48 Hours: Seattle
My first time to Seattle — I had such a great time wandering the city and exploring what it has to offer. Crammed it all into 2 days: here are some of my favorites from the trip! Everything was done by foot from our hotel downtown. Can’t wait to explore more of the area next time I’m out!
— EAT —
Shaker & Spear
$-$$$ (under 10 - 25-50) | shakerandspear.com
What a meal at Shaker & Spear. With 4 to the group, we split a bunch of appetizers, small plates and an entree. Seems like the way to go here - their small plate menu had a lot of unique items to choose from! Stand outs included the charred octopus w/ hazelnut romesco, burrata with pesto + english pea in filo dough (beggar’s purse) and the mac and cheese, all shown. We also split the rosemary popovers which were okay compared to the rest of these amazing dishes. The entree we split was steak and shrimp scampi over corn pudding/polenta cake which was delicious. Portion sizes were spot on here, just the right size for sharing. Drinks were also really tasty, I love an old fashioned and they make them right here! Can’t go wrong with the desserts either - the salted pistachio crumble with pistachio gelato was unreal, as well as the peanut butter + chocolate pot de creme (my new fave dessert.)
The Crumpet Shop
$ (under 10)
Pike Place Market is touristy but if you know where to go you’re golden. Enter, The Crumpet Shop. Right near the entrance of Pike Place is this teeny walk-through shop with a few tables. They serve crumpets and coffees only. We went on a Monday morning so there wasn’t a line, but apparently they sell out fairly quickly most days. You can watch through the window as they make the crumpets to order. Lots of options for toppings here, of course the simple way with fresh jam is always a good call. They have some savory options that I did not get a chance to try (think eggs, pesto, etc.) but I LOVED the sweet offerings I sampled. The Vermont “Life Changer” was smeared with maple butter + cream cheese then topped with walnuts. The lemon curd was poured on top of ricotta. For those of you who haven’t had a crumpet (these were my first!), it’s like a cross between an english muffin and a pancake and they are heavenly. A good stop for a quick bite to eat + a coffee in the morning.
The Pink Door
$$ (10-25)
Pike Place again… but down Post Alley, slightly hidden! Look for the old pink door without a sign. If you can, make a reservation (we made one for lunch) and I’m glad we did - it was slammed at opening! Loved the atmosphere here - a pretty vintage feel with lots of gold mirrors and pink accents. They have a small outdoor seating area if you can get in there on a nice day, but if not ask for the back room with views of the ocean. Stunning! I think this was my favorite stop of the trip. Go for the bolognese pappardelle and the lasagna - you will not regret it! So. Good.
Delaurenti Food & Wine
$-$$ (under 10-25)
A really awesome Italian market. If you have $9 to spare and want a snack to wander the city, grab a charcuterie cone. Best. Idea. Ever. Choose from mild salami or prosciutto. If you know me, you know I love my boards. Regardless, a fun stop to see unique items and get your charcuterie on. If I lived here, I’d be here all the time.
— PLAY —
Chihuly Museum ~$35
The Chihuly Museum is a must when you’re in Seattle! Conveniently located next to the Space Needle in case you wanted to do that. In all honesty, I had no desire to go up but I’m really happy I got to see it! From the inside of the Chihuly Garden you get spectacular views of it surrounded by his amazing handblown glass. The museum itself is a fairly quick visit but well worth it. There is also the Museum of Pop Art and some other kid-friendly activities close by. The easiest way to get there is to take the monorail ($2.50 each way, pick up at Nordstrom!)
Pike Place Market
Yes, touristy, but yes you must see it. It was so much fun to grab a cup of coffee and wander around in the morning when there were no crowds! The market is filled with the best fruits, veggies + fish, plus some cool vendors selling handmade craft items! See if you can find Sosio’s Produce (known for their “OMG” fruit, changes with seasons.) Some of the best peaches I’ve ever had! Also a big fan of the Ellenos Greek Yogurt stand as well, lots of delicious flavors to choose from (the Blueberry Cheesecake!!) I heard that it runs 5 city blocks (not sure if that is true) but it is on both sides of the street and along the water - get your walking shoes on! The original Starbucks is located there too if that excites you.
Shopping
Most of the shopping that I found (downtown, at least) was similar to most major cities - Saks Off Fifth, Nordstrom Rack, Nordstrom, Macy’s, Anthropologie, Gucci, Urban — it’s all on the same strip or within blocks of each other! Definitely easy and convenient, although I was hoping to see some more local boutique shopping. We did stumble upon Pike St. Press and found some awesome local prints, notebooks + art. I will say though, I scored pretty well at the Saks Off Fifth!
Boat Cruise ~$35
It was such a sunny day, we had to take advantage and head to the waterfront! There were so many street performers, singers and dancers out - this area is very lively. Located next to the Seattle Aquarium (which I would also rec) are the boat docks/launches! If you’re in Seattle on a nice day, I highly recommend hopping on a boat for a quick tour of the city that way! So much fun.
Next time, wildflowers and sunsets near Mount Rainier! Any other suggestions for Seattle/PNW? What’s your favorite Seattle stop?