memories of your first love affair with the gemütlichkeit qualities of German cuisine.
© Von Trapp’s
Afternoons at Von Trapp’s are less lively than the evenings, but after a few more steins of the 24 (at last count) different German and Austrian brews offered on tap, it’s possible that you’ll find yourself on the bocce court, ready to roll a few boules with your wieners.
