Seattle City Guide

The Space Needle, Pike Place Public Market, and Puget Sound are all things you think about when it comes to Seattle, but what about the local spots and places that are off the beaten path? Over the years, Seattle has become a frequent travel destination and today I’m going to share with you some of my favorite spots in the Emerald City.

1. Seward Park: Featuring a paved 3 mile loop with views of Mt. Rainer, Lake Washington, Downtown, and Andrews Bay, this park is a lush oasis in the middle of the city. Featuring a playground, clay studio, and many trails, perfect for hiking and trail running. This is my favorite spot to go running while I’m in Seattle. Around every corner, you run into a beautiful, new vista, helping the miles go by quickly.

2. Flying Squirrel Pizza Co.: A local favorite, the Flying Squirrel features specialty toppings and brews that are native to the Seattle area. When I’m there, I usually order The Farm or The Booker T.

3. Pike Place Public Market: While this is a well-known tourist spot in the city, it is infamous for good reason. My recommendation- go to the market hungry. Every time I’m there I try to go with a group of people and we purchase various items and go on our own tasting tour of the market. When I go here are my typical stops:

Piroshky Piroshky Bakery features traditional Russian pastries and bakery items. My favorite is the Chicken, Mushroom, and Rice piroshky. Wrapped in a flaky buttery puff pastry dough, this is the closest thing to a homemade chicken rice soup cloaked in a croissant.

Beecher’s Cheese is a recent Seattle staple and has been creating incredible cheese since its launch in 2003. Rated with having some of the best macaroni and cheese in the nation, this cheese shop features a flagship cheese that is a semi-hard cow’s milk cheese with a uniquely robust, nutty flavor. It is carefully aged for 15 months and is something to be savored in every bite.

The Crumpet Shop is another Seattle institution. Family-owned and operated, this little shop has been making fresh crumpets and various toppings for the past thirty-six years. Over the past year, they have revisited their recipes and rewritten them to be organic. My favorite crumpet is the lemon curd and ricotta cheese crumpet washed down with a fresh-squeezed orange juice.

My last and final stop in the market is MarketSpice. This store has a direct relationship with spice, tea, and coffee growers from around the world. The best part? With no middle man, they are able to keep their costs low and offer high-quality, affordable product to their customers. I purchase their Marketspice Roobios and various spices for some of my favorite recipes. All of the items in the shop can be purchased by the ounce, so you can buy exactly what you need. Make sure to stock up for any foodie or chef you know!

4. Full Tilt Ice Cream: This local ice cream shop embodies the quirky side of Seattle. Featuring a variety of flavors that range from traditional to exotic, you can order the purple ube ice cream or standard favorites such as salted caramel. They also carry 4 vegan flavors of ice cream. While this ice cream shop doesn’t have loads of seating, they have one incredible bonus- a vintage pinball arcade. Featuring 15 pinball machines, you can spend the night playing these games, eating ice cream, and drinking local brews until your heart is content.

I hope you enjoy these spots on your next trip to one of my favorite places. Enjoy Seattle!