Not For Tourists Guide to Seattle (2016)

Central Seattle

Map 7

As the city's oldest neighborhood, there's a mystique about Pioneer Square, the nation's original "Skid Road" where the early settlers toiled through harsh conditions. Today, Pioneer Square entertains a tenuous mix of tourists, art galleries, and frat bars around its community living room, Occidental Square. Start your day at Grand Central Bakery for homemade pastries.

✵ CenturyLink Field ✵ 800 Occidental Ave S

206-381-7555

Get tossed in the CLink while you cheer on the Sounders or Seahawks.

✵ Fallen Firefighters' Memorial ✵

Occidental Ave S & S Main St

Bronze firemen amid the pigeons and the homeless.

✵ Safeco Field ✵ 1250 1st Ave S

206-628-0888

Lovable M's keep losing here, but you can drown your sorrows in $11 pints of beer.

✵ Smith Tower ✵ 506 2nd Ave

206-622-4004

View from 1914 tower is cheaper (and maybe better) than the Space Needle.

✵ Tashiro Kaplan Artists Lofts ✵ 115 Prefontaine Pl S

Affordable live-work spaces supporting Pioneer Square artists.

✵ Waterfall Garden ✵ S Main St & 2nd Ave S

This tranquil urban haven commemorates the birth of UPS.

✵ Caffe Umbria ✵ 320 Occidental Ave S

206-624-5847

Big-time roaster's Pioneer Square flagship.

✵ Caffe Vita ✵ 125 Prefontaine Pl S

206-652-8331

The best of the local chains.

✵ Grand Central Bakery ✵ 214 1st Ave S

206-622-3644

Caffe Vita brew served here.

✵ Zeitgeist ✵ 171 S Jackson St

206-583-0497

Not as revolutionary as they'd have you believe, but not bad.

✵ Central Saloon ✵ 207 1st Ave S

206-622-0209

Frat boys have been drinking here since 1892.

✵ Collins Pub ✵ 526 2nd Ave

206-623-1016

Craft and Belgian beers to the nth degree.

✵ Cowgirls Inc. ✵ 421 1st Ave S

206-340-0777

Like Coyote Ugly, but sluttier.

✵ Damn the Weather ✵ 116 1st Ave S

206-946-1283

A Decemberists song that became a restaurant.

✵ Easy Joe's American Pub ✵ 704 1st Ave

206-623-3440

It's like if one of the cool Top Chef guys opened a diner.

✵ Elysian Fields ✵ 542 1st Ave S

206-382-4498

Stadium-size brewery a home-run shot from Safeco Field.

✵ Good Bar ✵ 240 2nd Ave S

206-624-2337

Streamlined spirits list and a syrup-based breakfast cocktail. I'd call that better than good.

✵ Pyramid Alehouse ✵ 1201 1st Ave S

206-682-3377

Get sh*t-faced like the Egyptians used to do.

✵ Quality Athletics ✵ 121 S King St

206-420-3015

A sports bar for the refined palate by Josh Henderson.

✵ Temple Billiards ✵ 126 S Jackson St

206-682-3242

Great pizza and very little competition for a table.

✵ Triangle Pub ✵ 553 1st Ave S

206-628-0474

Great spot for a Rainier before you watch the M's lose again.

✵ Trinity Nightclub ✵ 111 Yesler Way

206-447-4140

Different action in three spacious rooms. Be twenty something, wear less, enjoy more.

✵ Al Boccalino ✵ 1 Yesler Way

206-622-7688 ✵ $$$$

Nice Southern Italian in a historic building.

✵ Bar Sajor ✵ 323 Occidental Ave S

206-682-1117 ✵ $$$

Famed Chef Matt Dillon's attempt at classing up Pioneer Square.

✵ The Berliner Döner Kebab ✵ 221 1st Ave S

206-838-0339 ✵ $

A very Seattle gyrocery with tofu instead of falafel.

✵ Café Paloma ✵ 93 Yesler Way

206-405-1920 ✵ $

Lovingly made meze-style food and delicious pita.

✵ Casco Antiguo ✵ 115 Occidental Ave S

206-538-0400 ✵ $$$$

Street tacos inside a building.

✵ Damn the Weather ✵ 116 1st Ave S

206-946-1283 ✵ $$$

A Decemberists song that became a restaurant.

✵ Delicatus ✵ 103 1st Ave S

206-623-3780 ✵ $$

Latin for Seattle Deli. Sea-town themed sandwiches.

✵ Easy Joe's American Pub ✵ 704 1st Ave

206-623-3440 ✵ $$

It's like if one of the cool Top Chef guys opened a diner.

✵ Girin ✵ 501 Stadium Pl S

206-257-4259 ✵ $$$

Seattle take on Korean cuisine.

✵ Good Bar ✵ 240 2nd Ave S

206-624-2337 ✵ $$$

Milk braised pork, Ploughman's plates, and a breakfast cocktail. I'd say that's better than good.

✵ Grand Central Bakery ✵ 214 1st Ave S

206-622-3644 ✵ $

Great lunch spot with amazing pastries.

✵ Green Leaf Vietnamese Restaurant ✵

418 8th Ave S

206-340-1388 ✵ $

Fresh, fantastic Vietnamese. One of the best and busiest in town.

✵ Il Corvo Pasta ✵ 217 James St

206-538-0999 ✵ $

Nothing like a pasta lunch to get you through the rest of your work day.

✵ Il Terrazzo Carmine ✵ 411 1st Ave S

206-467-7797 ✵ $$$

Classic, well-executed Italian.

✵ Jimmy John's ✵ 102 1st Ave S

206-621-9500 ✵ $

Like Subway but with delivery.

✵ The London Plane ✵ 322 Occidental Ave S

206-624-1374 ✵ $$

A brilliant combo of foodie shop and wine cafe. Possibly too classy for Pioneer Square.

✵ Marcela's Creole Cookery ✵ 106 James St

206-223-0042 ✵ $$

Down-home grub, N'awlins style. Try the muffuletta.

✵ The People's Burger ✵ 922 Occidental Ave S

206-471-5781 ✵ $

A burger revolution.

✵ Pizzeria Napoletana ✵ 125 Prefontaine Pl S

206-652-8331 ✵ $$

A tiny taste of Napoli conveniently located inside a coffee shop.

✵ Quality Athletics ✵ 121 S King St

206-420-3015 ✵ $$$

A sports bar for the refined palate by Josh Henderson.

✵ Rain Shadow Meats Squared ✵

404 Occidental Ave S

206-467-4854 ✵ $$

Enjoy your acquisitions straight away in the deli portion of this unmatched butcher shop.

✵ Salumi Artisan Cured Meats ✵ 309 3rd Ave S

206-621-8772 ✵ $

Mario Batali's dad makes damn good salami.

✵ Tat's Delicatessen ✵ 159 Yesler Way

206-264-8287 ✵ $

Big, sloppy sammies to stink up your big meeting or office party.

✵ Taylor Shellfish ✵ 410 Occidental Ave S

206-501-4060 ✵ $$$

Farm-to-table oysters from the purveyors.

✵ Thai Curry Simple ✵ 406 5th Ave S

206-327-4838 ✵ $

Simply amazing curry and breakfast. (Yes, breakfast!)

It has old-fashioned charm in spades, even if it's hidden under the grimy veil of homelessness, petty crime, and drunken revelers. It's also a refuge for men's men seeking cheap booze and thrills at bars like Central Saloon, while Mariners and Seahawks fans crowd into Triangle Pub. Meanwhile, Matt Dillon classes things up at Bar Sajor and foodies flock to Salumi to indulge in heavenly pork products. Rain Shadow Meats Squared is the quintessential Northwest meat emporium with a deli so that you don't have to wait till you get home to chow down.

✵ Arundel Books ✵ 209 Occidental Ave S

206-624-4442

New, used, and rare books in former Wessel & Lieberman space.

✵ Ebbets Field Flannels ✵ 408 Occidental Ave S

206-382-7249

Finest maker of historic and authentic baseball uniforms.

✵ The Globe Bookstore ✵ 218 1st Ave S

206-682-6882

Books: Shakespeare and beyond.

✵ Magic Mouse Toys ✵ 603 1st Ave

206-682-8097

We think it's run by elves.

✵ Rain Shadow Meats Squared ✵

404 Occidental Ave S

206-467-4854

Even the drunks of Pioneer Square like farm fresh meat.

✵ Salumi Artisan Cured Meats ✵ 309 3rd Ave S

206-621-8772

Mario Batali's dad makes damn good salami. Take home some gnocchi on Tuesdays.