One of the first things I do when I plan to go anywhere is look up all the food spots. Pike Place has more than 500 shops, restaurants, and bars. Eight local farmers started selling produce back in August 1907 and Pike Place Market is now the oldest continuously operating farmers’ market in the country. I am surprised by how many places we ended up trying within a few hours. Here are the places we tried and places others recommended.
FOOD RECOMMENDATION
Piroshky Piroshky
This Russian bakery opened in 1992 and offers a variety of savory and sweet piroshkies. They are known for their Beef & Cheese Piroshky, Smoked Salmon Pate, and Potato & Cheese. We didn’t get their top-seller items since my husband wasn’t a fan of the Salmon Pate when he went to Seattle years ago. We got the Beef and Onion Piroshky (7.26 USD) and loved it. I was almost tempted to get another one but that would mean trying one less thing on our list.
Rating: 8.8/10.0
Hours: Mon to Sun: 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Menu
Le Panier
This 1983 French bakery is known for its bread, pastries, and more. We ordered their Pain Au Levain (3.50 USD) & Pistachio Macaron (2.85 USD). I wasn’t impressed by either. There was a long line by the time we were leaving so I am not sure if we just ordered the wrong things.
Rating: 7.0/10.0
Hours: Mon to Sun: 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Menu
Biscuit Bitch
This spot was only doing take-out when we went. You have to scan the QR code for the menu in front of the door to order and pay on your phone. We ordered the Hot Mess Bitch (15 USD) and loved the grits with the biscuit and sausage.
Rating: 8.0/10.0
Hours: Mon to Sun: 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Menu
Daily Dozen
We couldn’t decide which donut bite we wanted to try so we got the deluxe mix (7.50 USD) which includes original, dusted, and maple bacon. We love the original and dusted donut bite. The maple bacon was okay so we could have skipped that one.
Rating: 8.0/10.0
Hours: Mon to Sun: 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Menu
Pike Place Chowder
There are so many videos of this chowder spot on Seattle’s must-have lists. They have a variety of different chowders but the popular ones are New England Clam Chowder, Seafood Bisque, and Smoked Salmon Chowder. We got a medium classic New England Clam Chowder cup (10.75 USD) to share. It was good so definitely give this place a try.
Rating: 8.0/10.0
Hours: Mon to Sun: 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Menu
Rachel’s Ginger Beer
I was super excited to try this spot because I love ginger beer. They have over 11 different flavors plus seasonal flavors. We didn’t know which one to get so we ask for the popular ones. The cashier said people like the pink guava and grapefruit so we went with the pink guava one. I really wanted to love it but wasn’t much of a fan of the pink guava.
Rating: 7.5/10.0
Hours: Mon to Thu: 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM/ Fri to Sun: 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM
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Mee Sum Bakery
This bakery is known for its BBQ Pork Hom Bow (3.41 USD) and Curry Beef Hom Bow (3.86 USD). We liked the BBQ Pork bun but I feel like I had better buns in NYC.
Rating: 7.5/10.0
Hours: Mon to Sun: 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Menu
Ellenos
This yogurt spot has over 2K reviews with 5 stars on Yelp. We tried a couple of flavors such as the famous Passion Fruit, Marionberry, and Om Ali. We ended up getting Om Ali which is a mix of cinnamon, cardamom, coconut, raisins, pistachios, and cookie crumbles. I normally like yogurt but wasn’t a big fan of the ones we tried here.
Rating: 7.5/10.0
Hours: Mon to Sat: 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM/ Sun: 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Menu
Original Starbucks
Starbucks opened its first store in 1971 at Seattle’s Pike Place Market. They offered freshly roasted coffee beans, tea, and spices from around the world. We didn’t get anything here but we did peek inside to see what the original store looks like.
Hours: Mon to Sun: 7:00 AM to 6:00 AM
Menu
Beecher’s Handmade Cheese
I tried this place in NYC at an after-work event years ago. You can see their cheesemakers make the cheese with fresh pure local milk through the glass window. They opened their first store in 2003 in Seattle’s Pike Place Market and are known for their grilled cheese sandwich, mac n cheese, penne pasta, and more.
Hours: Mon to Thu: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM/ Fri to Sun: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Menu
Storyville Coffee Company
If you’re a coffee-lover, this local Seattle is known to source from the top 2% of coffee beans in the world. It opened in October 2013 and now has 3 stores in Seattle. On its menu, it said you get a free drink if you purchase a bag of coffee (18 USD).
Hours: Thu to Mon: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM/ Tue & Wed: Closed
Menu
The Pink Door
If you’re looking for a sit-down Italian restaurant, this Italian restaurant opened in 1981. Some of their popular dishes are Linguine Alle Vongole, Pappardelle Al Ragu Bolognese, and Squid Ink Pasta. You can make a reservation on their website.
Hours: Tue to Sat: 11:30 AM to 10:00 PM/ Sun & Mon: Closed
Menu
Radiator Whiskey
My husband’s friend recommended this restaurant but we didn’t get the chance to try the restaurant. If you love pork then stop at this restaurant for their pig head and fried pork shank.
Hours: Tue to Sat: 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM/ Sun & Mon: Closed
Menu
Pasta Caslinga
Since it was just the two of us, we didn’t have enough room in our stomachs to eat here. I heard a lot of people raving about this place and I really wanted to try their Lasagna (16 USD). They change their menu weekly so what you see on their menu now may not be there when you visit.
Hours: Wed to Sun: 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM/ Mon & Tue: Closed
Menu
Pike Place Fish Co
Pike Place Fish is a world-famous fish market that started in 1930 and ships fresh seafood overnight nationwide. They ship everything from King Salmon to Dungeness Crab to Prawns and more. If you’re lucky, they like to do a show where workers throw a big fish back and forth.
Hours: Mon to Sun: 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM
Menu
SIGHTSEEING RECOMMENDATION
Gum Wall
This alleyway is filled with gum all over the wall, door frame, and more. It started in the 1990s when local patrons and performers stuck their used gum on the wall. I forgot to buy gum before coming here so I didn’t get to leave my own gum art. Be careful not to get too close to the wall.
Rating: 7.0/10.0
What Have I Learned: In November 2015, workers have to continuously clean the wall for 3 days. They pressure-washed and scraped the wall for the first time in 20 years to remove around 2300 pounds of gum.
Cost: FREE
Hours: 24 Hours
Seattle Antiques Market
This shop is a 15 minutes walk downstairs from Pike Place. My husband loves American Picker so I added this 1978 antique shop. It’s a 6,000 sq ft warehouse with all sorts of things from posters to furniture to all kinds of collectibles. We didn’t find anything that we love to carry back with us.
Rating: 7.8/10.0
What Have I Learned: Seattle Antiques Market is one of the largest collectibles and antiques dealers in Washington.
Cost: FREE
Hour: Mon to Sun: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Seattle Waterfront
The Seattle Waterfront has various things to do and see including the Olympic Sculpture Park, the Seattle Aquarium, Seattle Great Wheel, shops, and restaurants like Ivar’sand Elliott’s Oyster House. You can also take the ferry and enjoy Elliot Bay like McDreamy or Meredith Grey did in Grey’s Anatomy.
Rating: 7.8/10.0
What Have I Learned: There was construction around the area so check before you go.
Cost: FREE
Hour: 24 Hours
Pike Place Market
Rating: 9.0/10.0
What Have I Learned: There’s free 1-hour parking at Pike Place if you can find a spot.
Hour: Mon to Sun: 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Where to Eat & Travel with Mabe 