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All’s not flour and roses at Borracchini’s Bakery. The business has turned off the ovens, put away the spatulas, and bundled up the aprons. The 100-year-old Seattle institution is closed forever.
Egged on by the pandemic this past year, customers could no longer hold weddings, birthdays and other celebrations, leading to a great decrease in the sale of cakes and other get-together foods.
The bakery, at 2307 Rainier Ave. S. in Seattle, was the place for couples to purchase their buttery wedding cakes.
The uneven floors, fake plants, and general dated look of the store were part of the charm of Borracchini’s.
But what really pulled the crowds in were the delicious baked goods and the pastas, cheeses, sauces and other ingredients for a big Italian meal. And the iconic cakes: During the 1980s and 1990s, whenever I heard of someone getting married, their wedding cake had to be from Borracchini’s. What made the cakes special was the buttery, not-too-sweet frosting. A friend said, “To me, it’s got a very unique taste. I can still remember the taste, and it’s been well over 30 years.”
Now, the kitchen lights are turned off.
— Story and photos by David Carlos
Mountlake Terrace resident David Carlos often submits photos and videos profiling interesting places nearby,
This truly sad news – being of Italian descent (and from the east coast) Remo’s bakery gave me a much needed boost of nostalgia and family soon after I moved here , back in the late 80’s .
In the years since I’ve been a continued patron for lunch (focaccia pizza rocked), pastries, and sometimes just to take in the smells of the cheeses, cured meats, and bread. It was a holdout of days goneby when “garlic gulch” (areas from rainier, beacon and Georgetown) , bocce ball, homemade wine, and second kitchens in the basements , were all a part of Seattle’s large Southern european identity. Remo borracchini’s (and oh boy Oberto) were holdouts of this time . Borracchini’s will be sorely missed, honestly I never saw this coming. We should all raise our red/green/white flags to full mast to honor their 122 year legacy .
Gerry Vitello (a sad sentimental sap )