an insider's guide to Seattle food & drink

Seattle brewpubs, coffeehouses, & restaurants

beer :: What better way to discover a city (or life in general) than by enjoying a good beer (or ale, stout, porter, et al.). The Northwest has a long and strong history of microbrewing so goodd beer abounds. We all have our favorites and here are some of mine.

If it's beer in bottles you're after, Bottle Works is the only place in town to shop. Ask Kevin for advice. How about a Seattle beer map?

Every neighborhood seems to have its own supply of hop-infused malted beverages. McMenamin on Queen Anne is great as long as there's no event at Seattle Center (like a basketball game) that screws up traffic. When in or near Fremont Dad Watson's Restaurant & Brewery has no parallel. Yes, McMenamin & Dad Watson's are part of the same chain. There are plenty of reasons to spend time on Capitol Hill and the Elysian Brewing Company is one of them. Better food than most brewpubs too. They're also in Wallingford too, Tangletown. Big Time Brewery & Alehouse is a bright spot in the U District which is a neighborhood I generally avoid. But when you're in my neighborhood (West Seattle) Elliott Bay is the place to drink.

coffee :: To many outsiders and natives alike, Seattle = coffee. Yeah, yeah it's the home of Starbucks but there are plenty of other (read: much better) alternatives in town. Whether you go to the source or order in a restaurant names to look for include Caffé D'arte and Lighthouse. My favorite places to sit, sip, and sur are Zeitgeist and Top Pot on Summit Ave E. in Capitol Hill. Cory drags me to Espresso Vivace and I don't complain. Fuel is another Capitol Hill fave. One great thing about Seattle coffee houses is that the good ones are WiFi hotspots.

Truth be told, I'm a chai guy myself so I order Morning Glory Chai whenever I can. And when I'm on lower Capitol Hill, it's Travelers Tea Bar, 501 E Pine St. for a cup of their Masala Chai.

eats :: Seattle is a foodie's paradise. Great eats everywhere. No, I'm not going to tell you what my favorite sushi spot is. It's too crowded as it is. Start by checking out recent health violations. If that don't figure into where you eat, don't eat with me.

I'm going to throw out brief restaurant suggestions instead of writing reviews. If that's what you're looking for read the food recommendations in The Stranger and the Seattle Weekly.

In no particular order:
Boka :: I've only been there a couple of times but by far the most outrageous food I've had in Seattle (or almost anywhere for that matter). Go prepared to spend some time and spend some money. Neither will be wasted.
Marjorie :: When we want a special night out.
Palace Kitchen & Dahlia Lounge :: Chef Tom Douglas owns both. You can take me to either one whenever you want.
FareStart :: A unique place that's part of a job training program for the homeless. Don't let that fuel false first impressions; this is great food.