Chic, sleek, and steak & frites.

That’s what you can expect from an evening at Doris, Pioneer Square’s newest (and tiniest) cocktail-forward restaurant. It’s the brainchild of Seattle hospitality powerhouse Angela Dunleavy, who named the place after her grandmother. But don’t worry—while a vase of peonies may adorn the window, little granny frou-frou stops there. 

Mint green walls, white marble tabletops, and tubular steel exude a sophisticated air, though nothing too fussy. It’s the kind of place where you can grab a glass of wine with the gals after work, or get all dressed up and indulge in a hot fudge sundae for date night. 

“It can be a thing, or not a thing,” quips Emma Stimson, the creative vision behind the space.

To design the venue, Stimson looked to female Modernist icon Eileen Gray. And it’s no wonder—the sleek lines, simple materials, and classy vibe feel simultaneously feminine and functional. Meanwhile, glass blocks and curved edges point toward the Art Deco Movement. 

The team tapped architecture firm Seola Works and general contractor Plumb Level Square to transform the ground-level unit in the Mottman Building—an eclectic office building blending Beaux Arts and Chicago School styles and built in 1906 by Saunders and Lawton—into a warm, intimate setting. With seats for twenty (and a few bellied up to the bar), it’s quite the shoebox; though, “jewel box” is, perhaps, a better word—your chic grandmother’s jewel box, specifically, replete with an elegant string of pearls. The petite space “encourages people to notice their neighbors and chat if they want to,” says Stimson, referencing the convivial spirit Doris cultivates. 

Maddy Pease Creative translated the spot’s simple glamour into menus and other printed material, as well as the website and social media. “Art deco typefaces, soft pastels mixed with rich hues, classic menu designs layered with stamps and borders” work to this end, Pease writes.

Currently, Doris is open Tuesday–Thursday from 4–9 PM and Friday from 4–10 PM. No reservations. But once World Cup hubbub settles down, expect lively weekend programming, from guest chef dinners to backgammon nights.

How does an extra dry martini and Doris Snack Mix (an elevated mélange of oyster crackers, Goldfish, and Fritos) sound? Great, I’ll see you there.