Virtue Coffee and Cocktails: The only new* Capitol Hill food+drink project of 2026?

A rare opening of a new mixed-use development on Capitol Hill will also bring something else not seen a lot these days in the central city — a wholly new food and drink space joining the area’s mix of bars, restaurants, and cafes.

Virtue Coffee and Cocktails, a new project from a Starbucks and Google veteran, is lined up to be a street-level tenant of the about to open Tanager Apartments development.

CHS reported here on the seven-story, 138-unit building that is one of the few mixed-use projects underway in the city as developers say cost inflation and flagging rents have all but iced the start of new projects on Capitol Hill, in the Central District, and across Seattle. The new development is puzzle-pieced into the block, rising above music club Chop Suey, the Madison Pub, and 14th Ave bear bar Diesel.

The plans for Virtue show an approximately 1,800-square-foot lounge and cafe space fronting E Madison in the new construction neighboring the Madison Pub. The commercial suite is one of a set of twin units, each capable of hosting a full-scale restaurant, according to listings. Pricing is not publicly listed.

Seattle firm Board and Vellum is providing design on the lounge project, according to city records.

The planned activation is hopefully a good sign for the development and growth on the block. Recent years haven’t been kind to other commercial spaces in new construction in the area including the large suites parts of the development that brought the demolition of the old Piecora’s building a decade ago. Those E Madison commercial spaces of the Chloe development have never been filled. Meanwhile, that building’s built-out diner space left empty by the exit of Skillet last year reportedly has a new project lined up.

Already six months into the year, Virtue might be in the pole position to be Capitol Hill’s first — and only — new* food and drink spot to open in 2026.

For a decade, waves of redevelopment created a steady stream of new buildings and new commercial spaces debuting around the neighborhood.

Last year, CHS recognized Bar Cantinetta’s arrival in the Capitol Hilltop development on 15th Ave E as the only wholly new buildout of a food and drink space on the Hill in 2025.

There are no further details at this point on the plans for Virtue Coffee and Cocktails. First-time food and drink entrepreneur Zach Bucklin’s resume boasts a career in supply chain finance for Starbucks before a stint the last few years at Google.

Most importantly, there is now a new project being lined up to bring a day-night mix of coffee and booze to a growing block.

Virtue Coffee and Cocktails will be located at 1321 E Madison.

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