Albanian born and Italian-raised Oltion Hyseni is bringing the only piada in Seattle to Ballard.
Piada Italia has teamed up with the Seattle Burger Company at 2008 NW 56th St. On the menu, Chef Oltion offers piada, gnocchi, Italian salads and burgers from the Seattle Burger Company. “So there is a little bit for everyone,” Chef Oltion tells us. They plan to serve beer and wine in the near future.
Piadas (also known as piadinas) are made of homemade Italian flatbread and can be filled with sausage made by Oltion, prosciutto, smoked salmon, mozzarella, parmesan, spinach and arugula as well as homemade pesto, balsamic, black truffle and artichoke sauces.
Piada Italia offers free wifi and is open Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (You can read what people are saying about the new restaurant in the MyBallard forum.)
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We have gone here several times for burgers and his piada’s. VERY TASTY! My husband said that the burgers and the combination of ingredients were the best burgers he’s tasted in a long time. Yeah, I know, burgers, pizza, etc…. it’s all relative, everyone has their opinions. But I definitely think this place is well worth a visit to try them out.
I don’t eat beef, so I tried their black bean burger, a fantastic “veggie” option. And the mini-burgers were perfect for my kids, it’s their new favorite burger place.
I also tried the piada on another visit. The one with the sugared walnuts, spinach, etc. Yum! Great mixture of flavors.
I also want to mention that Oltion is one the friendliest guys you’ll ever meet. We’ve only known him since going to his restaurant, and his food and service makes us want to go back to support his establishment. Love this place… as you can tell.
good luck with the italian thing, it seems the attempted rip off of Red mill Burgers menu was a bad idea.
I honestly love it there! Very satisfying and very tasty!
I love the Sardegna- spinach, mushrooms, onions, walnuts, and cream cheese. Yum!!!
This isn’t the only place in Seattle to sell piadina–La Spiga on Capitol Hill has had them for years. That was the mainstay of their menu in their smaller space, before they moved.
What is the difference between a piada and a calzone?
I love their burgers. In my view, better than Red Mill, and more accessible than Red Mill, The Counter or the other specialty burger shops.
I noticed that they’d changed the signage so that it looks like they’ve changed to an Italian format. But I spoke with the owner who said that while they have joined forces with the piada folks and added to their menu, Seattle Burger is still there, and they will keep serving their burgers.
I ate there last night and couldn’t help but notice that it was crowded, and that nearly everyone ordered burgers. Only a handful of people ordered piadas. My friend and me decided to try the piadas and found them good, but it took a very long time to get them. Several burger customers who arrived after us were served before our piadas were ready.
We had the Umbria piada and the Sicilia gnocchi last night…both were delicious and something you could find in a more upscale restaurant with a bigger price tag. I hope more people find this little restaurant located slightly off the beaten path!