Not For Tourists Guide to Seattle (2016)
West & South Seattle
Mount Baker / Seward Park / Columbia City
Map 40
Are your surroundings feeling a little homogeneous? Head south to the increasingly desirable Mount Baker, Seward Park, and Columbia City ‘hoods. Orthodox Jews mingle with Vietnamese Presbyterians. Folks fishing from lake piers make way for Mount Baker’s rowing crews. Potters, joggers, and picnickers frequent Seward Park. Warning: Seattle’s answer to NASCAR, the Seafair Hydroplane and Blue Angel extravaganza takes over in early August. Locals exit (or turn their yards into parking lots) while 300,000+ party hearty.
Landmarks
✵ Columbia City Farmers Market ✵
4801 Rainier Ave S
Foodie heaven every Wednesday from May to October.
✵ Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park ✵
2200 Martin Luther King Jr Way S
206-684-4075
A mountain of inspiration; words are inadequate.
✵ Seward Park ✵ 5900 Lake Washington Blvd S
206-684-4396
Gigantic 300-acre thumb of lakefront on scenic Lake Washington.
✵ Sicks Stadium Sign on Lowe’s Hardware in Rainier Valley ✵ 2700 Rainier Ave S
Once, men hit homers and grounded out here. Now they buy drill bits and caulk.
✵ Tacos El Asadero ✵ 3517 Rainier Ave S
206-722-9977
The famous Taco Bus!
Coffee
✵ Café Hope ✵ 3639 Martin Luther King Jr Way S
206-805-8894
All proceeds go to the Asian Counseling and Referral Service so your fix aids the greater good.
✵ Caffe Vita ✵ 5028 Wilson Ave S
206-721-0111
The best of the local chains.
✵ Empire Espresso ✵ 3829 S Edmunds St
206-659-0588
In case beer isn’t enough to get you jacked up for the footie match.
Nightlife
✵ Billiard Hoang ✵ 3220 S Hudson St
206-723-2054
A couple regular tables, some of those weird pocketless ones and banh mi (!).
✵ Lottie’s Lounge ✵ 4900 Rainier Ave S
206-725-0519
Comfortable neighborhood joint with live music and full menu.
Restaurants
✵ Bananas Grill ✵ 4556 Martin Luther King Jr Way S
206-420-4839 ✵ $
Not your average gyrocery. There’s always money in the banana grill.
✵ Bent Burgers ✵ 5100 S Dawson St
206-760-0291 ✵ $
Not as “bent” as they’d have you believe. But they’ll do.
✵ Big Chickie ✵ 5520 Rainier Ave S
206-946-1519 ✵ $$$
Brave the line and take home big piles of poultry pleasure.
✵ Cafe Ibex ✵ 3218 Martin Luther King Jr Way S
206-721-7537 ✵ $
Decent Ethiopian open late.
✵ Columbia City Ale House ✵ 4914 Rainier Ave S
206-723-5123 ✵ $$
Not a chicken wing in sight: just catfish sandwiches, gumbo, fish tacos. Poor you.
✵ Columbia City Bakery ✵ 4865 Rainier Ave S
206-723-6023 ✵ $
Bread to make your grandmamma proud. Fabulous baguettes.
✵ Tacos El Asadero ✵ 3517 Rainier Ave S
206-722-9977 ✵ $
Mexi cola and carne asada for less than a latte.
✵ Emerald City Fish and Chips ✵ 3756 Rainier Ave S
206-760-3474 ✵ $
Local boys bring New Orleans flavor to their meticulous fish & chips experience.
✵ Flying Squirrel Pizza Co ✵ 4920 S Genesee St
206-721-7620 ✵ $$
Imaginative pizzas made from local organic ingredients. So very Seatown.
✵ Geraldine’s Counter ✵ 4872 Rainier Ave S
206-723-2080 ✵ $$
Diner fare that’s far better than it needs to be.
✵ Grilled Cheese Experience ✵ 5718 Rainier Ave S
206-661-5225 ✵ $$
An experience you won’t soon forget. Because cheese overdoses cause nightmares.
✵ Island Soul ✵ 4869 Rainier Ave S
206-329-1202 ✵ $$
Steel drums fuel the Caribbean favorites and rum cocktails.
✵ Jones Barbeque ✵ 4417 Fauntleroy Way SW
206-257-4946 ✵ $
The tenderest, juiciest dead cows one could imagine.
✵ Jus Bar ✵ 4908 Rainier Ave S
206-420-2535 ✵ $
They have pretty silly names, but these juices are serious business.
✵ La Medusa ✵ 4857 Rainier Ave S
206-723-2192 ✵ $$$
Sicilian food for the soul meets the neighborhood farmer’s market.
✵ La Teranga ✵ 4903 Rainier Ave S
206-725-1188 ✵ $$
Tiny portal to a Senegalese kitchen of delights.
✵ Mioposto ✵ 3601 S McClellan St
206-760-3400 ✵ $$
A splendid park view and light, family-friendly fare from the Chow Foods crew.
✵ Salted Sea ✵ 4915 Rainier Ave S
206-858-6328 ✵ $$$$
Seafood and raw bar with Vietnamese flavors; cocktails, too.
✵ Spice Room ✵ 4909 Rainier Ave S
206-725-7090 ✵ $$
Thai-rific.
✵ St. Dames ✵ 4525 Martin Luther King Jr Way S
206-725-8879 ✵ $$
Vegetarian comfort food that’s actually comforting.
✵ Super Six ✵ 3714 S Hudson St
206-420-1201 ✵ $$$
Asian-inspired comfort food in auto body shop.
✵ Tutta Bella Neopolitan Pizzeria ✵
4918 Rainier Ave S
206-721-3501 ✵ $
Their pizza has been certified by the Italian government. ‘Nuff said.
✵ Wabi-Sabi ✵ 4909 Rainier Ave S
206-721-0212 ✵ $$
Solid sushi and pleasant ambiance.
Columbia City is a tiny triangular hub on Rainier Avenue between Orcas and Alaska, which during the boom exploded with condos and adorable eateries. Our favorite cafe is La Medusa, where they serve edible miracles. It’s Columbia City Bakery for artisanal fare, Tutta Bella for family dining, Full Tilt for dessert, and Lottie’s Lounge for Beer-O’Clock.
Shopping
✵ Andaluz ✵ 4908 Rainier Ave S
206-760-1900
Gifts for girlie girls.
✵ Bike Works! ✵ 3709 S Ferdinand St
206-725-9408
Non-profit bike shop that teaches maintainance to kids.
✵ Bob’s Quality Meats ✵ 4861 Rainier Ave S
206-725-1221
Seattle needs more old-school butchers like Bob.
✵ Full Tilt Ice Cream ✵ 5041 Rainier Ave S
206-226-2740
Ice cream, beer, and pinball. Sweet.
✵ Vientian Asian Grocery ✵
6059 Martin Luther King Jr Way S
206-723-3160
This tiny Lao grocery and cafe packs a big punch.
Map 41 ✵ Rainier Beach / Rainier View / Skyway |