The community favorite served its last cup of coffee this weekend on August 3, after losing its lease. North Seattle woke up without the Ravenna Varsity Restaurant, after more than six decades of pancakes, stories, and cups of filtered coffee. Last Sunday, it closed its doors for good, ending a journey that began in 1963.
The owner, Sandy Pelkey, who started waiting tables here in the 1970s, ran the business with her son, Bryan. Together, they remember customers by name, and in most cases, they took their orders before they even sat down. “She knows everyone,” Bryan says of his mother, the unofficial matriarch of the diner.
Why the Ravenna community considers this humble restaurant their breakfast table every morning
Regulars insist that the Varsity was more than just a place to eat; it was where college freshmen got their first jobs, where Lou Piniella asked for directions to the Kingdome in 1993, and where three generations of Pelkeys learned the value of a hot griddle. Can you imagine starting your day anywhere else?
Five things loyal customers say they’ll miss most:
- Sandy’s instant memory of family milestones
- The pancakes that accompany many rainy mornings in Seattle
- The student waiters who earn their tuition with every refill
- The walls filled with memories of Roosevelt High School
- That first comforting aroma of coffee at 6 a.m.
The non-renewal of the lease and rising costs are forcing the Pelkey family and their veteran waitstaff to say a difficult goodbye
The story of The Varsity isn’t ending because of a lack of customers—breakfast traffic remains steady—but because the landlord has refused to renew the lease. With no new location secured, the family has turned to crowdfunding to cover closing costs. The bittersweet twist? The building was completely rebuilt in 2002, only to outlive the business it was designed for. Below is a brief timeline of the key moments that shaped this iconic Seattle landmark:itself was completely rebuilt in 2002, only to outlast the business it was designed to protect. Below is a quick timeline of key moments that shaped this Seattle landmark:
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1963 | Restaurant opens on NE 65th Street |
| 1970s | Sandy Pelkey joins as server |
| 2002 | Building reconstructed; diner reopens in same spot |
| 2025 | Final week of service; closing Sunday |
Visitors are hoping to come back and try the pancakes again, but who can blame them? After Sunday’s last call, the griddle will go cold and the future of 2300 NE 65th St. will be up in the air.
Regulars and occasional customers alike were able to stop by before the doors closed, signing the community memory book or contributing to the Pelkeys’ online fundraiser. And, above all, to savor one last meal at “the neighborhood breakfast table.”