You know what’s even better than when your friend gets married? When they get married in a really cool city that you’ve never been to before.
Good work, Allison.
Last week, I got to spend a lovely half-week in Seattle for my bestie’s wedding and to enjoy the city/vacation a bit, as well.
Believe it or not, my husband might have eaten out more in the city than I did, since I was busy with fun wedding prep. But, we still did some great exploring.
Seattle was extra amazing for us because it was 75 degrees, sunny and breezy for almost the entire trip. I know, right?! We stayed in the cutest Airbnb in Ballard, which is a lovely neighborhood with amazing flowers, gardens, tiny homes and quick access to the sound…and lots of restaurants and cafes.
We also enjoyed exploring downtown and in other parts, but here were the top hits on our food list.
Cafe Besalu
I found this Ballard spot just by using Google Maps and searching for bakeries nearby. This one had “the best croissants,” so we had to see for ourselves. We did not leave disappointed…and who would be disappointed after eating half of a cream cheese danish, pan au chocolat and a dreamy hazelnut twist?
Ballard Market
When I woke up at 7 a.m. on our first day in Seattle (thanks, jet lag), I was happy to have a 24-hour classy grocery store in the vicinity to stock up on some breakfast and snack items. This place was like a local Whole Foods and had plenty of local goods to tout, such as the amazing Ellenos yogurt and Beecher’s smoked cheese. I might move to Seattle just for that lemon curd yogurt.
Brunswick & Hunt
While I was bachelorette-ing it up, my husband found this spot for a nice, veggie-forward dinner in Ballard. He tried the carrots and grilled kale, and couldn’t say enough good things about it.
Napkin Friends Food Truck
Talk about a creative food truck: Napkin & Friends features latkas as the bun for their sandwiches. Genius! I skipped the sammies and had gazpacho and a side of latkes with the traditional sides of sour cream and applesauce.
Thai Siam
This was another of my husband’s solo finds, and I’m totally jealous that I didn’t get to go with him. He said it was some of the best curry that he’s had. We found out about Thai Siam from a local who said it was their favorite Thai spot.
Sitka & Spruce
My favorite meal in Seattle was by far our brunch at Sitka & Spruce. I loved the fresh, creative take of this cute little restaurant tucked inside of a market in downtown Seattle. For our memorable brunch we had the homemade cinnamon roll, herbed frittata with mesclun salad and chili aioli, and pain perdu with pistachios, currants and creme fraiche. It was all executed fabulously and oh so indulgent and delicious.
Pike Place Market
Of course, we had to visit Pike Place to see the fish markets, as well as the incredible blooms. I never knew there could be so many beautiful flowers in one place. While there, I also got a cup of cioppino just to try some seafood.
Rachel’s Ginger Beer
This was a store we happened upon while walking (with the thousands of other tourists) at Pike Place. My husband and I are both huge ginger beer/ginger lovers, so we had to stop! Their flavors of ginger beer were amazing (cucumber tarragon and pink guava just to name a few), and you can even leave with a growler full of your favorite flavor.
Gas Works Park
We got to visit this lovely park with a few friends, and the view was wonderful! You could see the ships/yachts in the sound and skyscrapers of the city right next to the old industrial equipment in the park.
Fremont Brewing
This brewery was a short walk or drive from Gas Works Park, and it was the ideal spot to spend a few hours on a Sunday afternoon. We tried a few breweries while in Seattle, but this one was by far my favorite (though, I still think Seattle’s got nothing on Raleigh). I enjoyed the Summerthyme, and my husband liked sampling the vanilla blueberry porter. Also, the free pretzels were a plus!
You know you’re in a great city when you find yourself planning your next trip there. When I go back, I would love to try Thai Siam, get oysters at The Walrus & The Carpenter, and explore other parks and more. Also, if there is a Frasier-themed tour, then I would totally do that!