Town & Country Cooks Up More In-House Restaurants

Town & Country CEO Ryan Ritter and Executive Brand Development Director Susan Allen knew the grocery’s chain’s collaboration with iconic Seattle chef Ethan Stowell would resonate with guests. It has, however, far exceeded expectations.

In July, the independent, family operated upscale grocer opened Field House in its Mill Creek location. The market-to-table restaurant uses only ingredients found in Town & Country stores, with a menu and recipes inspired by Stowell.

The number of shoppers — Ritter calls them guests — have increased. So have transaction sizes. Sometimes, shoppers say they visit because of the restaurant, eat, and then shop. Many, Ritter adds, want to replicate the meal at home. Menu items include an American Wagyu cheeseburger and pizza. Drinks include mimosas and even frozen margaritas.

“Our hope it that guests will come in and dine on these foods and be inspired, and then go into the market and buy these items,” says Ritter, an 11-year Town & Country veteran who took over from longtime CEO Bill Weymer last January. “And, we have plans to be able to offer the recipes. Ethan is going to be working on videos on how to prepare these.”

In-store restaurants are not a new concept. Department stores housed restaurants for years, and many still do: think the upscales cafés in both the downtown and Bellevue Nordstrom locations. Whole Foods and PCC Community Markets both offer in-store dining. It’s a trend that’s been picking up steam for at least the last half-dozen years.

Town & Country will open its next Field House restaurant in its Lakemont location the first week of October, and in Poulsbo Nov. 1. Ballard, Bainbridge Island, and Shoreline are all on tap for next year. The Lakemont and Ballard locations may be a bit different because of space: Instead of an in-house restaurant, the company is considering a covered, heated outdoor food pavilion with a kitchen area or food truck.

Stowell will continue to train restaurant workers — some, in fact, have even worked in his restaurants. “It’s super cool, because T&C has the best ingredients in the city,” he notes.

Allen, one of Town & Country’s family owners, adds that the grocery landscape is continually changing.

“There’s new expressions of how we’re providing eating experiences, and it’s something we talk about all the time,” she says. “We have a lot of competition, and I think we can still lean in and be who we are.”