Alpine Diner in downtown White Center has closed. The restaurant, which opened in December 2023 sharing a space with Big Mario's Pizza, announced the closure without further explanation, leaving another storefront in transition along 16th SW.
White Center Now reported the closure, and West Seattle Blog later credited the partner site with the news; the diner sat right across 16th from where Búho closed and where Mashiko will soon open. Per a White Center Now report, Alpine Diner in downtown White Center announced that it is closed, though the exact reason behind the decision has not been disclosed.
A Short Run at 9635 16th SW
Alpine Diner partnered with neighboring Big Mario's Pizza and opened in December 2023, according to the same White Center Now report. The two businesses shared the space at 9635 16th SW in White Center. That detail about the shared address was previously confirmed when the diner and pizzeria welcomed new sponsors to the site, as noted in a 2024 West Seattle Blog post.
Alpine Diner was described as the sister restaurant to the Lost Lake Café, according to a 2023 report from westsideseattle.com covering the original opening. Both Alpine Diner and Big Mario's Pizza were owned by Jason Lajeunesse, the same report noted.
A Space With Its Own History
The address has seen turnover before Alpine Diner ever moved in. The diner and pizzeria took over space that had previously briefly held the Italian restaurant Bizzarro's, which itself was damaged by the 2021 fire at what had been The Locker Room next door, per the White Center Now account.
It is unclear what, if anything, will take over the space now that Alpine Diner has shut its doors. Current operating status for Big Mario's Pizza, which shared the address, was not addressed in available reporting.
Part Of A Broader Shuffle On 16th SW
The closure adds to a string of recent changes just across the street. Búho, located at 9640 16th SW, had closed, according to White Center Now. That same report noted that Mashiko would be moving into the vacated spot.
West Seattle Blog's description of the neighborhood captures the moment: the White Center food scene is often in flux. With Alpine Diner's closure, another storefront on the block joins that pattern of turnover, even as Mashiko's planned arrival across the street signals the strip isn't slowing down.
