6 Places in Seattle to Try
Ah Seattle- the only city I have formally published a city guide for (more coming this year, I promise). Read the full guide here.
I spent the past weekend in Seattle and was determined to deviate from my traditional go-to spots in the Emerald City. To my surprise, Seattle is so fish driven. Which makes sense as it’s a coastal city and also gets first pick of seafood along the West Coast. That’s an obvious statement I know, I guess I had never noticed how every restaurant in the city has fish on the menu. You can’t escape it, and I am not mad about it.
Here’s a list of some places I ate at in Seattle during my weekend there. It was lovely and nice to try some new places
Lunch at Un Bien (Ballard)
When I went to Seattle a few years ago, everyone was raving about Paseos Caribbean sandwiches. Turns out the people who started Paseos no longer own and operate it, and instead have launched Un Bien instead. I’ve tried both and I think Un Bien has a stronger sandwich!
It’s saucy, it’s packed full of flavor and the bread is just strong enough to hold it together but not too crunchy that it’s hard to bite into. Delicious!
The Walrus and the Carpenter (Ballard)
My favorite meal of the trip! I set out to enjoy this experience, not photograph it, so here are some iPhone shots from the night. I loved everything about this place. Not only is the food excellent, but the vibe of the whole restaurant is right. You can make reservations in advance which might be a good idea as it was pretty busy on a Friday night. Luckily there is a bar across the hall, Barnacle owned by the same people. We ducked in there and enjoyed a delicious cocktail until our name was called for dinner.
We took the approach of ordering small plates to share until we couldn’t eat anymore. Everything was phenomenal, I couldn’t get enough.
We ordered:
Oysters- so amazing, and fresh. We sat at the bar and watched them shuck them all night!
Bread and Butter- seems simple but there is something about fresh bread and whipped butter with flaky sea salt.
Beef Tartare- also amazing, served with a raw egg yolk and thin and crispy rye bread
Brussel Sprouts- my favorite EVER. crispy and delicious served over a tuna aioli. TO DIE FOR!
Fried Oysters w/ aioli- crispy and hot on the outside and the texture of the oyster on the inside was perfection.
Brunch at Oddfellows + Little Oddfellows (Capitol Hill)
Arguably the most photogenic brunch spot in Seattle serving up delicious, classic brunch dishes in a very aesthetically pleasing room. It’s very popular, so if you don't want to wait I’d encourage you to go early.
Also next door is their little oddfellows cafe (below) nestled in the back of Elliott Bay Bookstore. I loved the combination of a giant bookstore to wander through and shop and then be rewarded with a hidden cafe in the back. A great place to grab a bite, read and be tucked away.
*Note another few favorites of mine: General Porpoise, Bar Melusine are also within a couple blocks. This entire neighborhood of Capitol Hill has endless eating options and shops to poke into.
Dinner at NUE (Capitol Hill)
Speaking of Capitol Hill… We did a group dinner at Nue and it was fabulous. No photos, but I can promise you the interior is beautiful and the food is great. It’s considered international cuisine, which I found to be a bit confusing at first. The food was anything but confusing, instead it was vibrant, creative and DELICIOUS. Their approach to food is this:
“As avid travelers, and insatiable eaters, we set out to build the same kind of casual gathering, food and drink place we consistently frequent while abroad, but for whatever reason, can never quite find back home. As seemingly diverse as they are, the divey tascas of the Iberian Peninsula, the explosively colorful markets that blanket Asia, the smoky outdoor grills found throughout the Balkans and the vivid town squares of South America all share a lot in common: simple, unassuming, always unique, conspicuously approachable, often times surprising and most importantly, insanely delicious. This is the food we like to eat.”
Highly recommend going for dinner and asking the staff what they recommend as they were all super knowledgeable and helpful. It was all phenomenal but I’ll share what our group ordered:
Pineapple Cornbread- Pineapple, Coconut, Butter & Love (V)
Syrian Kale & Carrot Salad- Kale, Shredded Carrot, Lime, Pomegranate Dressing, Shattered Dates, Feta, Toasted Almonds (V, G)
East Indies Brussels Sprouts-(FAVORITE) Crispy Fried Brussels Sprouts, Coconut and Garlic Chutney, Peanut Satay
Puerto Rican Mofongo- The ‘Unofficial’ National Dish of PR. ‘Garlic Plantain Mash with Bacon. Stuffed with Smoked Chicken and Served with Sofrito Sauce. (G)
Balinese Barbecued Spare Ribs- moked Pork Spare Ribs Marinated with Garlic, Galangal, Candlenut,, Lemongrass, Shrimp Paste, Herbs & Spice. Grilled and Basted with Kecap Manis Glaze. Served with Pickled Veggies & Rice.
Unicorn (Capitol Hill)
Afterwards we went to one of the most fun bars in the city, Unicorn. This carnival themed bar is over the top themed in the best way. From candy striped walls, animal heads and a cocktail list that is out of this world, this bar is a great starting place for your night out.
Brunch at The London Plane (Pioneer Square)
This is a dining room that feels straight out of Europe. It is oh so photogenic, as it is a restaurant, bakery, flower shop and gift shop all in one. There are so many little details and corners to photograph.
Their brunch veers away from the traditional American brunch staples and definitely has a European touch to all their dishes. From the overall group consensus it was a but overpriced for the quality of the meal. Next time, I’d duck in for a pastry and coffee, snap some photos and carry on.
Like these recommendations? Check out my full Seattle guide here.