Ivar's Salmon House

Ivar's Salmon House In Seattle

by Karen Watson

Ivar's may seem like the place your grandparents go for a fancy night out but it's also a Seattle landmark like the Space Needle or the Fremont Troll. If you haven't had their fish and chips or famous clam chowdah, you need to get in here. The Salmon House is by far the coolest of the three locations, built to look like a Native American longhouse and filled with Native art and an open pit barbeque for grilling salmon. When the weather cooperates you can sit on the deck overlooking Lake Union an ... Continue

Aster Coffee Lounge

Seattle's Aster Coffee Lounge

by Karen Watson

Yes, Aster has damn good coffee but what you really need to know about are the waffles. Plate sized with a three inch fluff index, these Belgian babes are crispy deliciousness perfection. Crannies big enough to swallow a lap dog hold so much syrup and toppings you'll want to go for a swim in them. Sugar cravings are satisfied by chocolate and banana combos while fans of the savory can go whole hog with ham and a mountain of shredded aged cheddar. On weekends Aster promotes a brunch special -- te ... Continue

A La Mode Pies

Cream of the Crop

by Jessica Baxter

2011 was the Year of the Pie, with shops springing up all over Seattle. Our offerings were even featured on a Food Network special about the rise of the pie across the country. The people had spoken. Cake was dead. They wanted crust and fruit filling and mounds of cream. A la Mode gave competitors a big run for their money. While pie men came and went (R.I.P. Piecycle), they expanded, going from just an online retailer (with home delivery) to brick-and-mortar when they opened their café on Phinn ... Continue

Holy Cannoli

Like a Prayer

by Jessica Baxter

You may not have been aware of this, but for many years now, there has been a tube-shaped hole in the Seattle pastry scene. Fortunately, Detroit transplant, Adrienne Bandlow, has just the cylindrical pastries to fill it. Namely: Four varieties of cannoli (traditional Detroit custard, mocha, chocolate and rum raisin) and three different Stromboli (hog, chicken and vegetarian). They’re pretty small, so you're going to need to buy a couple of each. Fortunately, they're also crazy cheap (plus, you g ... Continue

St. Dames

Vegetarian Gourmet Grub

by Karen Watson

Finally! A vegetarian restaurant that actually cooks with vegetables--not just soy-based meat substitutes, serves fantastic cocktails, and the bill doesn't equal my car payment. St. Dames, where have you been all my life? Oh, and thank you for making kale taste good. Braised in tamari, it is outstanding. The seasonally rotating menu includes everything from comfort food to light salads. One of my friends rated the fried mushrooms as some of the best ever. The Banh Mi Salad, which is basically a ... Continue

Pan Africa

Eating The Continent

by Karen Watson

Can't afford to travel in this economy but spend your sleepy time dreaming of exotic locales? Consider taking a culinary journey around our foodie friendly city and definitely make Pan Africa the jumping off point. Lush spice scents waft forward to greet you when you enter, enveloping you in a welcome aroma. Come hungry because you won't want to leave one bite of the hearty portions behind on the plate. Ethiopian specialties like Groundnut (a peanut based stew), curried goat, and Piri Piri fish ... Continue

Nook

All for the Nookie!

by Jessica Baxter

Seattle was once known as a granola hippie town. Now, it's all about flour and butter. Following the heels of the pie renaissance, an apprentice of Top Chef's Richard Blais and former Mad Woman/self-taught baker opened up a cafe that specializes in biscuits; REALLY AWESOME biscuits. They're buttery as hell without leaving you feeling like you've just taken a dip in a deep fryer. You can eat them plain, with a variety of gourmet toppings, or in breakfast sandwich form. For lunch, they offer creat ... Continue

Eltana Wood Fired Bagel Cafe

Club Med: Bagel Edition

by Karen Watson

Wood-fired and magical, Eltana has brought bagel bliss to Seattle. Fresh wood is continually stuffed into the oven's belly like coal into a steam train engine, giving birth to hot and crunchy bagels every ten-fifteen minutes. It's the luscious, drool worthy assembly line of every foodie's sweet dreams. New York bagels step aside and make room for these Mediterranean inspired bread treats. With the perfect balance of inner dense chewiness to outer crispiness, you will want to sample all six varie ... Continue