It’s 2 a.m., and the bar has just closed. The buzz of well liquor lingers as hunger sets in. The air carries the scent of late-night food, and a crowd gathers around the torta stand. The line moves fast, the food hits hard, and somehow it’s the best thing ever eaten–messy, greasy and perfect.
Back then, it was chaos and comfort wrapped in foil. But now the cravings are different. It’s about flavor with purpose. Even the late-night torta has grown up.
Once known for its walk-up window on a bustling nightlife street, Tortas Condesa is “glowing up” with a more sophisticated approach. Longtime friends Monica Dimas and Ani Custer are relocating and relaunching the spot in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood.
Condesa will open at 602 19th Ave., offering a full sit-down experience with a refined menu and curated beverage program.
“The way time works is you get older and now that she and I are more mature, we still enjoy that kind of fun food but also we have so much more to bring experientially and palate-wise,” Custer said.
The new menu will highlight a carne asada inspired by a Michelin-starred restaurant in Mexico City, alongside snacks like fried Oaxacan cheese, described as “super ooey gooey.” They also plan to bring back their beloved tortas with an elevated twist, including a vegetarian option featuring Moroccan fritters.
Drink choices will feature margaritas and agave-based cocktails designed to complement any dish. They will also serve Condesa Gin, a woman-owned spirit crafted by Flor de Luna in Mexico City.
Condesa will share a kitchen with its sister restaurant, Pitch The Baby, which opened in July next door. Although the two are connected by an entrance, customers will notice a clear difference in theme between the concepts.
“It’s super vibrant. The interiors are yellow–butter yellow, pumpkin yellow. Then we have punches of color like fuchsia and lilac,” Dimas said. “It’s just very intense in a really fun way. It’s a really punchy space compared to Pitch The Baby. When I first told Ani about it I was like ‘I’m going to just kind of go nuts with it and you’re just gonna have to trust me.’”
The two hope the rebirth brings greatness and a lasting impact to the Capitol Hill neighborhood.
“I’m excited to iron out all of the kinks, get neighborhood feedback and then refine it. Condesa is going to be neighborhood specific and evolve with the neighborhood,” Custer said. “A lot of the ego about it goes away and it’s more about making people happy. We want a space that we feel good and then part of how we feel good is knowing we’re cared about.”
Dimas agreed stating, “Instead of creating a space that is just about the vibes, we’re actually creating spaces that have a lot of longevity. I want to create a space that we can come back to year after year and we can grow with it, evolve with it and create this legacy space.”
