The pizza and pasta spot Strega Pizzeria (5465 Leary Ave NW) has closed its doors.
Co-owners Sara and Sam Lucchese opened Strega in 2024 in the former El Borracho location. They also own Pasteria Lucchese, which is a staple at the Ballard Farmers Market.
Sam told My Ballard that the decision to close is related to rising costs of doing business, but also because the head chef at Strega is moving away.
“If you have a bad month or two, that leaves a dent,” Sam said.
Sam and Sara work 18-hour days during the summer, keeping their farmer’s market stands going, so he said it’s just not feasible to run Strega while also operating Pasteria Lucchese during the busy summer months.
Strega is now for sale, but Sam said if they don’t get an offer, he may consider reopening the restaurant in November.
If you still want to get their popular pizza, you can visit Sam and Sara at Seattle farmers markets almost every day of the week. On Tuesdays, they’re in Capitol Hill, Wednesdays in Wallingford, Thursdays in Queen Anne, Saturdays in the U District and Edmonds, and of course on Sundays, they’re in Ballard.
Photo: Strega Pizzeria on Leary / Google Image Capture Sept 2025