Shuttered Leschi Lakecafe to reopen as BluWater Bistro

The 22-year-old Leschi Lakecafe closed late last month and is slated to reopen March 10 as BluWater Bistro Leschi after a $350,000 renovation.

Co-owners Bart Evans and Dan Anderson run the popular BluWater Bistro restaurants on Lake Union (opened 1997) and Green Lake (opened 2002). The new location will offer the same menu, with fish tacos, steak and pasta; entrees will be in the $15 to $20 range.

The expansion comes after strong years for the existing properties; the Lake Union restaurant's sales grew by nearly a third from 2002 to 2003.

The 5,200-square-foot restaurant's renovation will include new interior decor, including mahogany booths and panels, as well as exterior repairs such as a new roof. An expanded bar area will provide couch seating around the fireplace as well as outdoor service. The waterfront restaurant is famed for its views of Mount Rainier above masts of sailboats.

Former proprietor Mick McHugh, who also owns T.S. McHugh's and F.X. McRory's, worked with Evans at F.X. McRory's for six years. "There couldn't be a better person to continue the tradition of neighborhood dining at Leschi," McHugh said.

The restaurant expects to be open 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily, with weekend brunch service from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. For more information, visit www.bluwaterbistro.com.

— Stephanie Dunnewind, Seattle Times staff writer