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Seattle Mealpal Review
Recommended by: A co-worker recommended the service and provided me with a promotional deal that came out to $3.52 a meal.
What is Mealpal and How Does It Work?
Mealpal is a subscription meal service that currently exists in downtown Seattle for lunch. You pay a monthly fee and it allows you to reserve a lunch from a restaurant in downtown.
Once you reserve your meal, you go to the restaurant at your allotted time of your choosing and simply pick up your meal by scanning a barcode. You don’t have to wait in line! You can reserve your meal as early as 5:00pm the day before up until 10:30am that day.
You have the option of a 12 or 20 pack and the meals must be picked up within a 30 day billing cycle. If you do not pick up your 12 or 20 meals during this 30 day period, you are out of luck. You lose those meals.
Due to a referral from a current Mealpal user I got a promotional deal that made each meal $3.52. That’s damn good in downtown Seattle! Even the normal price of $6.39 per meal is pretty good considering the numerous options and also considering you don’t have to wait in line to get your meal.
I was skeptical of whether the portions would be smaller than normal and if the actual meals would really match the meal pictures on the app. So here are the results:
Tuk-Tuk Mobile Feast
Pork Fried Rice, Actual price – $10.00. This was my first meal I got through Mealpal. It was at a food truck down the street from my office. The portion was big. It was spicy and flavorful, but not much pork. It was well seasoned though .I would get it again.
Actual meal
- Closeness To Mealpal Pic: 5/5
- Portion Size: 5/5
- Meal Overall: 4/5
Pasta Casalinga
Pasta Al Pomodoro, Actual price- $11. The actual meal looked nothing like the picture on the Mealpal app. Nonetheless the meal was delicious and filling. It was a bit of a walk to Pike Place Market, but worth it.
Actual meal
- Closeness To Pic: 2/5
- Portion Size: 5/5
- Meal Overall: 5/5
Hurry Curry of Tokyo
Braised Chicken Curry Bowl, Actual Cost – $13. This looks like a smaller portion than what’s served in the restaurant based on the Yelp photos. Although the portion size does look similar to the photo on the Mealpal app, but the toppings were non-existent. It was spicy and flavorful.
Actual meal
- Closeness To Pic: 3/5
- Portion Size: 4/5
- Meal Overall: 4/5
Athena’s Food Truck
Lamb/Beef Sandwich w/ fries, Actual Cost – $10. This is one case where I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of lamb and beef when comparing the actual meal to the photo on the Mealpal app. You can also see that the toppings on the fries in the Mealpal app were not present in real life.
Mealpal photo
Actual meal
- Closeness To Pic: 4/5
- Portion Size: 4/5
- Meal Overall: 4/5
Mamnoon Street
Chicken Shawarma, Actual Cost -$10.00. The photo on the app looked nicer, but the actual portion was rather large. The shawarma itself was a bit bland, but filling.
Actual meal
- Closeness To Pic: 4/5
- Portion Size: 4/5
- Meal Overall: 3.5/5
Mamnoon Street
Chicken Shawarma Salad, Frites, pickled pepper, romaine, tomato, and roasted garlic sauce -$10.00 . This was the first place I made a return visit to. More so, because it was close to my work rather than the food being good the first time around. I got the salad version this time around.
Mealpal photo
Actual meal
- Closeness To Pic: 5/5
- Portion Size: 4/5
- Meal Overall: 3.5/5
Citrus Thai
Chicken See-Ew, llat rice noodle, “gai lan” broccoli, egg and see-ew sauce sauteed with chicken. Actual Cost- $8.95. The chicken was plentiful, but the taste was lacking a bit. The photo from the Mealpal app looks vibrant and fresh compared to the droopy actual meal.
Actual meal
- Closeness To Pic: 3.5/5
- Portion Size: 5/5
- Meal Overall: 3.5/5
Poke Alice
Alice’s Special Bowl – Half & Half (brown rice & kale); (2) Cucumber, seaweed, onion, crab salad; (3) Salmon, shrimp, scallop (1 scoop each); (4) Medium spicy with cilantro aioli; (5) Furikake, ginger, green onion masago, seaweed salad. Actual Cost- $11.99. The portion was huge. The quality of ingredients I felt were subpar in comparison to other poke places.
Actual meal
- Closeness To Pic: 3.5/5
- Portion Size: 5/5
- Meal Overall: 3.5/5
Summary of Seattle Mealpal meals:
Pros to using Seattle Mealpal:
- The cost of $3.52 during the promotional deal is definitely the number one benefit of using Mealpal. Even the non-promotional price of $5.99 or $6.39 is a darn good deal for downtown Seattle.
- Your meal is ready when you get there. There’s no waiting.
- There’s a variety of choices, both in the different types of cuisine and in restaurants.
- Discovery. I went to many new food trucks and restaurants I would have never have visited or didn’t even know existed before participating in Mealpal.
- I liked the feature on the app/website that shows what meals co-workers, who also signed up for Mealpal, ordered so I can get ideas.
Cons to using Seattle Mealpal:
- I did this during a month in which the weather was mild. I don’t know if I’d participate during the cold, rainy, dreary months.
- The meals could have been prepared awhile ago. Anything with egg will be overcooked and cold.
- There are no alterarations to the meals. If I didn’t want onions in my fried rice, there’s no way to signal.
- Some meals from the more popular restaurants sell out quickly since there is only a certain allotted number of meals available per restaurants.
- Only lunches are available. No dinners. Also, meals are only available on work days, so weekends and holidays are not available.
Seattle Mealpal Savings
Summary:
I won’t participate in Mealpal every month, but might do it once in awhile. Mealpal does have the ability to put a hold on your account if you want to take a break. Personally, I’m a creature of habit and content going to a small number of restaurants near my work. I also bring a lot of my lunches from home. I’ve also have business trips often and do take longer vacations which would also preclude me from doing Mealpal during these months.
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Pasta Casalinga -The Secret Pasta Place in Pike Place Market
Recommended by: After proclaiming Il Corvo to have Seattle’s Best Pasta, a co-worker of mine let me in on a little secret of his. There was a place very similar to Il Corvo in Pike Place Market, but without the crowds. We had to check it out.
Description on the Pasta Casalinga’s website: Come experience traditional Italian pasta influenced by local Northwest flavors in the heart of the Pike Place Market in a warm and welcoming kitchen with Michela and Nathan.
Neighborhood/Type: Downtown / Pike Place Market
Address: 93 Pike St ste 201, Seattle, WA 98101
What we ate/drank: Tagliolini Con Salmon E Zucchine- Wild Coho Salmon, Zucchini, Capers, Sichuan Pepper and Mint – $13, Pappardelle Con Finferli E Salsiccia- Wild Local Chanterelle, Sausage, Pecorino & Thyme – $13, Lasagna Alla Bosaciola- Sausage, Sweet Peas, Mushrooms, Made-in-house Besciamella-$11
Comments: Pasta Casalinga opened in the Market’s Atrium in March of 2018. This spot used to be a wind-up toy store and then a biscuit company prior to Pasta Casalinga taking over the place. One co-owner was raised in Turin, Italy and learned how to cook from her mother and grandmothers. The other co-owner is a native Northwesterner with a passion for local foods. Add their super powers together and you’ve got hand crafted pasta combined with locally sourced ingredients.
We arrived at Pasta Casalinga at 11:30 for lunch and right after we ordered a line formed. It’s not as crazy crowded as Il Corvo, but Pasta Casalinga definitely has a following. Although the Pike Place Market is teeming with tourists, Pasta Casalinga is away from the main action of the market. We observed that most of the patrons are locals on their lunch. You order at the cashier, grab your utensils and napkins and wait for your name to be called. There aren’t any tables, just a long counter overlooking the atrium.
Similar to Il Corvo, there are three main pasta dishes served daily with a few other side dishes. Pasta Casalinga has three sourcing categories of pasta, ocean, farm and garden. Each dish changes as the in season ingredients also change, so there’s a constant rotation of dishes even though they serve only three a day.
Much like our trip to Il Corvo, we ordered three dishes.
- The ocean dish, Tagliolini Con Salmon E Zucchine- Wild Coho Salmon, Zucchini, Capers, Sichuan Pepper and Mint – $13.
- The farm dish, Pappardelle Con Finferli E Salsiccia- Wild Local Chanterelle, Sausage, Pecorino & Thyme – $13.
- The everyday Lasagna Alla Bosaciola- Sausage, Sweet Peas, Mushrooms, Made-in-house Besciamella-$11.
The salmon dish had ample chunks of salmon as you can see from the photo below. The sauce was very light so that tomatoes and peppers could shine through. The tagliolini pasta was perfect. The pappardelle was our favorite dish. Again they didn’t skimp on the chanterelle and sausage. The mushrooms and sausage mixed with the wide pappardelle and pecorino cheese was perfect. The lasagna was cream based full of sausage and sweet peas. I personally would have liked it a little more savory. It was a little on the sweet side.
One last dish I got was the Pasta Al Pomodoro, which was a dish that they offered through the Meal Pal service(which I’ll write about on a later post). Through the Meal Pal service with a promotion, I ended up getting this dish for $3.52!
Pasta Casalinga is open everyday except Monday from 11:00am to 6:00pm. They close at 5:00pm on Sundays. We both agreed that we still like Il Corvo the best. Their dishes are all under $10 while Pasta Casalinga’s dishes were between $11-$13. I’m sure the rent is higher in Pike Place Market than next to a Bail Bondsman near the court house in Pioneer Sq, where Il Corvo is located. That may explain the higher prices. Overall, we just enjoyed Il Corvo’s dishes better, but Pasta Casalinga is less crowded, convenient if you are hosting out-of-towners in the market and serves very tasty dishes. And who doesn’t enjoy daily freshly made pasta?
Just an fyi, Seattle Magazine disagreed with us and voted Pasta Casalinga Best of the Best Pasta in Seattle.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 4.50
Service: 5.00
Food/Drinks: 4.35
Bang for the Buck: 4.00
Overall: 4.50
Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.
-
- Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
- Most locals know about it
- Locals “in the know” know about it
- Only those who live close by know about it.
- You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!
Servers local recommendations to visit in the future: I went back to work after lunch at Pasta Casalinga and mentioned it to my co-workers. We talked about Pasta Casalinga and I mentioned some of my other favorites like Tavolata and Il Corvo A co-worker mentioned her favorite was Bizzarro Italian Café in Wallingford. We’d been there before, but it’s been so many years. A revisit is in order.
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Bizzarro Italian Cafe
Recommended by: I went back to work after lunch at Pasta Casalinga and mentioned it to my co-workers. We talked about Pasta Casalinga and I mentioned some of my other favorites like Tavolata and Il Corvo. A co-worker mentioned her favorite was Bizzarro Italian Café in Wallingford. We’d been there before, but it’s been so many years. A revisit is in order.
Description on the Bizzarro Italian Cafe’s website: Bizzarro has been a Seattle favorite since it opened in 1986 by original owner, chef and visual artist David Nast. He converted the building which was originally an auto workshop into his dream restaurant on a shoestring budget with a lot of hardwork, ingenuity, artistic inspiration and love.
Neighborhood/Type: Wallingford
Address: 61307 N 46th St, Seattle, WA 98103
What we ate/drank: Monday Night Meatball 5 juicy spicy meatballs tossed with spaghetti rustica pasta in our world famous marinara, Elk Bolognese- Wild Oregon Elk with fennel, thyme, Mama lil’s peppers and pork shoulder slowly simmered into a creamy ragu tossed with our handmade parpardelle ribbon pasta. Drunken Clams- Local manilla clams in spicy tomatoes with prosciutto, basil, shallots & ouzo. Chianti.
Bizzarro Italian Cafe has been in existence since 1986, but it’s one of those places that doesn’t consistently come to mind when thinking of Italian food for some reason. We have our regular Italian places like Tavolata Il Corvo and The Pink Door and our quaint neighborhood spots like Cantinetta, Salvatore and Serafina.
Our revisit to Bizzarro Italian Cafe is a good reminder to keep it as an option not only due to the good Italian food, but the one of a kind kitschy décor. It’s very apropos that it’s a few doors down from the King of Kitschy things, Archie McPhee.
According to Seattle Magazine, Bizzaro Italian Cafe was started by an artist, David Nast. And ownership/chefs has changed numerous times including Mike Easton who owns one of our favorites, Il Corvo . We did not know that.
Bizzaro Italian Café is a small intimate restaurant in the Wallingford area and as mentioned has been around for over 30 years.
Their claim to fame is a cell phone surcharge if you talk on your phone while everybody is trying to enjoy their meal.
If I remember correctly, I believe this surcharge was implemented in the early years of cell phone usage, where there was no texting or photo taking abilities. Who talks on their cell phone anymore?
For fun, if you want you can check out some of the irate customers who have been charged a surcharge and it appears they are not shy about it……
Cell Phone Charge! Source:Yelp
We went on a Monday evening thinking it wouldn’t be crowded, but we snagged the last open table and after that there were people waiting for seats.(Note: Bizzarro does not take reservations for parties less than 6).
If you do have to wait, they will take your number and they’ll call you when ready. You can either walk around Wallingford, go to Archie McPhee or get a drink at the Blue Star next door.
If you’ve never been to Bizzarro Italian Cafe, you’re in for a visual blast you’ve not seen anywhere else. There is literally something to see in every nook and cranny of the walls and ceilings in the entire restaurant(take a look at the pics).
There are quirky bits of memorabilia everywhere you look. You have so much for conversation starters, which makes it a fun place for first dates.
The tables are packed pretty tight and the with so many people in a tight spot, it can get quite loud.
First comes the bread with vinegar and olive oil. All entrees come with a salad and you can upgrade to a Ceasar’s salad if you wish.
We started off with the Drunken Clams which is a perfect match to slop up the sauce with the bread. The clams and bits of prosciutto were tasty, but the sauce is the star.
Our server offered to bring more bread when he saw we had extra sauce, but ran out of bread. We were tempted but didn’t want to fill ourselves up before our mains came and said he could take the sauce away. We shed a little tear as he took it.
Our entrees were the Elk Bolognese and their special of the night, Monday Spaghetti & Meatballs.
I’m a sucker for a ragu sauce and how often can you find elk on the menu. This is probably their most popular dish. I was expecting a bit of gamey, but there was none. One thing I loved about the dish is they are not chintzy on the meat.
Normally the meat to pasta ratio is decidedly heavy on the pasta side. This dish surprisingly was heavy on the elk side. This is a comforting dish to have on a cold night.
The Spaghetti & Meatballs is normally a mainstay on Sundays, but they happen to serve it on this Monday.
We may have gotten the last dish, because shortly after ordering it, one of the servers erased it from the chalkboard. The sauce was average, but the spicy meatballs(5 in all) were fabulous.
One small thing. I wish they would serve wine in a proper glass instead of a tumbler.
One of the secret side stories of Bizzarro Italian Cafe is a table in the back area it’s situated right next to a massive pole and has a chalkboard sign that claims to be the “Best Table in The House”. We think it’s a tongue in cheek title since it’s situated next to a massive pole. Sorta like these seats….
You might look at kitschy decor and think this is their gimmick, because the food in not up to par. Well the food is definitely as good as the decor is kitschy.
It’s really is a one of a kind restaurant that you will not find anywhere else and has the quirkiness of a cell phone surcharge and “Best Table in The House” to boot.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 4.75
Service: 4.75
Food/Drinks: 4.75
Bang for the Buck: 4.00
Overall: 4. 55
Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.
-
- Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
- Most locals know about it
- Locals “in the know” know about it
- Only those who live close by know about it.
- You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!
Servers recommendations to visit in the future: A local reader of the blog suggested Via Tribulani as an Italian alternative since we’ve talked about Il Corvo , Tavolata, Pasta Casalinga, Cantinetta and now Bizzarro Itlian Cafe. We’ve been to Via Tribulani, but not for many years. It’s time for a revisit.
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Bitterroot BBQ
Recommended by: Our neighbor recommended Bitterroot for a more upscale setting for BBQ when our out of town guests requested American BBQ and our favorite BBQ joint shut down their restaurant.
Description on the Bitterroot’s website: Serving Northwest BBQ in the heart of Ballard. We pair our smoked meats with American craft beer and a bourbon selection that makes any enthusiast swoon.
Neighborhood/Type: Ballard
Address:5239 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
What we ate/drank: Cowboy Killer- 1/2 chicken, brisket, baby back ribs, pulled pork, 3 sides(Fries, Cole Slaw, Baked Beans, Mac & Cheese w/bacon and pulled pork. IPA from Lucky Envelope Brewing, Cherry Cider from Anthem.
We had relatives visiting from outside the country. When we asked what they wanted to eat, they said, “American BBQ”. We just found out BBQ Smith decided to quit their brick and mortar location and go strictly to catering only. Because they were from out of town we wanted to take them to a more upscale barbeque joint. Our neighbor suggested Bitterroot.
We knew of Bitterroot’s existence, but had never been. We’d been invited to a birthday gathering there once, but weren’t able to attend. Now was our chance.
Fair or not, when we think barbeque, we tend to think the more “hole-in-the-wall” qualities the location has, the better the barbeque will be. So when we saw that Bitterroot was smack dab in the middle of “fancy” heavy hitters like Stoneburner, Brambling Cross, Percy & Co, and Bastille right on Ballard Ave, we were a bit leery. Would the bbq be that good or would we be paying for the hot location?
First things first, Bitterroot does not take reservations and seating is done on a first come, first serve basis. We arrived on a Friday evening at 7:30 and expected there to be a wait. The place is relatively small. We wanted to dine in the main dining area, so we put in our names and hung out in the back bar area. You have your choice of eating back there too if you want. Our group of 4 ended up waiting about 15 minutes before a table opened.
The interior reminds us of an upscale Seattle Biscuit Company with an old shack feel using reclaimed wood, chain link fencing, exposed brick. It has that same easygoing shack feel. This casualness is carried through on your dishware, which are metal baking sheet trays lined with parchment paper.
Our guests from out of the country had a lot of questions regarding the options, not being familiar with American bbq. Our server was patient and provided detailed answers. A member of our party asked about the available bottled sauces on the table prior to ordering and he explained each one-sweet, honey mustard, spicy and vinegar and how each would taste with a variety of different meal choices.
To give our guests the full spectrum of what Bitterroot had to offer, we ordered the Cowboy Killer, which pretty much gives you one of everything- 1/2 chicken, beef brisket, baby back ribs, pulled pork and a choice of 3 sides. For our sides we got the fries, cole slaw and baked beans. We were afraid that the Cowboy Killer would not be enough for 4 adults(boy, were we wrong) so we also ordered a mac & cheese w/bacon and pulled pork. Our drinks were an IPA from Lucky Envelope Brewing, Cherry Cider from Anthem, coke and a cocktail(can’t remember which one).
1/2 chicken, brisket, baby back ribs,
pulled pork, 3 sides(Fries, Cole Slaw, Baked Beans
Truthfully we could have done without the mac & cheese, although it was very good. I never had pulled pock in mac & cheese before, but the Cowboy Killer, could have easily fed 6 adults.
When we could not take another bite and the platter was still over half uneaten, our server said the dish is intended to have left over for take home. It took us two more meals at home to finish off the leftovers from the Cowboy Killer and leftover mac and cheese.
The barbeque was moist and seasoned perfectly. The ribs fell off the bone and the brisket just melts in your mouth. The sides were nothing to write home about, but our guests really enjoyed their first taste of American barbeque, so what more can you ask for? That’s all that counts, right?
The Scores:
- 1/2 chicken (Score: 4.0 / 5.0)
- beef brisket (4.75 / 5.0)
- baby back ribs (4.5 / 5.0)
- pulled pork (4.75/ 5.0)
- Sides- Fries, cole slaw and baked beans. (3.75 / 5.0)
- Mac & Cheese w/bacon and pulled pork (4.5 / 5.0)
Bitterroot was the perfect combination of upscale barbeque, which seems like an oxymoron, but it’s just what our guests were hoping for. We also learned that the owners of Bitterroot also own one of our favorite sandwich places, Mammoth, that we mentioned in our favorite 2018 dishes.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 4.25
Service: 5.00
Food/Drinks: 4.50
Bang for the Buck: 4.00
Overall: 4.35
Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.
-
- Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
- Most locals know about it
- Locals “in the know” know about it
- Only those who live close by know about it.
- You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!
Servers recommendations to visit in the future:
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Lil Woody’s
Recommended by: In our Uneeda Burger post, we mentioned that we’ve been to a lot of burger places, but not Lil Woody’s. No less than 2 of our friends and 3 readers said we must try Lil’ Woody’s. So off we went.
Description on the Lil Woody’s website: We love our community and are committed to working with local purveyors: our burgers are made from Painted Hills grass-fed beef, our hand-cut fries come from Washington potatoes, our buns are handcrafted from Tacoma, and our shakes are made with Full Tilt ice cream. We support our communities and we encourage you to support yours.
Neighborhood/Type: Capitol Hill
Address: 1211 Pine St, Seattle, WA 98101
What we ate/drank: The Kamonegi Burger, The Sarap Sandwich, Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich , The New Mexican
Comments: We’re not ready to deem Lil’ Woody’s having the best burgers in Seattle, but they definitely have the most inventive and most-anticipated burger collaborations in Seattle. It took us a while to finally get to Lil’ Woody’s. They’ve been around since 2011 and have locations in Ballard, Capitol Hill, South Lake Union and White Center. Open hours vary for each location, so double check before going. For example the Capitol Hill locations stays open until 3:00am on Friday and Saturday. Holla to all you Capitol Hill clubbers!
They’ve become such a Seattle institution, that you can even get their burgers while taking in a Mariner Game at T-Mobile Park.
Order at the counter, pay, grab a seat and wait for your number to be called. Simple. The Capitol Hill location is a pretty low key place with some sitting next to the kitchen and more seating in an upstairs area.
Lil’ Woody’s has their main menu burgers that are always offered, but where Lil’ Woody’s stands out is their always changing special burger of the week. As we write this in August of 2019, check out these special burgers that are collaborations:
- Your Last Meal Burger(Lil Woody’s in-house pickled figs, crispy Prosciutto, arugula, cornichons, mozzarella stuffed Painted Hills grass-fed beef, roasted shallot mayo.). A collab with the @beardfoundation nominated @yourlastmealpodcast! and inspired by the last meal of past #yourlastmealpodcast guest, actor and cookbook author, Tiffani Thiessen (Saved By The Bell, Beverly Hills 90210).
- Game Guru Burger(Habanero mayo, crispy fried onions, Tillamook smoked cheddar, Hills bacon, double 1/4lb. Painted Hills grass-fed beef, Mama Lils peppers spicy sweet pickles). This was during the Pax West Gaming Convention and a collab with a celebrity in the gaming community, The Game Guru.
- Taylor Shellfish Burger(Taylor Shellfish oyster dip, Tims Cascade potato chips, Tillamook smoked cheddar, and Painted Hills grass-fed beef. A collab with Taylor Shellfish which is located right around the corner from Lil’ Woody’s in Capitol Hll.
- Lil Gordo Burger (red braised pork belly with green sauce aioli, onions, cilantro, and pickled jalapeños) A collab with Phorale, an Asian/Tex Mex restaurant in Seattle.
And for the last 5 years they’ve had a Burger Month(Feb), where each week has a special burger designed by top chefs around Seattle. If you end up getting each burger during the month, you get a free gift. This year it was a denim lunch bag. We made it to two of the weeks, but you can see here how inventive these burgers are and interesting because most of these chefs would never have a burger on their menu at their own restaurants.
As you know we’re huge fans of Kamonegi and their chef., Matsuko Soma, created The Kamonegi Burger-Seared duck/chicken patty, duck egg, arugula, Yuzu kewpie mayo, charcoal bun.
<<<My picture of the Kamonegi Burger and a much nicer picture from Lil Woody’s
I love the unusual ingredients but it was missing some flavor. Perhaps a little more yuzu mayo was needed. It’s difficult to say who’s at fault. Since the chef created it, maybe the fault lies there? Or perhaps the chef’s vision was not met due to the execution of the burger? I never had a charcoal bun before, so we were a bit surprised when we got the burger on a totally black bun. I love me some egg yoke, but I honestly couldn’t tell the difference between a duck eff and a normal chicken egg through the other flavor profiles.
The other burger we had was from Melissa Miranda, who at the time worked at Bar del Corso, but is opening her own much-anticipated restaurant called, Musang. Her burger was called, The SARAP Sandwich. Sarap in Filipino means delicious. The burger consisted of roasted pulled pork adobo, chicharrónes, radishes, fried garlic, patis salsa verde, Hawaiian bun.
<<<My picture of the Sarap Sandwich and a much nicer picture from Lil Woody’s
I’m more of a savory guy when it comes to burgers and adobo is typically on the sweet side and this was no different. The bun was also sweet with the patis salsa verde adding a bit of savory. The radishes and chicharrones added a bit of crunchiness to the sandwich, which we both enjoyed.
Here is another Burger of the Week. It was really spicy, but loved the sweetness of the pickles and onions in combination with the savory cheddar.
<<<Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich – Chipotle mayo, spicy sweet pickles and onions, smoked cheddar.
This is a burger off their normal menu, The New Mexican with Hatch green chiles.
<<<New Mexican – 1/3 lb Painted Hills grass-fed beef burger, slow-roasted Hatch green chiles, house-made queso sauce
Summary: When compared to some of the other burger joints in Seattle like Uneeda Burger, Rain City, Giddy Up, etc, their burgers are on the small size for around the same price. This could probably be attributed to the variety of ingredients due to their many different offerings and everchanging Burger of the Week. When you get inventive and push the envelope with collaborations, there’s bound to be hits and misses, but we appreciate the effort and the diverse and fresh variety it brings. One thing is for sure, we know if we want something different we can count on Lil’ Woodys’
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 4.00
Service: 4.00
Food/Drinks: 4.50
Bang for the Buck: 4.00
Overall: 4.25
Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.
-
- Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
- Most locals know about it
- Locals “in the know” know about it
- Only those who live close by know about it.
- You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!
Servers recommendations to visit in the future: While eating our Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwiches, my co-worker mentioned Bok A Bok Fried Chicken. And said they don’t have burgers, but have the best chicken sandwiches. We have to check it out.
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Pouring One Out For The Homies
There were so many restaurant closures in Seattle. There were the former hot spots that we were surprised to see go – Girin, Little Uncle , Skitka & Spruce. There were some where the writing was on the wall – Sansei, Dexter Brewhouse, Il Fornaio. There just wasn’t anybody there when we visited. There were also a lot of old timers who’d been open for over 10 years and some over 20 years, so we were shocked that they closed down- Tango(19 yrs), Poppy(11 yrs) , Seattle Deli(27 yrs), Peso’s(20 yrs).
Here are some of the places we reviewed that decided to call it quits:
Junkichi Robata Izakaya– This one is really surprising. It had just opened in 2018. When we went it was packed, the food and service were great, and the location was perfect. According to some of the newer reviews on Yelp right before shutting down mentioned service issues, smaller portions and quality issues. The reason for the closure is a mystery, but the space is apparently being taken over by the owners of Suika/Tamari Bar.
Little Kitchen– Another place that just opened in 2018. According to this Seattle Times article, it just became too much work for the owners to maintain. We’re a little less surprised about the closure of Little Kitchen, but are surprised how quickly it happened. Competition is fierce both on The Ave and for Chinese dumplings.
Trove – Another surprising, but not surprising closing. Surprising in that the other Relay restaurants are super popular and successful, Joule and Revel. Not surprising in that the space that Trove was occupied was huge and in the competitive neighborhood of Capitol Hill. It must have been difficult to compete with the multitude of restaurants in the area and to fill such a huge space night after night. Also, there are so many cheaper alternative Korean BBQ places in Seattle.
BBQ Smith – They decided to focus on catering only and sold the brick and mortar after two years. Its being taken over by Don Lucho’s, a Peruvian lunch truck. It’s really a shame, because we just discovered BBQ Smith and they had an awesome happy hour deal.
The Hi Life – Strangely, this is a closure that we agree with. Not because the food was bad, it just sorta gets lost in the Seattle restaurant landscape. The space is staying in the CHOW Food(The 5 Spot, Endolyne Joe’s, TNT Taqueria) family and being changed into an Italian restaurant. We’re hoping they keep some of the old fire station details in the new space.
Ventoux Roasters –The few times we went there it was always crowded. It seemed like one of those coffee shops that would be sustained by neighborhood patrons of Ravenna, so it didn’t really need to be in a hip area or a busy main street. I couldn’t find a explanation on their website, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Palomino – This is the saddest closing for sentimental reasons. We rarely came here, but it’s where my wife and I first met. Here’s an excerpt from the blog post of our favorite bars in Seattle:
Any Seattleite reading this is saying, “WTF”? The Palomino is a restaurant located in the City Centre in downtown Seattle. They do have a bar area with an actual bar that they claim is the longest in length in Seattle. Their happy hour is okay, but nothing special. Their beer selection and cocktails are ordinary. The atmosphere is a little strange because it’s open on a floor within a building kind of like a bar in a hotel or train station. So why is this our favorite bar in Seattle? This is where my wife and I first laid eyes on each other and met. She was in town for a convention. I worked downtown. It was easy to find and centrally located so that’s where we met. I guess we’re just sentimental fools.
Sadly, Ballard Loft , NW Peaks Brewing, Naked City & The Leary Traveler mentioned in our Favorite Bars post also closed down in 2019.
Sad to see these places go, but the Seattle economy is booming right now. People are eating out more than ever. If you can’t be successful in this environment, then maybe it’s best to cut your losses. I think the higher minimum wage is also having an affect on some of the smaller businesses. Sadly, we believe with such a high number of restaurant and the inevitability that the Seattle economy will slow down, we’re bound to see more closures in 2020.
Related:
This is one of the more fun blog posts to create as 2019 winds down. It allows us to review all the great dishes we’ve had throughout the year and debate which ones belong in our top 15. A list ranges from a relatively simple shaved ice to a traditionally poor man’s Hawaiian breakfast to a couple of Southern-inspired biscuit dishes to a few noodle dishes(both Italian and Asian) to Asian fusion and a few Mexican dishes.
We’ve already counted down our Best Seattle Dishes of 2019, 15 through 8.
Without further ado, here are our Best Seattle Dishes of 2019, 7 through 1:
7. Seattle Biscuit Co. —$14. The End – Cheese grits, collards, pulled pork, pickled red onion, comeback sauce, fried bologna, over-easy egg, biscuits
Excerpt from our blog post:
The Ed N‘ Diane(END) is named after the owner’s parents. I don’t usually order grits, but this was a winner and is definitely a contender for Seattle Best Dishes of 2019. The pulled pork, fried bologna and collards were perfect complements to the grits. The grits were not overly cheesy and the slight kick of the pork, the saltiness of the bologna and tart of the collards were a great spoonful of flavor. Our daughter devoured the thick fried bologna chunks and mini biscuit. We’re used to the sliced thin baloney, so when she saw the thick chunks, she seemed a bit surprised. Add the over easy egg with runny yolk and you’ve got a near perfect dish.
6. D’La Santa – $31.99. Tacoarte -Platter filled with a variety of delicious taco fillings: carne asada, pollo asado, cochinita pibil, pastor & refried pinto beans. Tortillas served on the side. (serves 2 people)
Tacoarte $31.99 Platter filled with a variety of delicious taco fillings: carne asada, pollo asado, cochinita pibil, pastor & refried pinto beans. Tortillas served on the side. (serves 2 people)
Tacoarte topping-cilantro, onions, pico de gallo, radishes, pickled red onion, salsa.
Excerpt from our blog post:
Another thing that makes this a perfect date spot is the dish that literally every table we saw ordered. That dish was the Tacoarte, which comes as two platters. One filled with a variety of taco fillings: carne asada, pollo asado, cochinita pibil, pastor, pork chorizo & refried pinto beans. For those keeping track at home that’s one steak, one chicken and three pork. The price of this dish is $31.99, but it serves two people, which we feel is totally reasonable. You can definitely fill up 3 people with this dish. Along with the meat fillings, came another platter of toppings, which included onions, cilantro, salsa, pico de gallo, radishes and pickled red onions. The refried beans are really creamy, not lumpy like what you see in most restaurants. This is the perfect date dish because you’re interacting, sharing, you can discuss your favorite fillings, topping and combinations. We quickly ran out of tortillas since the fillings and toppings will easily make 15 tacos minimum. We were asked if we needed extra tortillas, which we did. Every single table had ordered this dish and if when we go back, we’d definitely order it again.
The filling rankings:
1) Carne Asada (my favorite)
2) Al Pastor (wife’s favorite)
3) Pork Chorizo
4) Conchinita Pibil
5) Pollo Asado
5. Fremont Bowl — $14.95. Chirashi Bowl-tuna, chopped fatty tuna, salmon, yellowtail, albacore, shrimp, fresh water eel, masago with fresh wasabi + yuzu kosho (pepper)
Excerpt from our blog post:
The cashier advised the Chirashi Bowl is their most popular and it’s easy to understand when seeing the dish. The different cuts of fish make for a colorful presentation that makes it one of the most photogenic dishes in Seattle. What separates chirashi from poke is that poke marinated in sauce with a bunch of different toppings. This can mask the quality of fish as well as the quantity of fish. Chirashi is just pure raw fish, so the fish quality and quantity is apparent.
The Chirashi Bowl is not only a beautiful dish, but the quality of the fish is superb and the price is a bargain.
4. Tamari Bar – Shoka-do Bento Box
Excerpt from our blog post:
Next up was the Shoka-do Bento Box, which is limited to a certain count every evening. This was surely the highlight of the night. There are a total of nine squares with each being the perfect size for two bites, making it the perfect date night dish. You get nine different dishes, nine different flavors. It’s fun having so many choices at once and then discussing which are your favorites. Or both of you can try each grid at the same time and discuss after each tasting.
From the top and left to right with scores out of 5:
- Fried Crispy Salmon(4.25), Wagyu Beef Tataki(4.5) , Potato Salad (4.0)
- Aburi Scallop Carpaccio(4.5), Tamari Bar Sushi Roll(4.5), Aburi Salmon(4.5)
- Fried Oyster(5.0), Zuke Maguro(marinated)-(3.0), Tuna Tatsuta(fried)-(5.0)
Each appetizer was beautifully presented and each had at least 5 different ingredients and it was a good mixture of fried and raw. We just really enjoyed this concept.
3. Joule– $13. Bone marrow, spicy anchovy butter, leek
Excerpt from our blog post:
This was a home run! I don’t know if there is always this much marrow on their bones or if I just hit the jackpot, but usually there’s not much marrow whenever I order . This dish had so much marrow, I couldn’t believe it. Served with bread the marrow was perfect turning into a rich pudding that tasted like beef flavored butter. Add in the generous topping of leeks and you’ve got FIRE!
2. Watson’s Counter — $18. Loco Moco – Fresh ground house-blend of chuck, short-rib, and pork belly atop a bed of rice, house-made gravy, and a fried egg on top.
Excerpt from our blog post:
My wife got the Loco Moco. I know it’s early in the year, but this dish is a contender to be on our Top Dishes of 2019. We’ve had our fair share of Loco Mocos in Hawaii and around town at Kona Kitchen, Maono, Cheeky Café. This is the best we’ve had. The patty is made with a blend of chuck, short-rib, and pork belly and you have the rice and egg, but the showstopper is the house-made gravy. It’s a thick peppery flavorful smack in the mouth. Mixed with the egg yolk, generous sized patty and topped with sesame seeds and green onions = Broke Da Mouth!
1. Revel– $17. Rice w/Egg yolk -Albacore tuna, fennel kimchi, escarole
A
Excerpt from our blog post:
Not sure how we missed this one for our favorite dishes of 2018. We ALWAYS order this. The char on the escarole, the large toppings of kim chee, the sear on the albacore and off course one of my favorite foods, a raw egg yolk.
We were watching them prepare this dish and I see that the raw egg yolk is marinated in what appears to be soy sauce. This gives some additional flavor to the yolk, so when you mix it altogether it creates it’s own sauce. The combination of the 5 ingredients make for a perfect bite.
Perhaps, because we order this dish all the time we took it for granted last year, but we need to give this dish it’s due.
This was our Favorite Seattle Dish of 2019.
After reviewing the various dishes we had in 2019 and finally landing on a top 15, we really feel grateful that Seattle has such a wide variety of great restaurants in such a condensed area that. The exciting thing is that there are so many more restaurants that we have on our list to visit. Here’s to a great 2019 and an even better 2020!
Related:
- Our 15 Best Seattle Dishes of 2018 (Part 1)
- Our 15 Best Seattle Dishes of 2018 (Part 2)
- Watson’s Counter
- Revel
This is one of the more fun blog posts to create as 2019 winds down. It provides us an opportunity to review all the great dishes we’ve had throughout the year and debate which ones belong in our top 15.
The list ranges from a relatively simple shaved ice to a traditionally poor man’s Hawaiian breakfast to a couple of Southern-inspired biscuit dishes to a few noodle dishes(both Italian and Asian) to Asian fusion and a few Mexican dishes.
Without further ado, here are our Best Seattle Dishes of 2019, 15 through 8:
- Xi’an Noodles – $9.95. Spicy Cumin Lamb Hand-Ripped Noodles
As mentioned in our Xi’an Noodles post, this is our main take out spot and this happens to be the first item on their menu. They specialize in biang biang house-made noodles and while they are all good, the Spicy Cumin Lamb Hand-Ripped Noodles is our constant repeat order. The noodles are wide, thick and hand ripped that allows sauce to stick to the noodles. In addition to the chewy noodles you have pepper and cumin to spice and onions and cilantro as garnish. The dish is not overpoweringly spicy, but is flavorful. It’s also a reasonable $9.95.
- Dough Zone Dumpling House – Beef Stew Noodle $5.95
This is our daughter’s contribution to the list. Our two year old eats a least half of this dish whenever we go to Dough Zone Dumpling House. At $5.95 the portion is on the smaller size, so you might want to order two. The dish comes with tender fatty portions of beefs, thin noodles topped with green onions and cilantro. As she turns 3, I’m sure she’ll eat the entire portion.
- Sazon Kitchen – Grain Casserole $18.00. Mix of grains in criolla sauce, braised tri-tip and eggs. Toppings include chicharron, cilantro and pickled red onions + greens and bread.
Excerpt from our blog post:
The best of the bunch is another dish you won’t find anywhere else. It’s the Grain Casserole. I really wasn’t sure what to expect, but this is the dish I’d order again on return visits. It was braised trip tip and some peppers and onions over a bed of various grains- I think lentils, beans, long rice and regular rice? I’m not sure, truthfully, but with the sauce and generous topping of protein and veggies, it was so delicious. The one minor thing, I’d prefer is tortillas instead of bread accompanying this dish. Perhaps the abundance of grains wouldn’t be a good match with tortillas? At $18, I was a bit hesitant since it’s bit on the high side, but after tasting it, I’d get it again.
- Snowy Village– Mango or Strawberry Bingsoo $11.95.
How can a simple shaved ice make our Top 15 list? The fruit bingsoos, specifically the mango and strawberry at Snowy Village are that damn good. There’s a reason there’s a long wait every time we visit? The fruit is fresh and the real distinction is that their ice is 100% milk, not water like most shaved ice. So you don’t have to worry about the bingsoo getting “watered down” as it melts. This is the perfect dessert for summers. Our family salivates the moment we decide to take a trip to Snowy Village.
- Seattle Fish Guys– $15.99. Garlic Cajun Shrimp Plate – Sweet Kauai Shrimp, cajun spices, garlic, butter, rice w/mac salad
Honestly you can pick any of the poke bowls at Seattle Fish Guys for the our Top 15 Dishes. We know poke is what they are known for, but we’ve chosen the Garlic Cajun Shrimp Plate. This place is actually a seafood market, but have a little seating section for meals. When we ordered the plate, we also got macaroni salad and rice with furikake. Lastly is the star of the show, mounds of sweet Kauai shrimp seasoned and cooked just right with cajun spices, butter and garlic. Warning: bring some breath mints.
The Wandering Goose–(RIP 2020) $13.00. The Sawmill- fried chicken, sawmill gravy, cheese add poached eggs in between house made biscuits.
before cutting. 
<<After cutting into it
Excerpt from our post:
The Sawmill Biscuit Sandwich-fried chicken, sawmill gravy, cheese, poached eggs. Like the Fried Chicken Plate, The Sawmill may give another Seattle Food War a new combatant. Wandering Goose may give Morsel and Bean & Biscuit a run for their money for Best Seattle Biscuit Sandwich. Take a gander at the pictures of The Sawmill below! Your mouth is salivating, ain’t it? I opted for the addition of a poached egg for extra. How could I not have some runny yoke with this bad boy?
Chicken is crispy on the outside and moist on inside. The gravy is the star of this dish. So savory. The biscuit adds a good counterbalance. As you can guess, this is a heavy meal. Get ready for a nap.
- Joule – $29.00. Peppered wagyu steak, ramp, maitake mushroom larb, 6oz
Excerpt from our post:
This was another home run albeit a rather expensive one($29). It’s one of those dishes where you may cringe at the price, but once the first bite is in your mouth, you understand why and say to yourself, “i would’ve paid double”. Tender, just the right amount of char and spice and coupled with the mushroom larb( w/ fish sauce?) was perfect.
8 (Tie) Tavolata – $11.00(happy hour). Pappardelle – beef and pork ragu, mint, chili,grana padano. & Il Corvo -$9.95. Pappardelle ala Bolongnese
<<Tavolata
<<<Il Corvo
Excerpt from our blog post:
Tavlolata-The papardelle was my favorite. It had a pork/beef ragu sauce with a hint of mint. I probably ate 2/3 of it. Sorry to the other folks at the table for hogging it!
Il Corvo- The Pappardelle ala Bolongnese was my favorite and gets a five out of five rating from me. Served with flat broad pappardelle, the meat in the Bolognese sauce is blended into a gooey paste. Bon Appetit actually published the recipe for this gravy back in 2015, but I’d much rather have it prepared and cooked by a pasta Jedi.
Stay tuned for our top 7 Favorite Seattle Dishes of 2019.
Related Articles:
- Our Top 15 Best Seattle Dishes of 2018 (Part 1)
- Our Top 15 Best Seattle Dishes of 2018 (Part 2)
- Tavolata – Best Happy Hour in Seattle
- D’La Santa
It’s been about two years since we published our original “Seattle Coffee Shop Thoughts” post. Things change a lot in two years. New coffee shops open, we revisit shops and gain new perspectives, our own tastes change, so we’d thought we’d update this post.
One thing has not changed. Per our earlier post, according to Bustle, Seattle was ranked #1 for The Best City for Coffee Fanatics. And just earlier this year Wallet Hub ranked Seattle the #1 Coffee City in America.
So we can once again confirm that Seattlites having the stereotype of being coffee drinking fools is no stereotype, we take our coffee seriously. We can also confirm as before, if you ask 20 different locals what their favorite coffee place is, you’ll most likely get 20 different answers.
When it comes to price there’s not much differentiation between cafes. We would also say that the places we’ve decided to review all have quality coffee. Although we did visit some cafes where the coffee was subpar(and we choose not to review for that reason), we don’t think a coffee shop can survive for very long in Seattle with the abundance of quality choices.
In our previous post we pointed out there were two types of coffee shops, the cozy and the modern minimalist, but we’ve refined it to 3 types of coffee shops:
1. The Neighborhood /Community Coffee Shop – We’re not saying the quality of the coffee is not a priority in these shops, but there really is an effort to make you feel comfortable(warm lighting and colors, comfy seating) and creating an environment that makes you want to stay awhile and come back. There’s a steady stream of regulars and interacting/small talk with the baristas who know your name and drink before you even walk in the door is common. Locals meet up here to talk and catch up, read a paper or book or just relax.
Examples: Analog Coffee, Lighthouse Roasters, Seven Coffee Roasters , El Diablo Coffee(RIP), Preserve and Gather, Cloud City Coffee, Café Allegro, Zeitgeist Coffee, Anchored Ship Coffee, Bauhaus, Venture Coffee, Mabel Coffee, Eastern Cafe, Fuel, Kaladi Brothers Coffee, Realfine Coffee, Armistice Coffee – Roosevelt, Santo Coffee, Ada’s Technical Books Cafe, Vif Wine | Coffee
Our Favorite: Analog Coffee
2.The Coffee-Centric Shops – It’s all about the coffee first and foremost. Sparse walls, minimal and simple décor and knowledegable baristas are the norm. The baristas want to engage with the customer about the beans and it’s origin. They’ve got options-Chemex, Moka Pot, French Press, Aeropress, Hario V60, Pour Over. They’ll have their own theories on perfect espresso extraction. This is a craft, a way of life and they are serious. You’ll be assured of a very nuanced espresso tasting.
Examples: Slate Coffee Roasters, Elm Coffee Roasters , Broadcast Coffee, Milstead & Co., Ghost Note Coffee
Our Favorite: Broadcast Coffee,
3. The Seattle-Based Roasters – They all have multiple locations around Seattle and no matter what neighborhood you’re in, you’re likely to find one of their branches. When searching for coffee, there’s a sense of relief when spotting one of these roasters due to our familiarity with them. We know we’re getting fresh batch beans and it’s nice to support our local roasters.
Examples: Espresso Vivace , Caffé Vita, Caffe Ladro, Caffe Umbria, Herkimer Coffee, Storyville Coffee Co , Victrola Coffee Roasters, Coffee Works(Seattle Coffee Works, Capitol Coffee Works, Cascade Coffee Works, Ballard Coffee Works), Zoka Coffee Roasters , Cherry Street Coffee.
Our Favorite: Caffe Ladro
The Outliers – They don’t fit in any of the categories, but are still quality coffee shops. Most are not in neighborhood areas and located in places like downtown/Belltown/Pioneer Square.
Examples: Mr West Café Bar, Pegasus Coffee, Caffe Senso Unico, Tempesta Coffee (RIP),Street Bean Coffee Roasters – Belltown, Evoke Coffee, La Marzocco Café & Showroom, Convoy Coffee.
Our Favorite: Mr West Café Bar
Our favorite coffee shops by neighborhood:
Ballard-Anchored Ship Coffee, Bauhaus, Venture Coffee, Mabel Coffee
Belltown-Tempesta Coffee.
Capitol Hill-Victrola Coffee, Ghost Note Coffee, Analog Coffee, Capitol Coffee Works, Kaladi Brothers Coffee, Realfine Coffee, Ada’s Technical Books Cafe
Downtown-Mr West Café Bar, Anchorhead Coffee Co, Pegasus Coffee, Caffe Senso Unico, Café Magliore, Cafe Hitchcock, Victrola Coffee Roasters – Downtown , Seattle Coffee Works **New Location**
Pike Place-Storyville Coffee Co
Eastlake- Armistice Coffee
Fremont-Milstead & Co., Lighthouse Roasters
Georgetown – Brother Joe
Green Lake-Kitanda Espresso, Revolutions Coffee
Greenwood-Preserve and Gather
International District – Eastern Cafe
Maple Leaf-Cloud City Coffee
Pioneer Square-Convoy Coffee, Cherry Street Public House, Caffé Vita, Slate Coffee Roasters, Elm Coffee Roasters, Zeitgeist Coffee , Caffe Umbria
Queen Anne- La Marzocco Café & Showroom, El Diablo Coffee
Ravenna- Seven Coffee Roasters
Roosevelt-Broadcast Coffee, Armistice Coffee – Roosevelt, Santo Coffee, Caffe Ladro – Roosevelt
South Lake Union-Espresso Vivace , Evoke Coffee, Cascade Coffee Works
Tangletown-Zoka Coffee Roasters
University-Café Allegro(Seattle’s oldest coffee shop), Herkimer Coffee
Wallingford-Fuel
Westlake-Caffe Umbria
Related:
- Part 1 – Best Coffee Neighborhood, Most Popular, Most Underrated
- Part 2 – Best Coffee Shops for Groups or You Want To Be Alone.
- Part 3 – Best Seattle Coffee Drink Sets, Best Views
- Part 4 – Best Seattle Coffee Shops to Impress Visitors, Impress Visiting Coffee Snobs, Make Visitors Feel Like Locals.
- Part 5 – Best Seattle Coffee Shops for Food Options, Friendliest Service
- Part 6 – Seattle Coffee With Most Character, Best Seattle Coffee Shops Overall.
Since bestowing our various Coffee Shop Awards on a variety of coffee shops earlier this year(see below), we’ve discovered 15 more coffee shops that were not up for consideration for these awards.
- Part 1 – Best Coffee Neighborhood, Most Popular, Most Underrated
- Part 2 – Best Coffee Shops for Groups or You Want To Be Alone.
- Part 3 – Best Seattle Coffee Drink Sets, Best Views
- Part 4 – Best Seattle Coffee Shops to Impress Visitors, Impress Visiting Coffee Snobs, Make Visitors Feel Like Locals.
- Part 5 – Best Seattle Coffee Shops for Food Options, Friendliest Service
- Part 6 – Seattle Coffee With Most Character, Best Seattle Coffee Shops Overall.
These are the newly discovered coffee shops we were most impressed with and try to determine if they would have cracked the rankings in any of the categories.
Mabel Coffee – This travel themed cafe in Ballard is deceivingly large and perfect for group coffee meet ups and even has a separate room that you can reserve. Mabel Coffee definitely has a community feel to it – the community travel journal, the large community board, the unpretentious nature of their mish mosh of tables and seatings, doggy treats, dedicated kids area.
Coffee Award Consideration: Best Coffee Shops for Groups, Best Coffee Shop to Make Visitors Feel Like a Local
Venture Coffee – Is actually right down the street from Mabel Coffee and was formerly a place called, Java Bean. Venture Coffee definitely has that neighborhood hangout vibe. While we were there, it seems most of the patrons are regulars and on a first name basis with the workers. There were people reading on their kindles, people reading newspapers, two people having a business meeting and two fellows conversing in sign language. The word that comes to mind is comfort. They also have great food options. The Hot Mama is one of the best breakfast sandwiches I’ve had. We never hear anybody talk about Venture Coffee, but it’s definitely worth a visit.
Coffee Award Consideration: Most Underrated, Best Coffee Shop to Make Visitors Feel Like a Local. Best Coffee Shop For Food Options.
Armistice Coffee- Roosevelt – has a wide variety of seating areas -fire pit patio, another more secluded patio area, community table and lots of indoor seating. The space is in the running for most stunning in the city. Armistice also sells alcoholic drinks- wine, beer, sipping tequilla, whiskeys and a few simple mixed drinks. They also have croissants, muffins, scones, quiches, and a few pre-made sandwiches and salads from White Knuckle.
Coffee Award Consideration: Best Coffee Shops for Groups, Best Coffee Shops for Food Options, Best Overall
Santo Coffee – You can tell great care and meticulous detail was put into the design of the shop. The place is beautiful and has such a high end feel that we felt a little guilty bringing our little ones here. They serve Devocion Coffee, which is unique in that they roast their beans from Colombia, harvest to cup in the range of 10 to 30 days versus the industry standard of 6 months. You can read more about them here. Having this unique roast definitely gives Santo Coffee a something no other coffee shop in Seattle has.
Coffee Award Consideration: Best Coffee Shop to Impress Visiting Coffee Snob
Mr West Cafe – University Village – Mr West Cafe in downtown is our #1 overall favorite coffee shop in Seattle, so when we heard that they were opening a 2nd location in University Village, which only had 3 Starbucks for coffee options, we were giddy. This has the same feel, but much bigger than the downtown branch. It hasn’t been open long, but the place is always packed with shoppers taking a break.
Coffee Award Consideration: For the same reason as the downtown location -Most Popular, Best Coffee Shop to Impress Visitors.
The Roosevelt Neighborhood has Broadcast Coffee, Armistice Coffee-Roosevelt, Santo Coffee, Caffe Ladro – Roosevelt in a half mile radius. Not to mention a Starbucks, Wayward Coffeehouse, Bus Stop Espresso, Urban Luxe Cafe and a Whole Foods where you can get Bulletproof Coffee. The neighborhood has seemingly become a hot spot for cafes in anticipation of the new Link Light rail station due to open in 2021. Armistice, Santo and Ladro all just opened up just this year.
Coffee Award Consideration: Best Coffee Neighborhood
Find out about Seattle coffee shops here.
- Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Seattle Coffee Shops
- Best Seattle Coffee Shops For Each Stage of Dating