Wanderlust Travel Magazine (UK)
BEST FOR FOODIES
Whether its a gourmet tasting menu or a quick takeaway from a local market stall, Seattle is a city where you won’t go hungry. Seattle chefs are known for taking full advantage of the cornucopia that is the Pacific Northwest, whether it’s seafood caught in the waters of the Puget Sound or fresh vegetables sourced from local farms. The five-course tasting menu at New American restaurant Art of the Table is dictated by local ingredients and changes with the seasons, so you can be sure the mushroom fricassee you’re eating didn’t endure a long trip from dirt to plate. Those seated at the serene waterfront tables of AQUA by El Gaucho can sample fine, fresh seafood.
Seattle is a city defined, in part, by the immigrant communities who call it home and each have made their mark on the restaurant scene. Beacon Hill’s Musang, for example, offers dishes such as fried pork belly and turmeric rice loaded with Manila clams that are inspired by Filipinx favourites. For Mexican food visit La Carta de Oaxaca for their unbelievably rich mole or find an outpost of fast-casual eatery at Taco Chukis and order the signature taco, a tangy combination of adobada pork and grilled pineapple. Meanwhile, the Central District is home to one of Seattle’s best-kept culinary secrets: a little-known collection of some of the tastiest Ethiopian restaurants you’ll find anywhere in the Pacific Northwest.
Seattle’s tap water may be considered as some of the best in the world (coming fresh from the Cascades) but it’s far from the only thing you’ll want to drink. The city has an array of local coffee chains – be sure to buy a cup from Espresso Vivace or Caffe Ladro.
Seattle also boasts roughly 70 breweries, which means that the menus at many of the city’s restaurants have beer lists that are overflowing with local brews and ciders to sample. Wine, meanwhile, pours into Seattle from eastern Washington, with Columbia Valley the largest source of grapes. With over 1,000 wineries to enjoy, Washington state is the second largest wine region in the U.S. There are convenient ways to explore Washington state’s storied wine industry, including a visit to urban wineries in Seattle’ SODO neighbourhood or a half-day tour to nearby Woodinville, a community that is home to 125 wineries and tasting rooms.
You can also take a food tour within Seattle itself, a great option for those coming to the city specifically to scope out its dining scene. Savor Seattle specialises in tours of the city’s famed
Pike Place Market, including one that brings you into the market before it opens to give you some quality time with its vendors and first dibs on their delicacies.
Whether you go on a tour or meander through the bustling halls by yourself, it goes without saying that a stop at Pike Place Market cannot be missed. There is fresh fish to be admired, local cheese to be quaffed, and some of the best eateries in the city tucked away in the market’s nooks and crannies. Be sure to stop by Honest Biscuits for a heaping serving of flakey biscuits and country gravy or Pike Place Chowder for their nationally renowned clam chowder.
And if you’re looking for a showstopper to end your trip, book a reservation at Canlis, which has been serving elegant Pacific Northwest cuisine for over 70 years.