Sip and nibble your way through Seattle with our guide to the city’s best. You may have to roll yourself back to your hotel room at the end of the day, but trust us, it’s worth it.
First things first, head to Pike Place Market. Jump for joy when you finally see that big ‘ol beauty in the distance. Foodie fun is at your fingertips, after all!
Take awe in all of the fresh produce, seafood and flowers the market has to offer and never turn down a free sample.
Head outside to check out more artisan offerings and pick up some gifts (for yourself, of course), like Sweet Caroline’s Jams in Raspberry Black Pepper Chardonnay.
By this time, the smell of Piroshky Piroshky Bakery will be all up in your nose and you’ll beg your significant other to wait in a fifteen minute line with you for a taste of buttery goodness. The Smoked Salmon Pate is out of this world!
Head up the block a few steps, and what do you know, it’s time for your lunch reservation at The Pink Door.
Sit on the beautiful rooftop patio, take in the view, and order the bruschetta with fresh peas, lemon ricotta and prosciutto. So. Freaking. Good.
Now that you’ve taken in some of the stunning views of Seattle, you’ll crave more. Locals will direct you to Kerry Park. And it’s for good reason.
You’ve already taken the car out, so why not head to Woodinville to explore Washington’s wine country. Three blocks into the journey, you’ll stumble upon Top Pot Doughnuts. Should you stop? Yes. Order a maple old fashioned with some cold brewed coffee.
Alright, now you’ve made it to Woodinville! Columbia Winery (one of our clients), Washington’s first premium winery, is first on your list. Sit by the fire and sample their delicious food-friendly wines. The Chardonnay and Viognier are a must!
Your significant other will at last realize that he does like wine so you can coerce him across the street to Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery. Take in the gorgeous landscape and treat yourself to a $10 tasting.
At this point, the hunger will be kicking back in again. It’s time to head back to Seattle and cap off the day at Serious Pie. Since you really want to go out with a bang, order an entire pizza for yourself. The buffalo mozzarella, tomato sauce and fresh basil pizza is incredible, and if they offer a special with duck bacon, you must order it.
Congratulations, you just conquered Seattle in a day! Drop the mic.
On the road again…
I love a good road trip. As a kid growing up, I spent a lot of time in the car heading to see relatives across the country. I always got a kick out of the games we’d play along the way (think “I Spy” and counting red cars), but my favorite part about road trips, even to this day, are the food stops along the way.
As we embarked on our first summer vacation with Jacob, our now 7 month old bundle-of-joy, we chose to drive to Seattle by way of Bend and Portland to see friends for the July 4th holiday. I know what you’re thinking: that’s a long time in the car with a baby! Actually, he did quite well! The only thing he didn’t allow us time for was meandering through small towns in search of refreshing libations and interesting road fare. Instead, we were roadies on a mission!
First Stop: Bend, Oregon. In the quaint town of Bend, we refreshed our spirits with local brew and appetizers at McMenamins, set in what was once an old Catholic schoolhouse. McMenamins are hotels and restaurants, all unique in their architecture, scattered throughout the Northwest. In Bend, the restaurant is adjacent to the hotel, where old classrooms are now the lodging rooms. Complete with a pub, bakery, movie theater and Turkish bath house, this place has it all. We drank a very light and refreshingly fruity, Ruby raspberry ale, and enjoyed the Hummus Plate and Baked Wedge o ’Brie, which was fried with an apple and hazelnut crust! Yes, it was as good as it sounds!
Next Stop: Portland. By sheer happenstance, we ate at both Jake’s and McCormick & Schmick’s while visiting Portland (M&S is an FH client). At Jake’s, we moseyed up to the sidewalk seating for Happy Hour and ordered cheeseburgers, fries and beer, for the perfect welcome meal to Portland! The following day, we strolled along the waterfront and literally stumbled upon McCormick & Schmick’s and decided to stay for dinner and a beautiful view of the water. I had a delectable parmesan encrusted Halibut, and Lance ordered scallops with stir-fry over rice; both dishes were cooked perfectly and paired well with Northwest Region wines.
Destination: Seattle. Our friends welcomed us with a very detailed menu of wonderful home-cooked meals – including ‘halibut and chips’ and bison chili – all gluten and dairy free recipes! (I must say I was pleasantly surprised by the gluten, dairy free foods; not only did they taste good, in some cases they tasted better!) On the one occasion we ate out, it was during a day trip to Snoqualmie, where we had lunch at the Salish Lodge overlooking the roaring Snoqualmie Falls. We were banished to the Attic Lounge due to all our gear and three kids in tow, but the upstairs restaurant offered stellar views of the falls. The fare was perfect for our parched palettes – I ordered the fire roasted chicken sandwich with cherry pepper aioli, crisp pancetta, fontina cheese, and fried sweet onions on house made sea salt focaccia bread.
Now, I’m sure you’re wondering about the ride home, and I must confess that we ate Burger King, pizza and hotel breakfast. After all, we were once again roadies on a mission, logging 1,700 miles of fond memories and many culinary delights!
McMenamins
700 NW Bond Street
Bend, OR 97701
(541) 382-5174
Jake’s
401 SW 12th Ave.
Portland, OR 97205
(503) 226-1419
Salish Lodge
6501 Railroad Ave.
Snoqualmie, WA 98065
(425) 888-2556
160 Beers on Tap on the Wall, 160 Beers on Tap …
“How many beers on tap,” you ask? 160!
While visiting friends in Seattle, we visited a magical place: an ale house with, you guessed it, 160 beers on tap, aptly named TapHouse Grill. Included on the menu are beers from the four corners of the globe, everything from blondes to bocks and porters to stouts. As I was completely intimidated by the beer menu, I decided to ask our server for his recommendation.
The beer that was presented shortly thereafter was called Franziskaner Weissner (yes, I did have to ask for the spelling). I was told it was a traditional German hefeweizen with hints of banana and spice. It was refreshing, smooth, and I did indeed taste hints of banana and spice. I was very pleased by the selection.
Next time you find yourself in Seattle, I would highly suggest a visit to TapHouse Grill. Oh, and the food was delicious as well. I also heard a rumor that they have three-dollar sushi rolls during Happy Hour.
Take one down, pass it around …