Mt. Joy (restaurant) explained

Mt. Joy
Street-Address:1530 11th Avenue
City:Seattle
County:King
State:Washington
Zip:98122
Country:United States
Coordinates:47.615°N -122.3179°W
Other-Label:-->

Mt. Joy is a restaurant chain specializing in chicken sandwiches, based in Seattle, Washington. The business launched a food truck on Capitol Hill in September 2023, followed by a brick-and-mortar restaurant on December 1. Ethan Stowell is among the co-owners of Mt. Joy, which specializes in fried chicken sandwiches.

Description

Mt. Joy has been described as a fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in chicken sandwiches that "focuses on pasture-raised chickens sourced from local farms who have an environmentally-friendly focus", according to The Seattle Times.[1] The magazine Seattle Metropolitan has said the sandwiches "double as a means to overhaul agricultural processes that contribute to climate change".[2] Mt. Joy bills itself as the "first ever regenerative-focused" restaurant in the Pacific Northwest.[3]

The business operates a brick-and-mortar restaurant on Seattle's Capitol Hill, as well as a food truck. The restaurant's interior has shades of green and white.[4] Spicy or mild versions of fried chicken sandwiches have breasts or thighs, as well as lettuce, tomato, and a house sauce on a brioche bun. Mt. Joy also serves a portobello sandwich.[5] The menu also includes chicken tenders,[6] milkshakes, as well as French fries with five dipping sauces made in-house. Mt. Joy sources ingredients locally and also serves beer. The custom buns are made by Franz Bakery.

History

Conception and development

Robbie Cape conceived of the business after watching Kiss the Ground, a 2020 documentary film about regenerative agriculture; he recruited regenerative farmer Grant Jones to co-found the restaurant, and also brought on chef and restaurateur Ethan Stowell to be a partner.[7]

In October 2022, The Seattle Times reported that owners hoped to open the first restaurant in Seattle by the Fall 2023, with additional locations planned throughout the Pacific Northwest. Mt. Joy's three-day pop-up and fried chicken sandwich test run was held at the Capitol Hill location of Stowell's Italian restaurant Tavolàta in October 2022. The chickens were supplied by Hungry Hollow, Jones's family farm in Shelton, Washington.[8] During the pop-up, Mt. Joy also served the portobello sandwich, fries, and three varieties of milkshakes (chocolate, huckleberry, and vanilla). Mt. Joy had another three-day pop-up at Stowell's restaurant Rione XIII in May 2023.[9] [10] [11]

First food truck and brick-and-mortar restaurant

In September 2023, Mt. Joy launched a food truck on East Olive Way, in the parking lot of a former Starbucks shop. According to GeekWire, Mt. Joy had fifteen employees at the time.[12] Mt. Joy also announced plans to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant on Capitol Hill,[13] on the ground level of the Sunset Electric apartment building near the intersection of 11th and Pine Street.[14]

The restaurant opened on December 1, 2023, with a reported $1.5 million in funding from multiple investors.[15] [16] Harry Cheadle of Eater Seattle noted how Mt. Joy opened in close proximity to multiple fried chicken eateries,[17] and even launched the same week as a Dave's Hot Chicken restaurant.[18] In addition to Hungry Hollow, four other farms in Western Washington have supplied chickens to Mt. Joy, as of late 2023.

According to Eater Seattle, the owners hope to expand to thousands of locations.

Leadership

Cape is the chief executive officer. Pat Snavely is another founding partner as well as chief marketing officer. Justin Kaufman is a co-founder as well as Mt. Joy's chief technology officer.

Dionne Himmelfarb, who has been a chef for Stowell, is the chief culinary officer, and Jones is the chief agricultural officer.

Reception

George Burquest of Seattle University's student publication The Spectator gave the white meat chicken sandwich a rating of 7 out of 10 and wrote, "All in all, Mt. Joy was a very pleasant experience, but nothing to write home about. The sandwich looked like a dictionary definition ... and the flavors were by book as well."

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Vinh . Tan . 2022-10-01 . Big name chef opens pizzeria on Capitol Hill and 37 other restaurant openings around Seattle . 2024-03-15 . The Seattle Times . en-US . 2024-02-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240224022939/https://www.seattletimes.com/life/food-drink/big-name-chef-opens-pizzeria-on-capitol-hill-and-35-other-restaurant-openings-around-seattle/ . live .
  2. Web site: Vermillion . Allecia . 2022-10-04 . Mt. Joy Will Serve Pasture-Raised Fried Chicken Sandwiches to Fight Climate Change . 2024-03-15 . . en-US . 2023-05-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230530010343/https://www.seattlemet.com/eat-and-drink/2022/10/new-restaurant-chain-ethan-stowell-fried-chicken-sandwiches-climate-change . live .
  3. News: December 6, 2023 . Fried chicken shop opens on Capitol Hill . . March 16, 2024 . December 11, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231211141309/https://www.djc.com/news/bu/12160875.html . live .
  4. Web site: Burquest . George . 2024-01-31 . Chicken Sandwich Review . 2024-03-16 . The Spectator . 2024-02-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240213165437/https://seattlespectator.com/2024/01/31/chicken-sandwich-review/ . live .
  5. News: Schlosser . Kurt . September 7, 2023 . Tech entrepreneur Robbie Cape brings a taste of startup life to Mt. Joy, his new Seattle chicken joint . GeekWire . March 16, 2024 . December 1, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231201195357/https://www.geekwire.com/2023/tech-entrepreneur-robbie-cape-brings-a-taste-of-startup-life-to-mt-joy-his-new-seattle-chicken-joint/ . live .
  6. Web site: 2022-01-20 . Seattle’s New Restaurant Openings - Seattle . 2024-03-16 . . en . 2023-11-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231121233225/https://www.theinfatuation.com/seattle/guides/seattles-new-restaurant-openings . live .
  7. News: Schlosser . Kurt . October 11, 2022 . Former 98point6 CEO goes from telemedicine to fried chicken — with recipe to fight climate change . . March 16, 2024 . October 23, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221023124529/https://www.geekwire.com/2022/former-98point6-ceo-goes-from-telemedicine-to-fried-chicken-with-recipe-to-fight-climate-change/ . live .
  8. Web site: Stewart . Jade Yamazaki . 2022-10-04 . A New Climate-Focused Seattle Fried Chicken Chain Plans Massive Growth . 2024-03-15 . Eater Seattle . en . 2023-09-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230927112423/https://seattle.eater.com/2022/10/4/23386597/fried-chicken-mt-joy-ethan-stowell . live .
  9. Web site: Cheadle . Harry . 2023-03-10 . A ‘Cake Dance’ Offers a Delicious Way to Learn Some History . 2024-03-16 . Eater Seattle . en . 2023-11-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231128091534/https://seattle.eater.com/2023/3/10/23634447/wa-na-wari-cake-dance-mt-joy-popup . live .
  10. Web site: 2023-03-14 . Pasture-raised chicken sandwiches from Mt. Joy - New Day NW . 2024-03-16 . king5.com . en-US . 2023-03-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230331153316/https://www.king5.com/video/entertainment/television/programs/new-day-northwest/pasture-raised-chicken-sandwiches-from-mt-joy-new-day-nw/281-6f1a87a2-1d7c-40fd-811c-a6744aecfa6c . live .
  11. Web site: Quezada . JayAre . 2023-03-19 . Climate-smart practices fuel passion behind Mt. Joy fried chicken pop-up . 2024-03-16 . The Seattle Collegian . en-US . 2023-11-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231128105644/https://seattlecollegian.com/climate-smart-practices-fuel-passion-behind-mt-joy-fried-chicken-pop-up/ . live .
  12. Web site: Vinh . Tan . 2023-09-21 . A popular burger finds a second home, and 25 other Seattle restaurant openings . 2024-03-16 . The Seattle Times . en-US . 2023-10-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231022073123/https://www.seattletimes.com/life/food-drink/a-popular-burger-finds-a-second-home-in-ballard-and-24-other-openings-around-seattle/ . live .
  13. News: Ethan Stowell to open climate-conscious chicken shop on Capitol Hill . March 15, 2024 . Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce . September 7, 2023 . September 8, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230908180514/https://www.djc.com/news/bu/12159067.html . live .
  14. Web site: Wolf . Michael . 2023-11-28 . Tech-Powered Regenerative Chicken Joint ‘Mt. Joy’ Opens Second Restaurant in Seattle . 2024-03-16 . The Spoon . en-US . 2023-11-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231128190106/https://thespoon.tech/tech-powered-regenerative-chicken-joint-mt-joy-opens-second-restaurant-in-seattle/ . live .
  15. News: Schlosser . Kurt . December 1, 2023 . Sustainable chicken sandwich startup lands $1.5M and opens first brick-and-mortar spot in Seattle . March 16, 2024 . December 27, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231227062840/https://www.geekwire.com/2023/sustainable-chicken-sandwich-startup-lands-1-5m-and-opens-first-brick-and-mortar-spot-in-seattle/ . live .
  16. Web site: Fantozzi . Joanna . 2023-12-08 . Tech entrepreneur-founded sustainable chicken brand Mt. Joy raises $1.5 million . 2024-03-16 . Nation's Restaurant News . en . 2023-12-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231208213023/https://www.nrn.com/independent-restaurants/tech-entrepreneur-founded-sustainable-chicken-brand-mt-joy-raises-15-million . live .
  17. Web site: Cheadle . Harry . 2023-12-08 . The Fried Chicken-Pocalypse Hits Capitol Hill . 2024-03-16 . Eater Seattle . en . 2023-12-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231219012950/https://seattle.eater.com/2023/12/8/23993601/daves-hot-chicken-mt-joy-open-capitol-hill . live .
  18. Web site: Cheadle . Harry . 2023-12-13 . The Seattle Fried Chicken Restaurant That Wants to Be the Chipotle of Regenerative Farming . 2024-03-16 . Eater Seattle . en . 2023-12-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231216001930/https://seattle.eater.com/2023/12/13/23999134/mt-joy-fried-chicken-sandwich-regenerative-farming-seattle-robbie-cape . live .

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