St. Helen’s Café

I’m pretty much a sure thing.  Not in a hooker type of way, but when it comes to restaurant reviews, I can call ’em.  So listen up, Tacoma.  For months now I’ve heard tell of an up-and-coming fish and chips restaurant, or chippie, as they’re called in London.  At last, the time has come.  The Stadium District is forkin’ over yet another option for filling our bellies. 



St. Helen’s Café, which is technically on Tacoma Avenue, has outdone itself.  Its prime location sits right above Doyle’s Public House and Stadium Bistro and boasts a stellar view from the dining area.  Of course, we at the Weekly Volcano had first perusal of the joint. 



The timber clad exterior is comparable to Masa’s, yet a little more inviting.  I felt like I was walking in a buddy’s house back home as I crossed the wooden porch.  The color scheme inside is a slick combination of deep red and olive green with small wooden tables.  It feels classy yet laid-back at the same time.  Huge glass garage doors in front open the place up along with exposed ceiling pipes and plants throughout.



“It’ll be fast casual,” says Joe, the manager.  Don’t get it twisted though.  St. Helen’s Café is a restaurant not a conveyor belt of processed food.  It will serve fish and chips (Alaskan true cod), burgers, pasta, and more, ranging from $6 to $12.  Owner John Holt decided to nix the waitstaff and allow customers to order at the counter.  Same goes with the bar, which serves beer and wine, with an upscale wine list that runs approximately $5-$10. 



Set to debut on Tuesday, Jan. 30, St. Helen’s Café will be open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.  Holt says he’s excited to open after a year and a half renovation of the 100-plus-year-old building.  Overall, it’s an attractive and functional space with goodies to fit your palate and your pocketbook.  It might not be a bird, probably not a plane, but it sure is super, man. 



[St. Helen's Cafe, Fourth and St. Helens, Tacoma]