Pike Place Market has long been the heart and soul of the Emerald City. Known for the beautiful flowers, fresh seafood, and local artisan makers, it is no wonder visiting Pike Place Market is the number 1 thing to do in Seattle. There are plenty of dining options to choose from for both visitors and locals alike. When you are that close to the best ocean, field and stream one can find in Seattle, you don’t have an excuse to serve bad food! Here is our guide to the best Pike Place Market Restaurants to eat at in 2018, eat well!
Miss Cafe
Pide is a Turkish-style flatbread, similar to a pizza!
Miss Cafe is a relatively new business in the Pike Place Market. Located on First Avenue, it is a hidden gem that can easily be walked passed if not looking. Here, the owner Meral and her small staff brings a piece of her old home in Turkey, to her new home in Seattle. Enjoy a wonderful cup of Turkish coffee and have a bite of Pide (pronunced Pi-dae), a flatbread topped with beef and veggies, or other countless combinations that they have available. On nice days, grab a seat on their patio and people watch as the Market and city streets come alive.
Oriental Mart Grocery & Kitchenette
Salmon Sinigang, Fried Salmon Collar & Rice. Photo Credit: Yelp.
Located inside the Corner Market building on Pike Pl. and Pike St, this no-frills lunch counter serves some of Seattle’s best Filipino plate lunches one can find. Leila Apostol (Locals and regulars call her “Auntie Lei”) and her family have been running the grocery store/lunch counter since 1971. The food options consist of many Filipino classics, but Leila doesn’t exactly have a set menu; she likes to cook with what she has available and what she feels like at the time, meaning there is typically one thing new available every day. Try her famous Salmon Sinigang, a clear broth, sour soup. You won’t regret it!
Savor Seattle Food Tours
Follow the Pink Umbrella!
Okay, we know – not a restaurant. But who doesn’t want to eat their way through the historic 110-year old farmer’s market? On the Signature Pike Place Market Tour, follow the Pink Umbrella and enjoy over 16 tastings from 7 different restaurants and businesses. Plus, learn about the significance of how Pike Place Market came to be and its importance to the city of Seattle. This tour is a must do activity for visitors and locals alike, but don’t take our word for it. Read awesome reviews on TripAdvisor and Yelp!
Il Bistro
Il Bistro is one of the most romantic restaurants in Pike Place Market. Photo Credit: Yelp
Looking for classic Italian? Or maybe reenact the spaghetti scene from Lady and the Tramp? Il Bistro is the place to do it, as it is one of the most romantic restaurants in Pike Place Market. Walk down the cobble road, just left of the Pike Place Market Information Booth on the corner of 1st Ave. and Pike St and you will find the charming eatery. The dining room is mostly candle lit and very intimate, but without the feeling of being too close to the other diners around you. Our favorite night to visit is Tuesdays, where they bring in a live Jazz band into the bar. Enjoy a glass of Italian wine while the soulful tunes play in the background!
Chan
Try these Delicious sliders on the Gourmet Seattle Food Tour!
Chan is a local favorite among eaters in Seattle. This gem is another restaurant easily missed if you aren’t looking for it, as it is located in the courtyard of the Inn at the Market. They open at 5pm and offer no reservations, so get here early to snag a table or seats at the bar. But even if you have to wait to be seated, you won’t be disappointed by the food. Almost every seat gives you a direct view of the kitchen, where you can see the chefs hard at work creating delicious food art. The menu consists of family-style plates, encouraging multiple dishes to share and savor. We love the Bulgogi Beef Sliders, which literally melt in your mouth after each bite.
Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub
Entrance to Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub. Photo Credit: Yelp
Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub sits directly across the alley from The Pink Door. Another Seattle institution, this watering hole is very well known and frequented by locals living in the area. Seriously – almost everyone who is from Seattle has a story about a time they were at Kells. There are two other sister locations, one in Portland, OR and the other in San Francisco, CA, which also speaks to their popularity and recognition. Darkly lit, friendly service, and a quintessential Irish vibe, this pub is a perfect place to grab a pint of Guinness, say before a Booze n’ Bites Tour with Savor Seattle.
Sushi Kashiba
Chef Shiro Kashiba. Photo Credit: ESPRESSO.Digital
Sushi Kashiba is lead by who is arguably the best sushi chef in Seattle, Shiro Kashiba. He literally put Sushi on the map in Seattle. Back out of retirement, he opened his newest restaurant in the courtyard of Inn at the Market. It’s modern design and limited seating makes dining here a very intimate experience, perfect for a special occasion. If you can be seated at the sushi bar, do it. You don’t want to miss the artistry of sushi being prepared made to order.
Pike Place Chowder
There are few things more satisfying than a bread bowl from Pike Place Chowder. Photo Credit: Justin Oba
Stumble along Post alley and you might just find yourself staring at long lines of folks waitiing for a bowl from Pike Place Chowder. Whether summer or winter, there is always a demand from this particular chowder shop. It is because this chowder isn’t ordinary- it’s a 6-time award winning clam chowder! Nothing like a Bread bowl overflowing with hot New England Clam Chowder on a cool January afternoon. Pro tip: There are three “Post Alleys” along Pike Place, the one you want to go to for chowder is between Pine St. and Pike Pl.
Matt’s in the Market
The dining room of Matt’s in the Market. Photo Credit: Yelp
If you love really good food, that you are going to really love Matt’s in the Market. Located on the 2nd floor of the Corner Market Building, this restaurant is inspired by the beautiful bounty of Pike Place, and its menu changes to the season. Sit near the kitchen and watch in culinary awe as the chefs create delicious meals using fresh, local ingredients, sourced from the Market stalls below. Or, sit near the windows and enjoy a perfect view of the Famous Public Market Center neon sign. Either way, the experience at Matt’s will make you feel right at home.
Honest Biscuits
Oven “Fried” Chicken Sandwich from Honest Biscuits. Photo Credit: Justin Oba
Their might not be a better biscuit in Seattle than Honest biscuits. Art Stone was originally a judge in North Carolina, then came to Seattle and BOOM – LIFE. CHANGED. He quit his job, perfected his grandmother’s recipe for biscuits, proclaiming it his Honest Biscuits. Find his stall in the newly constructed Pike Place Marketfront building along Western Ave. Get the McGregor Biscuit – a buttery, savory biscuit with Flagship cheese from Beecher’s Handmade Cheese and bacon from Bavarian Meats layered into the fold. Pro tip: sub this biscuit for any of their sandwiches on the menu; we like the bacon, egg and cheese.
Lowell’s
Lowell’s is another great destination located in the heart of the Pike Place Market. Market goers flock to this space for their three stories of incredible views of Elliot Bay and the Great Wheel of Seattle. The second level provides full service dining including a bar, while the 1st and 3rd level are open seating. Dishes fly fast out of the kitchen, so never worry about a long wait. Get the Dungeness Crab Eggs Benedict, it’s one of the best in the city.
Steelhead Diner
Razor Clam Chowder from the Steelhead Diner.
Part of the Davis family restaurant group, the Steelhead Diner sits on top of Rachel’s Ginger Beer on Pine St. Despite being named Steelhead, there is no Steelhead on the menu. Sustainable sourcing of field and stream is important to Chef Kevin Davis, an avid fly fisherman himself. The food here takes a modern take on what diner food is. Take the classic tater tot, for example. We have all seen and eaten it, but imagine tots stuffed with Dungeness Crab and Bay Shrimp. Yeah, that’s the kind of food we are dealing with at Steelhead diner.
The Pink Door
Inside the dining room at The Pink Door. Photo Credit: The Pink Door
The Pink Door is a classic Seattle institution, and probably the most well-known “hidden” gem in Pike Place. We say “hidden” because for those that don’t have proper directly, it can be hard to find. There is no signage in front of the restaurant. The only sign is the literal Pink Door in North Post Alley. Once inside, you will fall in love with the classic Italian restaurant aesthetic, brightly lit with candles and beautiful chandeliers. In the evenings, there are performances such as aerobatics and cabaret to entertain you and your date. This is a great destination for a special occasion or if you want to impress that special someone. They are also open for lunch, with great patio seating for those perfect, clear weather days in Seattle.
Cantina de San Patricio
The entrance to the Cantina is in North Post Alley.
Cantina de San Patricio is one of the best kept secrets of Post Alley in Pike Place. The sister restaurant and next door neighbor of Kells Irish Pub, this cantina celebrates the best of Mexican food and Irish spirit with a killer happy hour (4-7PM, everyday) and a welcoming atmosphere. TVs above the bar and plenty of space makes this the perfect spot to wind down after work or catch the next ball game. Come for the Carne Asada Tacos, and stay for the Blood Orange Margarita. Pro-tip: Ask for the Ghost Pepper Salt as a garnish for your margarita!
Los Agaves at Pike Place Market
Tacos from Los Agaves at Pike Place Market Photo Credit: Justin Oba
This little Mexican food stall is tucked away in the middle of the Sanitary Public Market. Los Agaves at Pike Place has a small counter for guests, and two standing tables at the front of their counter, but don’t worry- the food they make here is perfect to eat on the go. Breakfast burritos are a common choice among market vendors setting up in the morning. The service is great and you can feel good supporting a small business!
The Athenian
A frosty Mug of Old Seattle Lager at the Athenian. Photo Credit: Justin Oba
This famous restaurant is in the heart of Pike Place, directly under the Main Arcade. You might know the place already, Tom Hanks ate here in “Sleepless in Seattle”. The Athenian was the opened in 1909 and was the first restaurant in Seattle to receive a liquor license in 1933, directly after prohibition. The Athenian is also known as the Market watering hole after hours, where you will often find market vendors drinking and eating during happy hour. Happy Hour is from 4-8pm, with many food items under $5 and frosty mugs of beer for $4.50. Order an Old Seattle Lager from Maritime Brewing and an order of Elk Sliders, you won’t regret it!
Beecher’s Handmade Cheese
visitors love to watch the cheese being made at Beecher’s Handmade Cheese in Pike Place Market.
This next one is technically not a restaurant… but we just couldn’t resist leaving out this tasty destination. Sitting on the corner of Pike Pl. and Pine St, you can’t miss Beecher’s Handmade Cheese. With its large windows along their cheese making facility, people from all over geek over eating the freshest cheese in the Market. Home to the “World’s Best” Mac & Cheese, lines can be long on busy weekends in the Market. Don’t let that deter you, instead, try to get here either just before or right after lunch hours. This way you can avoid long waits and dive mouth first into their decadent Mac & Cheese. Rich, cream and with a hint of smokiness, you won’t look at comfort food the same way ever again.
Pasta Casalinga
Fine authentic pasta made from scratch and piled straight to your plate at this wonderful Market stall.
Love pasta? Then look no further than Pasta Casalinga! This small pasta lunch counter is located in the Market Atrium, in the south section of Pike Place Market. The menu here is simple; Chefs and owners Michela and Nathan offer three rotating dishes that change every two weeks: One inspired by the Ocean, one inspired by the Farm, and one inspired by the Garden. They also offer Italian wines by the glass, making lunch even more enjoyable. Bon Appetit!
Pike’s Pit BBQ
Pulled Pork Sandwich from Pike’s Pit BBQ. Photo Credit: Pike’s Pit BBQ
Pike Place Market’s only BBQ joint is located right next to Pike Place Fish Co. – you know, with the guys that throw the fish. Opened about 1 year ago, Pike’s Pit BBQ has been making big waves, offering samples to guests walking by and usually having plenty of folks waiting in line. They even cheer and yell our orders similar to the fish guys, which makes the staff seem very friendly and ready to work. On weekends, they serve Frito Pie – a small bag of Fritos chips that is topped and mixed with chili, sour cream, & green onions all in the bag. For something a little more filling, take on a fried Turkey leg for size. It comes wrapped in foils, perfect for taking monster bites while strolling along the Market sidewalks.
