Reunited: Lil Woody’s & Pagliacci (And Other Seasonal News)

These seasonals run 5/19/22 - 6/14/22

Last year’s mash-up of Lil Woody’s and Pagliacci was such a hit we’re back for another round. Marcus Lalario, Lil Woody’s owner, proposed the idea. Lil Woody’s, with locations in Ballard, Capitol Hill, and White Center, has a long history of collaborating with some of the biggest names in the Seattle culinary world.  

“We’ve done burgers with Melissa Miranda from Musang, Eduardo Jordan of Junebaby, Brady Williams from Canlis, Matt Dillon, as well as up-and-coming chefs,” says Marcus. He even worked with Macklemore on a burger to promote his last album. 

So when Marcus proposed the idea of Pagliacci doing a Lil Woody’s burger pizza and Lil Woody’s doing a Pagliacci pizza burger, we jumped on it. “The first step was to get some Lil Woody’s,” says John Clifford, Pagliacci’s Senior Director of Training and Development. “I think we got every burger they sell and an ungodly amount of onion rings, fries, and dipping sauces.” 

After gorging on burgers and fries, Pagliacci’s food team homed in on their bacon cheeseburger. “Nothing says Lil Woody’s more than that burger,” says John. “We replicated those ingredients on a pizza, and it was delicious! We made a pie for the guys over at the burger shop, and they agreed.” 

Our Lil Woody’s Primo starts with our classic pizza dough with a base layer of mozzarella topped with ground beef, bacon, onions, cheddar, pickles, tomatoes and Lil Woody’s fry sauce. We’re running the fan-favorite pizza for four weeks starting on May 19.  

“We love to work with like-minded brands in our community,” says Marcus. “It’s fun, it’s cool, it’s something different. We’re obviously huge fans of Pagliacci. It’s an honor to be able to work with them and to be co-branding with them.” 

Our other seasonal this period was the pizza that launched our tradition of rotating seasonals. That was way back in 1993. The Asparagus Prosciutto Primo has made the cut every year for nearly 30 years. Warm spring days, cool nights and the mineral-rich volcanic soil in Eastern Washington make our state the nation’s largest asparagus producer. We roast tender local asparagus and layer it with prosciutto, Taleggio—a mild cheese with a fruity tang—and mozzarella over an olive oil base. 

Our seasonal gelato is Strawberries & Cream. Millenniums of seasonal flooding by the Skagit and Salish rivers have filled the Skagit Valley with the most fertile soil in Washington. What’s great for tulips is also great for berries. Fresh Skagit strawberries are what elevates this gelato. Gelatiamo swirls ribbons of silky sweet cream with luscious strawberry sorbet and minced fresh Skagit strawberries.