My college roomies and I are having our annual Ya Ya weekend in Seattle next month. I plan to wander Pike Market to my heart's content. I've heard about 3 of the tours through the market (Seattle Bites, Savor Seattle and Seattle Food Tour) and would like some opinions on them. Steve2inLA has given me a great list of places to check out. (Truffle Cafe, Salumi, Etta's, Dahlia's Lounge and Crush). We will be staying in a condo with a great kitchen, so we're looking forward to shopping in the market. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
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Seattle Food Tours of Pike Market
- Thread starter timid
- Start date
I live in SEA. Take Ettas and Dahlia off your list. Ho hum. Add Matt's in the Market instead.
Crush is a budget buster. If you're looking for fine dining, that's a fine choice.
Personally, I'd skip Crush and go to Spinasse instead. It's Italian done extremely well--I get recommendations to go here from Italians. It's not cheap, but the pasta is so heavenly, it's shocking! Reservations are highly recommended.
As for tours, I've taken both the Savor Seattle and Seattle Food tours and would be happy with either one, though I lean towards Savor Seattle for the headset so you can hear the guide more clearly.
Pre-planning? This book on Pike Place Market is a new release. The recipes are terrific and the author turned me on to several places I normally just walk by. Order it on Amazon and get it cheaper, and plan your Pike Place Market strategy.
Asian food is where Seattle really shines. Two places I take visiting chefs and cookbook authors: Revel and Green Leaf. Last time my James Beard Award-winning friend was here, she ate at Green Leaf THREE days in a row! Having said that, I cannot underestimate how good Revel is. I go there at least a couple times a month. Between Green Leaf and Revel, you're eating like a king!
Salumi is good. Order the porchetta if they have it (plan your trip according to their daily special--it's on that menu). It's outrageously good!
Depending on where your condo rental is situated, if you like, I can give you tips by neighborhood as well.
http://www.amazon.com/Pike-Place-Market-Recipes-Delicious/dp/1570617422/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338522381&sr=8-1
Crush is a budget buster. If you're looking for fine dining, that's a fine choice.
Personally, I'd skip Crush and go to Spinasse instead. It's Italian done extremely well--I get recommendations to go here from Italians. It's not cheap, but the pasta is so heavenly, it's shocking! Reservations are highly recommended.
As for tours, I've taken both the Savor Seattle and Seattle Food tours and would be happy with either one, though I lean towards Savor Seattle for the headset so you can hear the guide more clearly.
Pre-planning? This book on Pike Place Market is a new release. The recipes are terrific and the author turned me on to several places I normally just walk by. Order it on Amazon and get it cheaper, and plan your Pike Place Market strategy.
Asian food is where Seattle really shines. Two places I take visiting chefs and cookbook authors: Revel and Green Leaf. Last time my James Beard Award-winning friend was here, she ate at Green Leaf THREE days in a row! Having said that, I cannot underestimate how good Revel is. I go there at least a couple times a month. Between Green Leaf and Revel, you're eating like a king!
Salumi is good. Order the porchetta if they have it (plan your trip according to their daily special--it's on that menu). It's outrageously good!
Depending on where your condo rental is situated, if you like, I can give you tips by neighborhood as well.
http://www.amazon.com/Pike-Place-Market-Recipes-Delicious/dp/1570617422/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338522381&sr=8-1
carol-whidbey-is
Well-known member
If you are doing the market either go early or after 1:00 as this is the tour
and cruise ship season and it gets really busy when they start letting them off the ships around 9:00 and they check in by 2:00. There is a great Bakery across from Pikes Market about mid way it is fantatsic can't remember the name maybe Traca can help. The spice market is great can buy what u need. I love Uwajimaya(nice oriential market big) on 5th Ave S by China town
and cruise ship season and it gets really busy when they start letting them off the ships around 9:00 and they check in by 2:00. There is a great Bakery across from Pikes Market about mid way it is fantatsic can't remember the name maybe Traca can help. The spice market is great can buy what u need. I love Uwajimaya(nice oriential market big) on 5th Ave S by China town
carol-whidbey-is
Well-known member
Also the car museum is now open. There is also a mag you can look at online called Seattle Met
Also Dale Chihully's Garden of Glass at Seattle Center
http://www.chihulygardenandglass.com/plan-your-visit?gclid=CIz6-uCHr7ACFUQaQgodoEmXTw
http://www.chihulygardenandglass.com/plan-your-visit?gclid=CIz6-uCHr7ACFUQaQgodoEmXTw
Are you staying on Queen Anne or in Belltown? If you're on QA, head straight for La Reve
La Reve is a terrific bakery and I go miles out of my way for this place. The cinnamon twists are a must! Then head two doors down and go to a great Cuban coffee spot called El Diablo. It's decorated in the most amazing way and I love getting a Cafe Cubano or Cafe Con Leche there. The indy bookstore Queen Anne Books next door is small, but well curated.
Down the street on Queen Anne Avenue North is Chocolopolis. They carry a huge variety of chocolates--bars and candies and you can do chocolate tastings there. Since you'll be with the ladies, it would be worthwhile to schedule a private tasting. Lauren knows her stuff. You would be most rewarded to order one of her fabulous drinking chocolates.
At Macrina bakery (Queen Anne, downtown, or SODO), the best thing to get there is the Morning Glory Muffin.
Dahlia bakery? Okay, but not amazing. They're famous for the coconut creme pie. Off the charts delicious? I wouldn't say that. I've never had a swoon-worthy experience there...or any of Tom Douglas' restaurants, for that matter.
If you're looking for an amazing bakery experience, you want Bakery Nouveau in West Seattle. It's owned by the guy who was the captain of the world champion baking team in 2005. He's famous for twice baked almond croissants. In the competition, they had to submit entries in bread, pastry, candies...and William has them all at Bakery Nouveau. When you see the line out the door, you'll know that's the place!
I would also recommend a trip to Uwajimaya. It's an Asian grocery store like no other. They carry specialty items from all Asian cultures. To give you an indication, they have an ENTIRE isle dedicated to ramen. One side is every kind of ramen in styrofoam bowls, the other side, is ramen in packages. You need a whole pig's head? Live fish? Durian? This is where you get it.
Worth noting: In the same building at Uwajimaya on the outer perimeter is a fantastic restaurant called Samurai Noodle. It's small but they serve the most amazing ramen. Get the Tonkotsu (pork broth) with the sliced pork. AMAZING!
La Reve is a terrific bakery and I go miles out of my way for this place. The cinnamon twists are a must! Then head two doors down and go to a great Cuban coffee spot called El Diablo. It's decorated in the most amazing way and I love getting a Cafe Cubano or Cafe Con Leche there. The indy bookstore Queen Anne Books next door is small, but well curated.
Down the street on Queen Anne Avenue North is Chocolopolis. They carry a huge variety of chocolates--bars and candies and you can do chocolate tastings there. Since you'll be with the ladies, it would be worthwhile to schedule a private tasting. Lauren knows her stuff. You would be most rewarded to order one of her fabulous drinking chocolates.
At Macrina bakery (Queen Anne, downtown, or SODO), the best thing to get there is the Morning Glory Muffin.
Dahlia bakery? Okay, but not amazing. They're famous for the coconut creme pie. Off the charts delicious? I wouldn't say that. I've never had a swoon-worthy experience there...or any of Tom Douglas' restaurants, for that matter.
If you're looking for an amazing bakery experience, you want Bakery Nouveau in West Seattle. It's owned by the guy who was the captain of the world champion baking team in 2005. He's famous for twice baked almond croissants. In the competition, they had to submit entries in bread, pastry, candies...and William has them all at Bakery Nouveau. When you see the line out the door, you'll know that's the place!
I would also recommend a trip to Uwajimaya. It's an Asian grocery store like no other. They carry specialty items from all Asian cultures. To give you an indication, they have an ENTIRE isle dedicated to ramen. One side is every kind of ramen in styrofoam bowls, the other side, is ramen in packages. You need a whole pig's head? Live fish? Durian? This is where you get it.
Worth noting: In the same building at Uwajimaya on the outer perimeter is a fantastic restaurant called Samurai Noodle. It's small but they serve the most amazing ramen. Get the Tonkotsu (pork broth) with the sliced pork. AMAZING!
The condo's listing is in Belltown - on 1st Ave between
Wall St and Battery St. - not so very far from the Alaskan Way Viaduct.
Thank you very much for your informative posts - I've now got the Eats planned for this long weekend trip plus some of the lesser tourista things to see and do. Again, I appreciate your help!!
Wall St and Battery St. - not so very far from the Alaskan Way Viaduct.
Thank you very much for your informative posts - I've now got the Eats planned for this long weekend trip plus some of the lesser tourista things to see and do. Again, I appreciate your help!!
richard-in-cincy
Well-known member
Seattle Asian Art Museum. Go.
From there, getting around is very easy by Metro. Grab this link.
Plug in the corner or address of where you are vs. your destination, it will coordinate the trip for you. So easy!
Another useful app is One Bus Away. It tells you what the next buses coming...and how many minutes away. Very useful if you're waiting for the bus and you want to know how soon it will be there, or, if stuck by traffic, what your other options are.
Also keep in mind that neighborhoods in Seattle are relatively small. Once you get into the neighborhood, you can walk most places.
http://tripplanner.kingcounty.gov/cgi-bin/itin_page.pl?resptype=U
Plug in the corner or address of where you are vs. your destination, it will coordinate the trip for you. So easy!
Another useful app is One Bus Away. It tells you what the next buses coming...and how many minutes away. Very useful if you're waiting for the bus and you want to know how soon it will be there, or, if stuck by traffic, what your other options are.
Also keep in mind that neighborhoods in Seattle are relatively small. Once you get into the neighborhood, you can walk most places.
http://tripplanner.kingcounty.gov/cgi-bin/itin_page.pl?resptype=U