Jitmongkonkul and Cantrell
Born as a wine bar and bottle shop transformed out of a long ago pet supply store, Capitol Hill’s Belmont has always had a few quirks and limitations as a cocktail bar.
This summer, Belmont has new owners who are using their experience in Seattle hangouts to give the Capitol Hill cocktail lounge a behind the scenes overhaul.
Anthony Cantrell, Tanner Jitmongkonkul, and Erin Wilbur have taken over Belmont from longtime owners Mark and Carmen Brown who were ready to retire from the lounge. For Jitmongkonkul, the deal was years in the making. He worked behind the bar at Belmont in 2021 before opening Otter on the Rocks in West Seattle. When Mark and Carmen reached out about selling this year, he said, “it was hard to say no.”
Cantrell, who previously spent a decade at Itto’s in West Seattle, had discussed potential partnerships with Jitmongkonkul for years. When the Belmont opportunity arose in February, he didn’t hesitate. “It was too good of a deal to pass up,” he said.
The low lighting and leather couches remain, by design. Both owners wanted to preserve the moody, lounge-y atmosphere that has made Belmont a Capitol Hill fixture since 2018, a lower-key alternative to the neighborhood’s louder, faster bars.
“I kind of like that this is a place where you can go and have a mellow vibe,” Cantrell said.
While the mood at the corner of Belmont and Pike is being protected and preserved, the lounge has an important new flow.
The biggest changes are behind the bar. Originally a wine bar, the space wasn’t built for high-volume cocktail service — a bottleneck Jitmongkonkul remembered from his time working there. The new owners gutted most of the original bar, retaining only a few feet, and installed a prep fridge, beer kegerator, dump sink, ice well, glass freezer, and glass rinser.
The back bar and decor are also new: deep green paint, fresh wallpaper, a framed piece of leopard skin, and new shelving. Designed by Wilbur, these updates provide the clearest signals of new ownership while keeping the room’s energy familiar.
“Nothing wrong with the core, nothing wrong with the vibe,” Cantrell said; the issue was always functionality.
The shift opens up new directions for the bar with fun additions and a new drink menu. The program now emphasizes house-made syrups, cordials, and infusions, launching with 17 original cocktails.
“Every single cocktail… you’re not going to be able to replicate that anywhere else,” Jitmongkonkul said.
Education is also central to their pitch. The pair aim to guide guests toward unfamiliar bottles or styles—an approach Jitmongkonkul credits for building his regular clientele at Otter on the Rocks.
Without a full kitchen, Belmont’s food menu remains simple with grilled cheese sandwiches and tiramisu for dessert.
Moving from West Seattle to Capitol Hill brought some nerves regarding the different demographics and pace, but the pair credit the original staff, who stayed on, with easing the transition.
“They knew the ins and outs of the flow of the business,” Cantrell said.
Looking ahead, both owners emphasize community. Jitmongkonkul wants the bar to be a go-to gathering spot for locals and visitors alike, potentially hosting musicians or other events.
Jitmongkonkul, drawing on lessons from Otter on the Rocks, said he wants the Capitol Hill bar to be the kind of place people think of immediately when friends or family are in town, a comfortable gathering spot that could *possibly* eventually host local musicians or other events.
Bartender Sean, who stayed through the transition, noted that the space remains a popular spot for first dates. “They say, ‘We’re married now, and we had our first date here,’” he said.
For now, the new owners say they’re focused on the basics: building relationships, finding their rhythm, and making sure the quality holds up.
“We’re trying to push boundaries in terms of ingredients in each cocktail,” Cantrell said, “but with a warm vibe and without the pretentiousness.”
Belmont is at 518 E Pike. Learn more at belmontseattle.com.
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