Not For Tourists Guide to Seattle (2016)

Map 18

While the western side of Capitol Hill caters directly to the young and decadent, the eastern portion of the neighborhood is more of a, well, neighborhood. Still, there's no shortage of pink pride or nightlife, so it's not utter culture shock. Nearby Madison Valley is even homier, with numerous parks, public schools, and escalating real estate values—a far cry from the down-and-out neighborhood it once was.

✵ Singles Apartment Complex ✵ 1820 E Thomas St

No, Matt Dillon doesn't live here anymore.

✵ Volunteer Park ✵ 1247 15th Ave E

206-684-4075

Climb to the top of this Victorian-era conservatory and water tower.

✵ Caffe Ladro ✵ 435 15th Ave E

206-267-0551

Strong coffee for the strong coffee drinker.

✵ Coffee Pronto ✵ 312 15th Ave E

206-322-9693

Breakfast, too.

✵ El Portal Coffee Roasters ✵ 2310 E Madison St

206-860-6923

El portal goes to Mexico where the coffee is muy bueno.

✵ Fuel ✵ 610 19th Ave E

206-329-4700

Now this is a type of fuel that actually has a future.

✵ Victrola Coffee & Art ✵ 411 15th Ave E

206-325-6520

From a time before coffee was good.

✵ The BottleNeck Lounge ✵ 2328 E Madison St

206-323-1098

Come meet your new neighbors at this cozy spot.

✵ Hopvine Pub ✵ 507 15th Ave E

206-328-3120

100% Pacific Northwest right down to the beer and fleece.

✵ Liberty ✵ 517 15th Ave E

206-323-9898

Sushi and cocktails served by people who are more hip than you.

✵ Single Shot ✵ 611 Summit Ave E

206-420-2238 ✵ $$

You'll want at least a double from these cocktail artisans.

✵ Smith ✵ 332 15th Ave E

206-709-1900

Linda's winning combination of animal heads and hipster pub fare.

✵ Bakery Nouveau ✵ 137 15th Ave E

206-858-6957 ✵ $

World Cup-winning baker crafts inexplicably perfect croissants.

✵ Bamboo ✵ 345 15th Ave E

206-567-3399 ✵ $$

Pho house with veggie-loaded menu.

✵ Coastal Kitchen ✵ 429 15th Ave E

206-322-1145 ✵ $$$

A quarterly rotating menu focusing on a different global cuisine. And blunch!

✵ Crush ✵ 2319 E Madison St

206-302-7874 ✵ $$

Gorgeous food pops against the modern, sexy interior. Service to write home about.

✵ The Essential Baking Company ✵

2719 E Madison St

206-328-0078 ✵ $

You'll think you're in a European bakery.

✵ Gyro Cafe ✵ 107 15th Ave E

206-324-6435 ✵ $

Hit-or-miss gyrocery.

✵ The Harvest Vine ✵ 2701 E Madison St

206-320-9771 ✵ $$

Gorgeous, perfect tapas.

✵ Hello Robin ✵ 522 19th Ave E

206-735-7970 ✵ $

The cookie bakery of your Pinterest dreams.

✵ Jamjuree ✵ 509 15th Ave E

206-323-4255 ✵ $

Another competent Thai restaurant.

✵ Monsoon ✵ 615 19th Ave E

206-325-2111 ✵ $$$

Sublimely elegant Vietnamese, and oh-so-affordable. Great dim sum brunch.

✵ NuFlours ✵ 518 15th Ave E

206-395-4623 ✵ $$$

No flour is the nu flour.

✵ The Patio Fine Thai ✵ 524 15th Ave E

206-328-2406 ✵ $

Doing their part to keep Thai food ubiquitous in Sea-town.

✵ Queen Bee Cafe ✵ 2200 E Madison St

206-757-6314 ✵ $

You won't know how you ever lived without Crumpwiches.

✵ Remedy Teas ✵ 345 15th Ave E

206-323-4832 ✵ $$

150 incredible loose teas, the friendliest staff, lovely treats, and a clean, modern interior.

Capitol Hill East is home to plenty of laid-back restaurants and pubs. If Linda's is the hipster starter bar, Derschang's Smith, with its rotating taps and charcuterie plates, is where they graduate to once they've settled into steady-paycheck adulthood. Try Liberty for sushi in a stylish setting. Single Shot serves good food and even better cocktails. Madison Valley is known for fancy four-star eateries like Crush and The Harvest Vine for folks in ties and polished shoes.

✵ Rione XIII ✵ 401 15th Ave E

206-838-2878 ✵ $$

Ethan Stowell brings you wood fired pizza, 13th District Rome style.

✵ Single Shot ✵ 611 Summit Ave E

206-420-2238 ✵ $$

Upscale food at dirt cheap prices by a Super Group of Seattle chefs.

✵ Smith ✵ 332 15th Ave E

206-709-1900 ✵ $$

Perfect sweet potato fries and brunch make for elegantly eclectic pub fare.

✵ Tallulah's ✵ 550 19th Ave E

206-860-0077 ✵ $$

Linda's found a way to get everyone to eat their vegetables: season with meat.

✵ Vios Café & Marketplace ✵ 903 19th Ave E

206-329-3236 ✵ $

Beautiful Greek dishes. Wines for the adults, play area for the kiddies.

✵ The Wandering Goose ✵ 403 15th Ave E

206-323-9938 ✵ $$

A great place to wander into, goose or otherwise.

✵ Ada's Technical Books ✵ 425 15th Ave E

206-322-1058

Geek-friendly bookstore and cafe specializing in science-related texts.

✵ North Hill Bakery ✵ 518 15th Ave E

206-325-9007

Popular local bakery.

✵ Shoprite ✵ 432 15th Ave E

206-328-5138

Sort of like a dollar store, but better—and more random.

✵ Sugar Plum ✵ 324 15th Ave E

206-709-3842

Vegan ice cream shop from Plum Bistro folks.

Map 19 ✵ Madison Valley / Denny Blaine