Across the Pond
Edmonds, Kingston share a love of pizza, art and community
By ELLEN HIATT
The quintessential Pacific Northwest experience includes a ferry ride, complete with its gentle rocking across Puget Sound, a tremendous blast of its horn, and the accompaniment of seagulls squawking high-pitched demands for a tourist’s stale french fry tossed to the wind. It’s a must-do for families spending a leisurely day, and a given for anyone entertaining out-of-state guests. Between Edmonds and Kingston, the ride includes views of kite surfers on sunny days and colorful rainbows on the wet ones, along with another unexpected gift: the epicenter of world class pizza.
On mainland or peninsula, sliding out of wood fired ovens are pizzas with a global reputation, cocktails from a James Beard recognized mixologist, and performance art from top-ranked entertainers from all continents.
In short, there is no better experience for entertainment, arts and dining in the region than a weekend spent between Kingston and Edmonds.
When Niles Peacock planned to open on the Edmonds waterfront, he decided he would be a world class pizza maker. A friend told him he had to study under Will Grant in Kingston. Ambitious and creative to his core, Peacock is a second level sommelier and The Taste America – Seattle and James Beard Foundation Recognized Mixologist. Peacock jumped at the idea, deciding on the spot that he’d fly to Kingston, New York to learn from the best. Turns out, world class pizza lessons were just across the pond.
Grant, a Master Pizzaiolo, is certified to train others in the art of making pizza by the Scuola Italiana Pizzaiolo, the oldest and most prestigious pizza school in Italy. He is the main instructor at the Pacific Northwest School of Pizza, Executive Chef for Shepherd’s Grain Flour, and a World Pizza Champion Team Member. And you can enjoy pizza layered with those credentials and a lot of other goodness on an aromatic sourdough crust coming out of his unassuming shop, Sourdough Willy’s, on the corner of Washington Boulevard and Highway 104.
In fact, pretty much everything in Kingston is unassuming. Kingston’s town center is about the size of four square blocks, easily enjoyed within a couple hours, and worth every bit of that passing time. When the ferry unloads its human cargo, walk briskly if you’re in the mood for crepes. J’aime Les Crêpes Crêperie forms a line as quickly as passengers debark. It’s standing room only next to the ice cream case where staff deliver savory and sweet crepes of wide variety.
In a town where a pandemic creates opportunity, one wine cellar started anew, a transplant out of Sonoma Valley’s wine world, with jazz nights, a piano bar and art gallery, Cellar Cat. On the same block, d’Vine Bistro expanded its offerings to a full scale restaurant, where braised duck cassoulet may be as tempting as the expertly curated wine list. Both offer hard-to-find small production spirits.
Edmonds shares yet another restaurant experience with Kingston. On either side of the water, Steven Ono’s Hawaiian-themed poke restaurants, Ono Poke, change the menu daily to source only the freshest ingredients, including Hawaiian Ahi, British Columbian Salmon and Hamachi and Tako from Japan – all Premium Sushi Grade 1.
Before you catch the ferry back to Edmonds, grab some freezer meals to-go from the newest entrepreneur in town, The Saucy Sailor.
Savory pies of bangers and mash, cottage pie and meatball stroganoff provide comfort food with a clearly British bent.
Back in Edmonds, Peacock learned his lessons from Grant; this spring he will compete in Naples, Italy for the Caputo Cup Pizza Competition and Global Pizza Summit, Italy’s most renowned pizza contest. It’s the next step for Peacock’s pizza journey, earned by winning Best Non-Traditional Pizza in the Northwest at the 2023 Pizza Expo in Las Vegas.
In another way, he shares the award with Grant in Kingston. The fermented crust he spends days crafting, including the award winning “My Hot Date” with gorgonzola, balsamic reduction and caramelized dates, is redolent with starter gifted to Peacock by Grant.
The budding friendship has Grant and Peacock talking nearly every day by phone, training each other’s staff, and trading notes. Peacock, once voted as King 5’s Best Bartender, examined Grant’s cocktail menu and revamped it for him.
Niles Peacock Kitchen and Bar serves up combinations that have the power to change minds and palates, turning the most ardent hater of beets or funky cheeses into perplexed fans.
“The earthiness of the beet isn’t masked,” said Peacock. “It becomes the star.” Indeed, the accompaniment of beets with goat cheese, roasted pistachios and raspberry vinaigrette should win an award of its own.
Peacock comes from a family of creatives. The dapper-dresser designed at least 20 different suits of his own just last year. Art from his retired mother lines the walls in riotous color and joy.
People flow into the restaurant in a constant swirl picking up take-out and vying for a seat at the table. The hour-long wait doesn’t appear to be a deterrent.
“I can’t believe I get to do this for a living,” Peacock said over shaking cocktails and customer chatter. “I’m just loving it. I’m a perpetual student and always learning.”
High achievers abound in this town where the arts are celebrated with two independent bookstores, a 700-seat performing arts center, multiple art galleries, and an art museum celebrating the early artists of the Northwest School of Art.
More than 65 pieces of public art are installed from the waterfront to the plazas. And if pizza isn’t what you had in mind, there are restaurants serving rave-worthy freshly made pasta, Filipino food, prime steaks, and more.
Whatever a perfect day on the waterfront looks like to you, you’re sure to find it in Kingston and Edmonds.
Kingston:
visitkitsap.com/kingston
Plan your trip to land in Kingston on a Sunday between May and October and you’ll be lucky enough to enjoy the Kingston Public Market, or go on a Saturday in July or August, take in all the good eats, and enjoy a concert at the Port’s waterfront.
Edmonds:
exploreedmonds.com
A full calendar of events, including weekend concerts in the park, performances at the Edmonds Center for the Arts, and gallery openings are on the website. Street parking is free.
Washington State Ferry:
wsdot.com/ferries
Passenger and walk-on is free from Kingston to Edmonds. The route is short enough you can leave your car in Edmonds where parking uptown is plentiful and the jaunt down the hill takes you by plenty of boutiques for window shopping. Or find parking closer to the ferry (for free if you can find it or for less than a dozen bucks in the paid lot.)