The Little Beast, the new restaurant concept from the owner of the Beast & Cleaver butchery, has been crowned “Restaurant of the Year” by Seattle Met.
In its announcement, Seattle Met praised chef Kevin Smith’s ability to take a risk in a challenging year for restaurants, calling Little Beast “a fascinating restaurant unlike any other in the city.” The publication described the restaurant’s appeal as “as safe as it is daring,” noting that its following stems from Smith’s long-established reputation at Beast & Cleaver, his nearly six-year-old Loyal Heights butcher shop where lines still regularly form down the block.
A highlight of Little Beast’s menu, according to Seattle Met, is a $115 dry-aged steak, served as a 20-ounce portion sliced for sharing,l that showcases Smith’s mastery of meat. The magazine also emphasized how Smith’s pragmatic approach reflects the realities of running a restaurant in Seattle today.
“You have to be doing something 24 hours a day to utilize the space, and you have to have multiple revenue streams,” Smith told the Met. “Otherwise, it’s going to be a real struggle.”
Little Beast opened earlier this summer at 5107 Ballard Ave NW, which was formerly occupied by Ballard Pizza Co. location (it moved just up the street last year after combining its Frelard and Ballard locations). The concept blends British pub tradition with refined dining, offering a mix of hearty meat-forward dishes and elevated plates that build on Smith’s butchery roots.
Photo: Little Beast