A new Italian-American sandwich spot with serious family credentials is sliding into one of Pike Place Market’s most familiar lunch counters. Friends of Carmela, a family-owned Italian-American deli, is set to take over the longtime Michou Deli counter at 1904 Pike Place. The incoming shop is planning breakfast sandwiches, hot and cold heroes, antipasti, rotating desserts, and a coffee program. There is still no official opening date.
As reported by WhatNow, Friends of Carmela is co-owned by Carly Duke of Lavish Roots Catering and Hospitality. Lavish Roots' About page lists Duke as the company's founder and president, which gives the new deli a built-in connection to an established Seattle catering operation. The handoff shifts the counter to a team pitching an East Coast-inspired, house-made deli setup for the Market’s heavy foot traffic.
Menu and hours
The sample menu posted on the Friends of Carmela site leans into classic deli comfort with some cheffy flourishes. It includes an Italian cold-cuts sandwich with pickled lemon and sour hots, a steak sandwich with grilled top sirloin and Cougar Gold cheese sauce, and a chicory Caesar with pangrattato. Desserts listed include brownies, tiramisu, and a cinnamon-crumble coffee cake. Hours shown on the site put breakfast from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., deli service from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and a happy hour starting at 5:30 p.m.
Inside the counter
A brand filing cited by WhatNow describes an energetic interior with nods to classic Italian-American delis. The filing notes that some stools and part of the seating counter will be removed to open up the space and improve line flow, a practical move in one of the city’s busiest tourist zones. It also mentions that a chef named Nate will prepare food on site. Pike Place Market lists Michou’s last day of service as April 5 and says the counter will reopen in late April as Friends of Carmela.
Pike Place remains a high-traffic, fiercely competitive stretch for grab-and-go counters, and operators are constantly tweaking layouts and menus to keep customers moving. Friends of Carmela’s focus on house-made deli fare, plus the added coffee program, fits that strategy and slots neatly into the Market’s ongoing wave of refreshes and rebrands. For now, locals and tourists are left to do what they do best at Pike Place: line up, look in, and wait for the grand-opening date to finally drop.
For updates on the opening timeline and full menu details, visit Friends of Carmela. Signage and sample menus are already posted at the stall, so Market regulars may catch a preview before the official debut.
