Not For Tourists Guide to Seattle (2016)

Central Seattle

Map 2

What do you get the man who has everything? How about a neighborhood? For years, Paul Allen sought to make this warehouse wasteland into a destination. Once Amazon.com moved in, he finally succeeded. Tom Douglas followed with a handful of restaurants and condos sprung up to house the young professionals the 'hood is designed to ensnare. Naturally, these people will shop at Whole Foods. However, you still won't catch anyone local riding the S.L.U.T.

✵ Elephant Car Wash ✵ 616 Battery St

206-441-6776

That giant pink elephant in the sky.

✵ Espresso Vivace ✵ 227 Yale Ave N

206-388-5164

Coffee so good it makes you purr.

✵ Zoka Coffee Roaster & Tea Company ✵

351 Boren Ave

206-545-4277

A true Seattle original.

✵ 13 Coins ✵ 125 Boren Ave N

206-682-2513

Sometimes you just gotta blow $50 on steak and lobster at 3 am.

✵ Brave Horse Tavern ✵ 310 Terry Ave N

206-971-0717

Get blotto the Tom Douglas way.

✵ Dimitriou's Jazz Alley ✵ 2033 6th Ave

206-441-9729

Seattle's longstanding jazz venue. Let them entertain you.

✵ El Corazon ✵ 109 Eastlake Ave E

206-262-0482

If you like your punk and metal with a little teenager.

✵ Feierabend ✵ 422 Yale Ave N

206-340-2528

Grab a bier and make new friends. Prost.

✵ Lo-Fi ✵ 429 Eastlake Ave E

206-254-2824

A dance club for grownups and young folks with refined musical taste.

✵ Re-Bar ✵ 1114 Howell St

206-233-9873

Fringe theater, live music, and decidedly drag-friendly. Experience the unexpected.

✵ 13 Coins ✵ 125 Boren Ave N

206-682-2513 ✵ $$$

Sometimes you just gotta blow $50 on steak and lobster at 3 am.

✵ 314 Pie ✵ Boren Ave

206-701-9233 ✵ $$

Aussie pies by locally based Aussiephiles will ensure you a g'day.

✵ The Berliner Döner Kebab ✵ 428 Westlake Ave N

206-838-5032 ✵ $

A very Seattle gyrocery with tofu instead of falafel.

✵ Cactus ✵ 350 Terry Ave N

206-913-2250 ✵ $$

Legendary local chain, serving outstanding mojitos and Mexican.

✵ Café Suisse ✵ 2008 Westlake Ave

206-633-3876 ✵ $

This bona fide Swiss cafe is not to be missed.

✵ Caffe Torino ✵ 422 Yale Ave N

206-682-2099 ✵ $

Helping Seattle to keep its superior coffee reputation.

✵ Cuoco ✵ 301 Terry Ave N

206-971-0710 ✵ $$$

Italian food with bellissimo results.

✵ FareStart ✵ 700 Virginia St

206-267-7601 ✵ $$

Eat well, feel great: FareStart trains the disadvantaged to launch new lives as chefs.

✵ Happy Grillmore ✵ Harrison & Boren Ave N

206-486-0797 ✵ $

Fatty burgers that are way better than Adam Sandler's last 10 movies.

✵ Hot Dog King ✵ 400 Westlake Ave

206-327-4847 ✵ $

Long live the king!

✵ Kaosamai Thai Cook Truck ✵ 970 Denny Way

206-349-6533 ✵ $

Exactly what you would expect: Thai food out of a truck.

✵ La Lot ✵ 925 Stewart St

206-682-8812 ✵ $$

If you're into Vietnamese fusion, you'll like this place la lot.

✵ La Toscanella Bakery & Paninoteca ✵

116 Westlake Ave N

206-682-1044 ✵ $

An authentic-as-hell Italian bakery and cafe with cannoli and everything!

✵ Lunchbox Laboratory ✵ 1253 Thomas St

206-621-1090 ✵ $

Stunning burger specimens—the "dork" is a thing of beauty.

✵ Marination Mobile ✵ 132 N Canal St

$

Giving Seattle what they didn't know they wanted: Mexikoreanysian.

✵ Mio Sushi ✵ 120 Westlake Ave N

206-971-0069 ✵ $$

Franchise sushi that will do in a pinch.

✵ Mistral Kitchen ✵ 2020 Westlake Ave

206-623-1922 ✵ $$$

Got cash? Splurge for the 8 course menu.

✵ Off the Rez ✵ Boren Ave N & Harrison St

206-414-8226 ✵ $

The Native American flatbread tacos that will change your life. Fatter, maybe. But blissfully satiated.

✵ Outside the Box ✵ 411 Fairview Ave S

425-272-5361 ✵ $$

Since that Paleo thing doesn't seem to be going away, here's a food truck that parks outside Crossfit gyms.

✵ Petra Mediterranean Bistro ✵ 1933 7th Ave

206-448-2604 ✵ $

A stand-out gem in the vast sea of Mediterranean food in Seattle.

If you like Tom Douglas restaurants (and what's not to like?), you'll be pleased as hand-crafted locally made punch to dine here. Experience a welcome re-invention of Italian cuisine at Cuoco, take in a sporting match at the Brave Horse Tavern or brunch with the family at Portage Bay Cafe. Petra is a stand-out gem in the vast sea of Mediterranean food in Seattle.

✵ PlayDate SEA ✵ 1275 Mercer St

206-623-7529 ✵ $

An 8,500 sqft indoor playground with numerous vantage points for parents to relax with their Stumptown coffee and smartphones.

✵ Portage Bay Cafe ✵ 391 Terry Ave N

206-462-6400 ✵ $$

Local organic breakfasts and lunches.

✵ Re:public ✵ 429 Westlake Ave N

206-467-5300 ✵ $$$

A republic worth standing for.

✵ Serious Pie ✵ 401 Westlake Ave N

206-436-0500 ✵ $$

It's worth the potentially long wait. SERIOUSLY.

✵ Serious Pie & Biscuit ✵ 401 Westlake Ave N

206-436-0050 ✵ $

Leave it to Tom Douglas to make the breakfast sandwich more decadent.

✵ Shilla Restaurant ✵ 2300 8th Ave

206-623-9996 ✵ $$

Menu is a crash-course in Korean Food 101. Impressive panchan.

✵ Skinny Phoenix ✵ Harrison St & Boren Ave N

253-293-9226 ✵ $

I don't know how the phoenix stays so skinny eating breakfast pizza.

✵ Top Pot Doughnuts ✵ 590 Terry Ave N

206-995-8296 ✵ $

Top Pot is tops!

✵ Tutta Bella ✵ 2200 Westlake Ave

206-624-4422 ✵ $$

Excellent pizza for new condo owners.

✵ Veggie Grill ✵ 446 Terry Ave N

206-623-0336 ✵ $$

Santa Monica-based chain offers up the ultimate in vegetarian comfort food.

✵ Xplosive Mobile Food Truck ✵ 425 Terry Ave

206-612-4739 ✵ $$

Asian fusion taste explosions.

✵ Eurostyle Your Life ✵ 2008 Westlake Ave

206-633-3876

Cool products from Europe and the US.

✵ Play it Again Sports ✵ 1304 Stewart St

206-264-9255

Used sports equipment, check here before walking the block to REI.

✵ REI ✵ 222 Yale Ave N

206-223-1944

The granola flagship store with an impressive rock wall.