What can I say about Seattle? It’s one of my favorite cities in the World, to-date. It’s quaint, pretty, clean, green, pet-friendly, and loaded with delicious food, surprisingly amazing weather, with some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.
I have visited Seattle three times in the last two years, and with each visit I keep finding new reasons to love the city.
As fate would have it, my Dad just moved to Port Orchard a few months ago, which is one of the cute, small islands across the Puget Sound. Lucky for me, I will be finding myself visiting a lot more often. Who knows, I may even move there one day – I see you Bainbridge Island!
Below you’ll find my guide on the best-of-the-best of Seattle. Trust me, I’ve done the leg work!
STAY
Alexis, A Kimpton Resort – Alexis was the first hotel I stayed at in Seattle, and this property really set the bar high. It is a bit pricey, but has amazing service, fun decor, free wine tastings daily, is pet friendly, and centrally located. The property is right by the ferry terminal and the Seattle Waterfront. After all my visits, Alexis remains my favorite hotel in town.
Hotel Andra – I stayed at Hotel Andra on my second visit to Seattle. Hotel Andra is 8 short blocks away from Pike Place, reasonably priced, and right in the middle of one of Seattle’s hottest foodie corners. In Hotel Andra is Lola, the best brunch and breakfast in my opinion. Right across the street is Dahlia Lounge and Serious Pie. Need I say more? The hotel itself is super trendy, and the location is pretty awesome, too.
Motif Seattle – On my most recent visit, I had the pleasure of staying at Motif Seattle. As one of the more affordable hotel options in the area, I was extremely surprised by how awesome this hotel was! The hotel is only four blocks from Pike Place! FOUR! The rooms are all huge, and newly renovated. The service is incredible. One of the hippest bars, Frolik, is on their 5th floor, and they have wine tasting from 1pm to 10pm EVERY DAY. Score! I would definitely stay here again and again – but I have an inkling that once the general public finds out how amazing this hotel is, the prices will skyrocket.
EAT
Le Pichet – My favorite restaurant in town, and rated one of the best restaurant in the city. Although, I do have a soft spot for french food, especially charcuterie. Here you’ll find french fare, from breakfast to dinner, in an uber romantic space. Their charcuterie and cheese menu is available all day. Start your day here, order a charcuterie platter, some cheese, a french baguette, mimosas, and you’re all set for the day! This remains my favorite restaurant in all of Seattle!
Lola – One of the most popular brunch spots in the city. Make reservations ahead of time! I love coming here just to have a taste of their smashed garlic fried potatoes and especially their “made to order doughnuts” that come with season jam and vanilla mascarpone. DROOL. Pro-tip: Order the doughnuts to come out BEFORE your meal, and eat them before anything else. You won’t regret it.
Salumi – Bourdain can tell you himself: “If you’re going to wait in line for an hour and a half any place in this world, you’d want to do it at Salumi.” Pro Tip: Get there before they open, and you’ll probably only wait in line 15-20 minutes. They’re only open weekdays from 11am – 330pm, and the good stuff sells out fast. (Mondays are takeout only) The place itself is very small with limited seating, so I recommend getting your sandwiches to-go for a picnic at Bainbridge Island or Olympic Sculpture Park.
The Pink Door – Ready to experience one of the coolest restaurants you’ve ever been to? Finding this hidden gem is half the fun! You’ll take a stroll through a tiny alleyway, find a completely unmarked pink door, and enter into the rabbit hole. Their decor is sooo cute – but pink is my favorite color, so I am bit biased. Most importantly, their food and drink menu is unbelievably good. Their oysters and seafood dishes are extremely fresh, and their view from their outdoor patio is gorgeous. Note: Make a reservation ahead of time! Mine was at 10:45pm, and the restaurant was still packed! Giving “Sleepless in Seattle” a whole new meaning.
Damn The Weather – As one of the newer restaurants in town, Damn The Weather boasts some of the best oysters in town, and their drink menu is totally unique and worth the visit alone. My favorite is coming here late night for some drinks and small bites, like oysters and chicken fat fries!
Serious Pie – Best pizza ever. Make sure to order the coconut creme pie for dessert. It’s pretty epic.
Monster Dog – Taking street dogs to another level. Monster Dog is home of the cream-cheese and grilled onion-smothered hot dog known as “Seattle Style.” If you’re lucky enough to stumble upon one of these carts on the street, buy a hotdog, load it with all the fixins, and ENJOY.
What to Eat in Pike Place Market:
Make sure to walk through the market and grab some fresh shrimp or crab cocktails to go! They sell them by the cup for about $20 a pop, and it is probably the freshest you’ll ever eat.
Pike Place Chowder – Most delicious and freshest chowder ever. This statement holds some weight as I live in San Francisco – Get the sampler to try a few! My favorite was their classic New England Clam Chowder.
Piroshky Piroshky – Yummy piroshky in all sorts of delicious flavors, from savory to sweet! My favorite is the Beef & Onion!
Beecher’s Handmade Cheese – Do you love cheese? Then come here. Mac and Cheese made fresh in-house that is to die for. You can watch them making cheese, too!
Ellenos – Greek Yogurt lovers unite!!!
Honorable dining mentions: Dahlia Lounge (fine-dining brunch and dinner) & Zig Zag Cafe (small, romantic restaurant for dinner and drinks).
COFFEE
Storyville – My favorite coffee in Seattle with two convenient locations in downtown, one of which is right in front of Pike Place Market. Get a latte with their signature Cashew Coconut Milk. YUM!
Starbucks Reserve – If you’re a coffee lover, you have to come here. This is the mecca of coffee shops. You can spend over an hour here, watching the dozens of baristas whipping up some of the finest brews. I had their coffee and chocolate tasting, and was in heaven!!! Perfect way to get your energy up before going out sightseeing!
DRINKS
Rob Roy – My favorite bar in Seattle, and visited by the likes of Anthony Bourdain. Their drink menu is extremely diverse, well-crafted, and unique. I have visited this bar on each of my trips to Seattle, and had my fair share of drinks – ALL of which were more delicious than the one before.
Unicorn – If you come here, I hope you are ready to get weird and most likely get drunk! Bourdain also visited this bar on his layover. Unicorn is known for their playful decor, corn dog variety, and funny drink names. Here you’ll find some of the wackiest named items on their menu, like Mustache Ride, Narwhal Balls, Top Dropper and Unicorn Jizz.
Nest – One of the chicest lounges in the Pacific Northwest. At Nest, you’ll find one of the most amazing skyline views of Seattle and the Puget Sound. Come for a while and watch the sunset over the horizon. They have a small food menu and a full-bar. Their food and drinks aren’t much to swoon over, but the views simply cannot be beat!
THINGS TO DO
Below you’ll find a list of my favorite places to see in Seattle!
Pike Place Market – I will keep coming back here on every trip. One of my favorite markets in the World. I highly recommend coming here in the early hours around 8am to beat the crowds.
Secret Urban Garden – Located in some hidden alleyways of Pike Place Market, you will find one of the best views of Seattle that actually doubles as an incredible garden that provides fresh fruits and veggies to the Food Bank and Senior Center in Seattle. In 2013, the garden logged over 700 volunteer hours and produced over 20lbs of food. The Urban garden is open for all to visit, relax and enjoy the sun. Pro tip: Walk into the main entrance of the Pike Place Market and hang an immediate left. After you pass the fish stand and then the meat stand, you will see a small alleyway with a small sign indicating “Urban Garden.”
Chihuly Glass Gardens – One of the coolest art installations you will ever see. There’s a reason it’s so popular. I recommend coming here on a weekend before closing at around 9pm (they close at 9:30pm), and heading to Space Needle for a drink afterward.
Space Needle – Because why wouldn’t you want to visit the most iconic space needle in the World while seeing the best view of Seattle? I had the best time coming here late night with the hubby, taking it slow, ordering a drink at the bar with a million dollar view. They’re open until 12am!
Seattle Waterfront & Seattle Great Wheel – You’ll find lots of amazing shops and restaurants at the Waterfront, and most importantly the Seattle Great Wheel. The Seattle Great Wheel is the largest observation wheel on the West Coast, standing 175 feet tall! The wheel is open until 12am, so you can come any time you like. My favorite is coming at around sunset!
Bainbridge Island – Bainbridge Island’s charm, natural beauty, and central location in the heart of Puget Sound make it a great place to visit for a day. I promise after your visit you will consider moving here like I have. There’s just something about this island that calls my name. It is super convenient to visit with only a 30 minute ferry ride, running over 20 times a day. My recommendation is getting some sandwiches to go from Salumi, hopping on a quick ferry ride, going wine tasting at Eleven Winery and Island Tasting Room, and then having yourself a nice picnic along the Waterfront Trail.
Olympic Sculpture Park – My favorite place to take a stroll in Seattle with some of the most epic views of the sunset and space needle! The Olympic Sculpture Park, created and operated by the Seattle Art Museum, is a free park and open to the public. The park consists of a 9-acre outdoor sculpture museum and beach.
Kerry Park – An unsurpassed view of Elliott Bay and the Central City, with an occasional backdrop of Mount Rainier, draws camera buffs to this spot. At night it becomes almost a fantasy scene, with brightly lit ferries gliding across the water and the Space Needle shining from its 500-foot pedestal.
If you have extra time:
Seattle Art Museum – currently hosting an incredible display by Yayoi Kusama, “Infinity Mirrors.”
Boeing Museum – for the aviation nerds.
I hope you found this blog post useful!