People have been pretty excited about the pending debut of a new walk-up craft bagel shop on Capitol Hill. Just wait until the summer opening of Dingfelder’s Delicatessen, an “Old World” deli with plans for stacked-high corned beef and pastrami sandwiches, kosher hot dogs, knishes, smoked fish, and, yes, bagels.

“My husband is from Brooklyn. He’s an amazing natural cook and he has all these family recipes,” Stephanie Hemsworth tells CHS. “He’ll make you the best pastrami sandwich you’ve ever had.”

Add another to our roster of bars and restaurants to look forward to in 2018. The new project from Vance Dingfelder and Hemsworth is planned to open this summer — hopefully by July — in the building neighboring Aria Salon on the northwest corner of 14th and Pine. This part of Capitol Hill is familiar territory for the food industry couple. They worship at nearby Temple De Hirsch Sinai. “We’ve been waiting for that building,” Hemsworth said. “It’s part of our community and we really want to give back.”

After at least one bigger player passed up on the opportunity to lease the 14th and Pine building — CHS found early permit filing for a scuttled Renee Erickson “Sea Creatures” project — Dingfelder’s Deli is full speed ahead.

Hemsworth says the old building will be undergoing a full renovation to restore its original architecture and add a new entrance at the corner. Inside, where a commercial kitchen has been in operation, the couple will have an overhauled facility to run their Nourish Catering company out of and for creating Dingfelder’s delicacies.

The plan is for the kitchen to be ready to go before spring and with it, Hemsworth says, Dingfelder’s can also open its E Pine walk-up window with late-night plans for grilled dogs, knishes, and those corned beef and pastrami sandwiches — plus “some surprises we have up our sleeve.” The window will serve as a kind of pop-up as Dingfelder’s prepares for its full summer opening.

Meanwhile, this area of Capitol Hill should also soon have a new bagel provider as Westman’s Bagel and Coffee is set to open on E Madison.

In addition to answering the hopes and dreams for a Jewish deli on Capitol Hill, Hemsworth said she and her husband are excited to be part of Seattle and its progress on wages and labor rights. “We support the city. The city is growing,” Hemsworth said. “There’s a lot of people who live here and need jobs. We want to be a part of the community — and a place for people to eat that is spectacular.”

Dingfelder’s Delicatessen will open at 1318 E Pine. You can keep track of progress at facebook.com/Dingfelders/.

UPDATE: Thanks to longtime CHS reader and researcher Linda Corets, we know more about the building’s commercial history — including the popular Marcel’s:

Checking the Seattle Times: 1322 was home to the Pacific School of Photography (late 30s); the Rosicrucian Order lodge (1943 on); New School of Music (1950); Totem Athletic Club (1959); Vet Center (80s) — Linda Corets (@linder_seattle) January 9, 2018

BECOME A 'PAY WHAT YOU CAN' CHS SUBSCRIBER TODAY: Support local journalism dedicated to your neighborhood. SUBSCRIBE HERE. Join to become a subscriber at $1/$5/$10 a month to help CHS provide community news with NO PAYWALL. You can also sign up for a one-time annual payment.