MY, how I LOVE Seattle. What a magical place! 

It’s no secret that Pike’s Place attracts tourists. It’s such a treat to walk into such a thriving part of the city! You can find beautiful flowers, fresh fruits and fish, old bookstores, delicious and charming coffee shops …speaking of coffee shops, you can also find the FIRST ever Starbucks here. And the list goes on and on. It’s a real delight and can brighten up any rainy day (because there are a bunch of those!)

[1st EVER Starbucks]

So, yea, it was raining (it was a cold and rainy day), but I was so happy that Seattle was being real with me. It felt cozy and comfortable. I felt like I knew the city, even though I had never been.

Storyville Coffee

I warmed up with some delicious latte’s from Storyville Coffee (and Truffle Cafe soup samples, with extra truffle drops). Storyville sits above the noise and is a small oasis from the hubbub. Storyville feels fancy compared to the rest of the shops in that area, it’s nice to get up there and contemplate your next move (aka; upload photos to Instagram).
 

Wine Tasting/Truffle Cafe

Once I tasted the truffle soup I HAD to go in. Man, if I wasn’t packing in a carry-on, you can bet that I would have dropped some $$$ in this store. I’m obsessed with anything truffle and on a cold rainy day, nothing makes me happier than hot truffle soup and WINE! Truffle cafe is so freakin’ adorable!! I went in for wine tasting and had a great conversation with Cameron, who worked the wine department. He was so knowledgable about the local wines and I was very impressed. I was also shocked at how much I enjoyed the wines (in SF, we drink Napa Valley wines!) given that they were from Washington and Oregon.

The Pink Door

For dinner we visited The Pink Door. (Tip: There is no sign, and the door is not as pink as you would think.) There were no reservations left on OpenTable so we walked in and miraculously, they had a table for us in the bar. The service was friendly and knowledgable. Food came out fast and was delicious. I had the clam and angel hair pasta dish which was light but filling and exactly what I was looking for in that dish. K got the pappardelle bolognese (and I took a bite). His dish definitely stole the show and I will be getting that when we go back next. The best dish that we had was the toast and meatballs. The meatballs were subpar, but the marinara with the grilled toast was fantastic.

The Pink Door is a very romantic spot. It was so so charming and exactly what I needed to make this small trip feel complete. Want to know the best part? They put on a trapeze show!! Yep, this happened during dinner. It was pretty neat/original. Not your average romantic dinner but it livened the place up.

Chuck’s BBQ

Off the beaten path, in an area called Pioneer Square, I found the perfect “hole in the wall” BBQ joint for a quick delicious lunch. Not kidding, this place is adorable and SO inviting. I wanted to stay and chill for a while but my time was limited so I got back out there. Chucks Hole In The Wall BBQ is between 2nd and 3rd avenue and can sometimes have a 30 minute line or longer. We were lucky though because we went after the lunch rush and got our food quickly.
The menu at Chuck’s is pretty simple, there is about 6 items to choose from. Brisket, ribs, pulled pork, you know, all the fixin’s that a normal BBQ joint would have. They have a sign that lists where each meat comes from and a notice that nothing artificial has been added to their ingredients. I love the visibility! Chuck’s also had great staff, nice and friendly.
[brisket and pulled pork]

[pulled pork with spicy bbq sauce]

(Quick note: I don’t make a habit of eating BBQ but I’m definitely a “when in rome” kind of girl. I enjoy life and I hope that doesn’t get lost when I’m preaching health, health, health!) Definitely a must-try if you find yourself in the area.

Homegrown

On our way out of the city we grabbed lunch at a great little spot downtown (by the way, all of these places are in walking distance from each other – makes things very efficient). If you’re in the mood for something light and healthy before you jump on the plane (breakfast or lunch) Homegrown is your spot! The ingredients were so fresh and tasty. The dining experience is hassle free and quick.
I had a great time on my food & drink tour of Seattle (4 square miles of it!). I enjoyed the food, the drinks and the people.. all my favorite things. I can’t wait to go back!
 

Bansky, is that you??

Have you been to Seattle? What’s your favorite thing about it? Favorite meal or cocktail??? I’m dying to know what others do here.
xo – Candice