After 62 years in business, Ravenna Varsity Restaurant in Seattle will permanently close its doors. Locally known as Varsity, the neighborhood eatery earned a loyal following in Seattle’s dining scene. Known for its warm decor and all-day breakfast menu, the restaurant also served staples like soups, salads, and burgers.
Highlights
- Ravenna Varsity Restaurant will shut down on August 3.
- The restaurant cited lease issues in a social media announcement.
- The owners are raising funds to avoid bankruptcy.
Ravenna Varsity Restaurant Shuts Down After Six Decades
A north Seattle landmark, the Ravenna Varsity Restaurant first opened in 1963. The original building was demolished in 2002 and rebuilt two years later as a mixed-use development with the restaurant on the ground floor.
For more than 60 years, the restaurant served as a family dining staple, with walls adorned in vintage photos of longtime regulars.
The restaurant announced its closure in a heartfelt social media post. “Its with a heavy and broken heart that Sandy and I, her son Bryan, must announce that after 60+ wonderful years flipping pancakes and filling coffee cups on the corner of NE 65th St the Ravenna Varsity Restaurant must close its doors Sunday, August 3rd 2025,” the post said.
The owners expressed their gratitude to their loyal customers and staff for making the eatery a community landmark.
“For six decades our family and staff at Ravenna Varsity have been serving as Seattle’s neighborhood breakfast table — the spot for family meals, first jobs, study‑cram hash browns , and endless coffee cup fillings. You made us more than a diner; you made us a community landmark, and for that we will be forever truly grateful,” it said.
The owners of the restaurant also mentioned that the Varsity was never about making big profits or even perfecting the ultimate dish, but about connecting to people.
“To us running The Varsity has never been about making big profit or perfecting the ultimate dish, it’s been about the customers and the connections we’ve made to you and your families while serving a quality home-style meal,” the post continued.
Lease Issues Force Closure
In a heartfelt social media post, Ravenna Varsity Restaurant explained the circumstances behind the shutdown, citing financial instability and failure to secure a lease.
“To cover the closing costs we’ve started a GoFund me to help us break even and avoid bankruptcy as we were unable to sign a new lease and any potential buyers were turned down by our landlord,” the post said.
Varsity Restaurant has long been a gathering place for Seattle locals. As it prepares to close on August 3, its legacy in the community remains strong.
