The Food Scene In Seattle

I went to Seattle for a work conference in September and I not only fell in love with the city, but I had a wonderful culinary experience. A native West coaster from California,  I appreciated the fresh Pacific seafood  and locally grown produce but there were also some great wine bars and unique specialty restaurants.

A city known for its coffee and being the home of Microsoft and Boeing, it also has an amazing restaurant scene with a strong focus on locally grown, organic foods.

First stop: Pike Place Market

Some of you may know about this market, which is a landmark of Seattle. At Pike Place Fish Co., fish mongers throw fresh fish to each other over the counter and yell out things like “Bag a rocks” when a customer orders mussels or clams. With an array of fish mongers like this one, I was finally able to fulfill my cravings for fresh dungeness crab and creamy clam chowder in a bread bowl. It reminded me of Fisherman’s Wharf near my hometown in Salinas, Ca.

The market also showcases beautiful bouquets of fresh cut flowers like these for only $5!

I loved looking at all of the fresh produce. Too bad I couldn’t cook while I was there!

Mick’s Peppourri:

There are ton’s of great jam and jelly vendors at Pike Place Market given all of the fresh berries that grow in Washington. I bought a spicy pepper jelly from Mick’s Peppourri after sampling about 10 of them! 🙂 I ended up with “Death Valley Pepper Jelly,” which is great over goat cheese or even a mild soft cheese. One day I will attempt to make my own, but this will suffice for now. And you don’t have to travel there to get it. Order it online using the links above.

Next stop: Top Pot Doughnuts

This modern and trendy local doughnut chain has The Best Old Fashioned Doughnut I’ve ever had (pictured far left). It is made with sour cream and a sour cream glaze mixed with plenty of sugar and is surprisingly decadent. All of the doughnuts were delicious but if you are there, you have to try the Old Fashioned. It’s dense, rich and divine!

For Great Wine: Purple Cafe and Wine Bar

Unfortunately, I did not take any photos of the food here, but the real star at this restaurant is most definitely the wine. I had a flight of of reds called “Filthy,” that featured reds from France, Chile, Italy and Portugal. All of the varietals were delicious and went well with the Delice de Bourgogne, a soft cow’s milk cheese, and the Cabot Cheddar that we ordered as part of our cheese plate. My colleagues had different white and red varietals which I got to sample and they were all very good wines. We also had the Ceasar Salad and Gorgonzola and Pancetta Pasta which were both very tasty . Check out the menu here.

The ambiance of the restaurant is dark and romantic with a casual feel but I thought the wine staircase was pretty cool. Sorry the photo is so dark, but you get the idea.

I hope you enjoyed my overview of my trip to Seattle and you can use this as a culinary resource if you ever head that way.