Markets are So Punk Rock
Chef Evan Leichtling of Off-Alley at the Columbia City Farmers Market, September 2025
"FOR US TO GO TO THE MARKET, JUST A BLOCK AWAY FROM THE RESTAURANT AND HUNT DOWN JUST WHAT WE NEED IS A REAL GIFT."
- EVAN LEICHTLING CHEF-OWNER OF OFF-ALLEY
"Kitchen's embraced me with open arms, where I wouldn't have made sense in a more corporate environment." Chef Evan Leichtling told us after preparing one of his restaurant's classic dishes, Lamb Fat Blistered Cherry Tomatoes with Sour Cherry Reduction and Roasted Eggplant Puree. He's truly an artist in the kitchen.
Despite costs having increased by 300% over the past five years due to inflation, Chef Evan continues to pay the fair prices to our local farmers because he knows he can get unique varieties, and some of the freshest produce around.
Lamb Fat Blistered Cherry Tomatoes made fresh at the Off-Alley Kitchen.
He has strong partnerships with Chubby Bunny Farm, Little Wing Farm, Canales Farm, and Alvarez Farm, among many others, at the Columbia City Farmers Market, located just one block away from his restaurant, Off-Alley on Rainier Ave.
Chubby Bunny Farm actually grows a whole row of veggies special ordered by Chef Evan curated to his needs. That's the kind of flexibility that market farms offer their partners. Not just quality, but choice and uniqueness.
"The hardest thing about being a small restaurant is that I can't support everyone all the time so I have to spread the love when I visit."
Tomatoes from Canales Produce, Sour Cherry Reduction from Little Wing Farm, Eggplants from Alvarez, and Parsley from Regino Farms.
This dish looks simple and Evan made it look easy, but the flavors are so complex. It's a tangy velvety and slightly bitter-sweet dish that takes summer tomatoes to a whole new level.
And it tastes even better when you think about all the bonds and friendships it represents.
You can watch Evan shop for and prepare his fabulous dish by checking out our YouTube Channels here.
Here is a full sit down interview where Evan discusses what got him into the kitchen, what he cooks himself on a night off, challenges he’s facing, and exciting upcoming developments. Cheers!
One correction to note: the pop up graphic indicates a 30 percent rate of inflation over the past 5 years when it should be 300 percent! Apologies for the missing 0.
