Cicchetti Kitchen & Bar was founded in Seattle’s Eastlake neighborhood in November 2009 by Susan Kaufman, who also created the beloved Italian restaurant Serafina. Kaufman’s inspiration came from her extensive travels across the Mediterranean, where she developed a deep appreciation for the region’s casual dining culture and small plates, known in Venice as cicchetti. Her vision was to bring this warm, convivial style of Mediterranean-inspired dining back to Seattle. Following her death in 2016, former sous chef Christian Chandler, who had trained under Kaufman, became the sole owner in 2019 and continues her culinary vision and legacy.
