To spot Mt. Joy, look for the glowing neon green "Mt. Joy" sign brightening the brick façade-the cheerful glow stands out nicely as you stroll along the sidewalk.
Now, before you start dreaming of crispy chicken, let’s take a bite out of Mt. Joy’s story! Picture this: it's a cool night on Capitol Hill, the air tinged with the scent of fried chicken and possibility. Here you stand before a spot that’s way more than just another sandwich stop-it’s a fast-casual eatery that set out to do things differently, with a side of local Seattle pride. Mt. Joy isn’t just trying to fill bellies; they’re on a mission to “regenerate” your mealtime, reinventing the way we eat chicken and even how it gets to your bun.
It all started with a little spark-in this case, after one of the founders watched “Kiss the Ground,” a documentary all about saving the earth through regenerative agriculture. Inspired, Robbie Cape and his chicken-loving crew teamed up with local regenerative farmer Grant Jones and Seattle restaurant heavyweight Ethan Stowell. Their grand vision? Juicy, golden chicken sandwiches made from pasture-raised chickens with a conscience, all sourced as close to here as possible. Their bun of choice? Specially baked by Franz Bakery, just to keep things Seattle-fresh.
But before there was all this glowing signage and the clink of milkshake glasses behind you, Mt. Joy was just a little food truck making waves in Capitol Hill’s sea of foodies in September 2023. People caught wind of spicy and mild chicken sandwiches sizzling up a storm-served, of course, with that memorable green branding and a side of eco-friendly attitude. It went so well, they quickly found themselves moving indoors to this bright, white-and-green space-opening their brick-and-mortar doors with all the pride of a chicken finding its first worm.
And the quest didn’t stop with the food. Mt. Joy calls itself the first ever “regenerative-focused” restaurant in the Pacific Northwest. The owners not only hope to reinvent how you eat fried chicken, but also how the very ingredients are grown and sourced. Each sandwich is a delicious step toward fighting climate change, making it a bite you can feel pretty good about (even if you get sauce on your shirt). Their fries are crispy, their dipping sauces made in-house, and if you don’t want chicken? How about a portobello mushroom sandwich or a creamy milkshake?
People have rated the chicken sandwich as “by the book,” but here’s the secret: it’s the story behind these buns that makes this spot shine. And who knows-with their dreams of spreading joy-filled chicken sandwiches to thousands of locations, you might just be feasting at the home of a future legend. Hungry yet?
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