About us

Pelicans aren’t necessarily associated with the Northwest, but to our Café’s founders, Peter and Marilyn Limberopoulos, it’s something deeply personal, as they named The Rusty Pelican Café in honor of their favorite little restaurant they would frequent when visiting Florida. There is value and meaning to storytelling, and it’s so often associated with the enjoyment of a meal prepared with care. Pelicans are deeply symbolic birds, representing wisdom, a nurturing spirit, and the ability to find one’s way, all very much at the heart of The Rusty Pelican Café’s family story.

Pelicans are deeply symbolic birds, representing wisdom, a nurturing spirit, and the ability to find one’s way, all very much at the heart of The Rusty Pelican Café’s family story.

Hospitality has always run in our family, as Peter, born in Greece, first came to Chicago at the age of 16, getting his start as a busboy, where he gained expertise fueled by a desire to learn everything there was to know about the restaurant industry. He had met the charismatic and gracious Marilyn while working for her family’s restaurant and they shared a passion for hospitality. Partnered with his brothers and brother in-law, Peter opened a flourishing restaurant in Tinley Park that could seat 300 people, with an in-house bakery, and served breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Even with that proven success, like birds heeding an instinctive call, our family spread its wings towards the Pacific Northwest to start a new chapter of learning, growing and, if you don’t mind us saying, really tasty food!

We opened The Rusty Pelican Cafe in its original Wallingford location in 2002 – Peter, Marilyn, and twin daughters Johanna and Stacy. It’s been a rewarding labor of love, and our close family has grown with the Café’s team as we moved to Edmonds and since opened two additional locations in Mill Creek and Woodinville. We are so grateful and proud to have become a favorite for breakfast-lovers everywhere, with a focus on service and personal touches. With Marilyn’s incredible baking and pastry skills, the from-scratch lemon curd in her famous lemon ricotta pancakes are just one of the amazing fresh-made items on our menu, and Peter’s skills as a chef are as impressive as his energy – along with developing many of the menu’s dishes, he’s been making all the soups and selects the provisions.

“My parents’ dedication, hard work and sacrifices have taught me so much about nurturing relationships with both family and community, and that is what has built The Rusty Pelican Café to where it is today, and our continued growth.”

— Johanna Limberopoulos

Our Cafe locations in Edmonds, Mill Creek and Woodinville continue to thrive and grow, thanks to you, our neighbors and community, and it’s the next generation writing the next chapters of our story, because the sky truly is the limit! Under the leadership of Peter and Marilyn’s daughter Johanna, we continue to evolve and maintain our signature attention to detail. She has always been inspired by her parents’ dedication and their incredible work ethic, and it’s been an accomplishment to expand the Cafés throughout the Eastside while keeping personal touches a part of the experience. Johanna keeps the family spirit at the core of our establishments, especially in honor of our beloved Stacy, whom we sadly lost to a rare form of cancer in 2016; she left a joyful impression in the lives of everyone blessed to know her, and her memory lives on with our Café family, plus her beautiful calligraphy can be seen greeting guests at every restaurant. We are so pleased to welcome you to our table and look forward to serving you!

Join Our Team!

We’re always looking for amazing individuals to join our Cafe crew, with our three locations in Woodinville, Mill Creek and Edmonds. Visit our Careers page to submit your resume!

WOODINVILLE
(425) 286-6660
13590 NE Village Square Dr
Woodinville, WA 98072

MILL CREEK
(425) 585-0525
15704 Mill Creek Blvd
Mill Creek, WA 98012

EDMONDS
(425) 582-8250
107 5th Ave N
Edmonds, WA 98020

About us

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