The 16 Food Experiences That Define Any Trip to Seattle

Since the late 1800s, Seattle has been the grand bazaar of the Pacific Northwest, the culinary nexus of flowing rivers, fertile farmlands, and fishing boats from the icy blue Pacific Ocean. There are the Hama Hama oysters of Hood Canal. The Dungeness crab of Camano Island. The razor clams of the Olympic Peninsula. The salmon of the Gulf of Alaska.

But it doesn’t stop there. In fact, that’s really just the first course of a food scene where immigrant and entrepreneurial spirits have combined to create indelible cuisine that rivals just about anything else you could fill your stomach with.

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Washington State is a major oyster producer, so it’s always seemed strange that oysters in Seattle have been mostly overpriced expense-account treats. Until now, that is. Half Shell by the Market and The Garrison in Ballard each recently introduced oyster happy hours at two bucks a pop. It’s price-fixing for good instead of evil.

Central District
Pescatarian purists like it raw, and no one does it better than Seattle Fish Guys. Dine in or pick up a daily sashimi platter with which to impress your fish-loving friends.

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With apologies to apples and cherries, salmon is Seattle’s most famous foodstuff. Go to Ivar’s for cedar-plank–grilled chinook, Duke’s Seafood for sustainably sourced everything, or just sidle up next to the boats at Fishermen’s Terminal. To taste fresher fish, you’d have to catch it yourself—of course, that can be arranged, too.

Fremont
Rock Creek has the widest variety of seafood in Seattle. Its mission is to broaden your experience, so you won’t find salmon or halibut on the menu. Instead, choose from Fijian yellowfin tuna, Icelandic cod, or Chilean sea bass, and ponder our interconnected planet of fish.

Ballard
Paseo became a sandwich phenomenon when it opened in 1994, with lines down Fremont Avenue. When it finally closed, the community mourned—there was even a candlelight vigil. But the employees rallied and created Un Bien, a phoenix rising with mouthwatering sandwiches in its talons. The original location in Ballard is right across the street from the beach, with epic views of the sun setting over the Olympic Mountains. Order the pork shoulder sandwich (but of course), and maybe the seared scallops as well.

Denny Triangle
Seattle is also a city of carnivores. And considering its proximity to the succulent, grass-fed American wagyu that comes from Snake River Farms and elsewhere, that’s not exactly a surprise. The Butcher’s Table uses Mishima Reserve, which ensures the highest standards of humane practices, carbon neutrality, and zero tolerance for hormones.

California Way
This experience combines a trio of things that make Seattle great: easy access to public water transportation, the iconic skyline, and Hawaiian food. Depart the waterfront on foot or by bike for a short, speedy ride past ferries and container ships. Disembark at Alki Beach 20 minutes later to line up at Marination Ma Kai. Try the kimchi quesadillas, spam musubi, and loco moco, then settle in with a local beer or glass of wine and take in the best views in the city.

Fremont
Seattle is currently having a pizza moment. But as the quality has improved, prices have skyrocketed. My Friend Derek’s takes a very Seattle-stance against inflation and gentrification, with large pies at about half the price of other vendors. The pizza is fantastic, too. Seattle Times food critic Tan Vinh “easily” put it on the Mount Rushmore of local pizza.

Chinatown
Uwajimaya is a beloved, generations-old market for the city’s deep pan-Asian culture. With its magnificent food court, and Seattle branch of Kinokuniya Books, you could spend hours there. Better yet, they always seem to have sriracha on the shelves when every other place in town is out.

Chinatown
While you’re in the neighborhood, don’t miss three other firsts: 1) Maneki, Seattle’s first sushi restaurant (est. 1904); 2) Tai Tung, local boy Bruce Lee’s favorite and the city’s first Chinese restaurant (est. 1935); and 3) Chung Chun Rice Dog, the area’s first Korean-style hot dog (est. 2019).

Ballard
No one leans into Seattle’s Nordic heritage more than Skål Beer Hall. Fittingly located in Ballard—home to thousands of proud Norwegian-Americans—Skål caters to all your darkest winter treats, with smørrebrød (open-faced sandwiches), kjøttkaker (meatballs), and any other food that has badass Mötley Crüe-looking umlauts.

Columbia City
On Rainier Avenue South, Chef Erasto “Red” Jackson slow cooks delectable pork shoulder, beef brisket, and jerk chicken. His Lil Red’s is an institution, both for food and as an anchor to Seattle’s Black community. Jackson has been recognized by the James Beard Foundation with a Best Chef in the Northwest nomination in 2022, as well as in Black Smoke, a book that celebrates the top 20 barbecue joints in the country.

Wallingford
The best poké I’ve ever eaten is at this convenience store in Wallingford. The fish is perfect: fresh, succulent, and neither soaking wet nor ice cold. Meanwhile, the sides (ginger, seaweed, faux crab, spicy sauce on request) are well-balanced and voluminous. It’s an experience, too. The mostly Gen Z staff is lightning fast, infectiously upbeat, and probably playing gangsta rap with lyrics so hardcore you’ll laugh out loud.

Lower Queen Anne
Seattle has a complicated relationship with coffee. We drink it, but not nearly as much as our reputation would suggest. Seattle’s Best Coffee is no one’s idea of good, much less best. Starbucks is justifiably praised as an economic engine for the city, but equally reviled for founder Howard Schultz’s role in allowing the SuperSonics to move to Oklahoma City—and more importantly, for trying to prevent his employees from unionizing. Anyway, the absolute best, least complicated way to experience coffee in Seattle is from local roaster Caffe Vita in the Gathering Space of KEXP, the world’s greatest radio station.

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Most of the narrative around the Seattle Dog centers around late-night vendor carts after a show outside WAMU Theater. Not enough is made of the fact that putting cream cheese, jalapenos, and grilled onions on a hot dog was a genius move. The best brick-and-mortar Seattle Dogs I’ve had are at Tio Baby’s and by Lumen Field at Cone & Steiner. Another real plus in their favor: They provide modern amenities like seats, drinks, and bathrooms, something the aforementioned late-night vendor carts obviously do not.

Ballard
Washington State grows over 70 percent of the hops for the entire country, so celebrate hop harvest with a pint at one of Ballard’s dozen plus (and growing) breweries. It’s nature’s way of telling us, “Summer is over, go have a beer.”

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Lastly, let’s talk about Seattle's favorite hamburger at Dick's Drive-In. The experience is the thing: Standing in a huge parking lot in the wee hours of the morning with a possibly inebriated crowd, especially at the original location. Long lines that move impressively quickly. The weird nickel-and-diming for condiments that invites unwelcome comparisons to In-N-Out Burger’s gigantic fistfuls of free ketchup. The warm, salty, greasy bundle that ultimately arrives. No one will credibly argue that Dick’s burger is better—it’s just much, much closer to better.

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