The Seattle Cafe Where The Decor Will Impress You As Much As The Food

If a name could perfectly describe the entity wearing it, this Italian cafe in Seattle definitely wins the restaurant name-game. It literally personifies the eatery's ambiance, decor, and quirky identity. All this belies the fact that the food is actually serious Italian fare, not gimmicky dishes meant to shock and awe. This beloved neighborhood eatery is Bizzarro Italian Cafe, and it perches on a nondescript Seattle side street a handful of miles from the University of Washington and the tech corridors of Fremont. 

On my first foray into this underworld of eclectic dining, I quickly realized that Bizzarro isn't "wacky" so as much as an artsy throwback, with a cultivated appreciation for repurposed everyday objects. We're talking things like vintage bicycles, enormous gaudy chandeliers, mannequin parts, a well-worn armchair, cheeky life-sized skeletons, prayer flags, and a giant true-to-life model airplane nosediving over the entryway — all dangling overhead as you nosh on what's arguably some of Seattle's best Italian food. That's not even counting the endless portraits, paintings, sketches, antiques, and curious objets d'art tucked into every nook and cranny.

It could well be Seattle's most Instagram-worthy spot, in the sense of peculiarity making a striking visual statement. The entire experience is meant to surprise the senses and expand perceptions of so-called "fine dining." To that end, cells phones aren't allowed unless turned off and tucked away. They're not kidding, either: Try sneaking out your smartphone for a quick conversation, and you'll incur a friendly $5 fine. Texting also invites raised eyebrows.

Interior photos of Bizzarro were once rare, but social sharing is now inevitable. However, fellow diners may frown at a full-on influencer photo shoot. After all, this place is still about neighborhood vibes and tasty food, even if whimsical vintage decor strongly vies for attention. The ambiance is cozy, loud, friendly, and very tight, with only one group table seating up to eight people. Smaller tables perch within handshake distance of one another, and servers dash to-and-fro from the kitchen, balancing steaming platters while scooting between chairs with lively verbal warnings.  

When it comes to the food, it's classic and handmade with fresh ingredients, typically locally sourced in the Pacific Northwest. At least one menu item challenges the American palate, namely an Oregon Bolognese made with wild elk, flavorful fennel, thyme, and jazzy peppers from Oregon-based Mama Lil's peppers. It's served over Bizarro's beloved house-made pappardelle ribbon pasta — which also features in the cafe's most famous dish: The Forest Floor Frenzy. 

You could stumble blindly into that food forest on a Wonderland-style discovery, but I chose the more boring path of asking questions. I needn't have, as it's simply a marvelous mix of foraged wild mushrooms, chopped walnuts, and creamy sherry sauce ladled over pappardelle. Other menu items include rustic or experimental Italian dishes such as chili crisp alfredo, sugar snap pea carbonara, spicy puttanesca linguine, the seasonal pink vodka sauce gnocchi, and starters like arancini saffron-infused risotto balls. A don't-miss local secret is weekend meatballs, affectionately known as "juicy Carnospheres."