More Seattle Recs

Ellenos Greek Yogurt - Have you ever seen a food place on Yelp with over 1700 reviews AND 5 stars? You’re welcome. This spot at Pike Place Market serves Greek yogurt, yup, just Greek yogurt. The family run business uses their own blend of probiotic cultures plus local and seasonal ingredients to create fun flavors like pumpkin pie, creme brûlée and orange turmeric. My personal favorite is the Marion berry, a berry that is native to Oregon.

Piroshki Piroshki - Don’t let the line discourage you, it might look super long, but it moves fast. Another spot at Pike Place Market, this Russian Bakery has been in business since 1992. They sell a wide variety of savory and sweet hand pie and their dough is delicious. Go with friends so you can try all of them!

Polish Home Association - My cousin Corey lives in Seattle and he took me to dinner at the Polish Home Association. The venue is a Polish cultural center and their menu consists of homemade favorites which in my opinion, is the best kind of menu. Definitely try the pierogies, potato soup, sauerkraut and cabbage rolls. Polish food is not something that I eat frequently so this is a great experience for trying authentic Polish food and getting familiar with the cuisine.

Elliott’s Oyster Bar - Elliott recommended this spot (go figure). I liked it too though. They have fresh oysters and $2 happy hour. Their red vinaigrette is the perfect companion to the freshly shucked oysters. Pro tip: sip on that oyster juice to prep your tastebuds before you pop it into your mouth!

Pho Bac Soup Shop - Disclaimer: I haven’t actually eaten her yet, but it’s top on my list. They have a dry pho variety and short rib pho. I’ve read really good things about it and can’t wait to try next time I’m in Seattle.

Long Provincial Vietnamese - I was slightly skeptical of this pho place because it is in a more touristy area of Seattle, it’s super clean and seems trendier than your regular, delicious, hole-in-the-wall with a number after the name pho spot, but I was very pleasantly surprised. My coworker that I ate with is Vietnamese and she also gave it the stamp of approval. Their pho broth was so hearty and flavorful and the bánh xèo (crispy Vietnamese savory crepe) was light and filled to the brim with a hearty scoop of pork, shrimp and all the accoutrements.

Stateside - I was lucky enough to celebrate my birthday here with some dear friends and family. This is a great place for a large group dinner or brunch. It’s a modern twist on Vietnamese food and normally, I’m not a huge fan of fusion but you can still really taste the authentic Vietnamese flavors in the dishes. I loved the crispy duck spring rolls, clam fried rice and bun cha (Hanoi style). I’d love to go back to try their brunch someday!

Knee High Stocking - Filipino food is so underrepresented in the restaurant scene. In 2017 it started slowly making its way into the mainstream food scene and it’s great to see more and more Filipino places popping up. I was especially excited to experience this place in Seattle (and had to go after seeing it on Anthony Bourdain’s show). Branded as a speakeasy, they offer dinner, amazingly creative cocktails, and Saturday brunch. The pork tocino is obviously the way to go for brunch unless you have a hangover. For that, I’d recommend the Cure-all Arrozcaldo (savory lemongrass and ginger chicken over rice porridge with a soft-boiled egg). Did I mention they have a lumpia bar AND it’s owned and run by a female minority?

Pho Bac - Skip the Starbucks Reserve and go get a bowl of pho. You can thank me later. Thanks to Jon Chang for recommending this place and eating there with us after our train ride back from Vancouver. It was a perfect deep broth, with paper thin slices of rare meat in a cool,Seattle hipster-y decorated restaurant.

More Vancouver Recs

Granville Public Market - If you are looking for a variety of foods, drinks and snacks to try, definitely check out one of Vancouver’s most popular markets. There are fresh, local fruits, meats, vegetables, and special items like coffee, chocolate, pasta and beautiful flowers. This would be the ideal place to gather local ingredients to make a great home cooked meal if you are staying in an AirBnB.

The Flying Pig (Gastown) - I tend to eat a lot of Asian food when I travel but I had to try the poutine when I was in Vancouver. I always get it at least once when I visit and Flying Pig’s version is legit. Who doesn’t like french fries smothered in gravy with cheese curds. You can also add pulled pork!

Japadog - We saw these trucks all around Vancouver so I had to give it a try. This is a Japanese version of a hot dog with okonomiyaki, katsu, yakisoba, and teriyaki hot dogs. This is a great snack while you are wondering around downtown and I must say, noodles on a hot dog is genius. Bonus points since they grill the bun and use Kewpie mayo. There’s also a Santa Monica location now, so you don’t have to travel all the way to BC to get one.

Yah Yah Ya Ramen - There is an abundance of really good ramen in Vancouver. We chose Yah Yah Ya as it’s an Ie-kei style (home cooked) pork version. The broth is simmered for hours and there are a variety of flavors that you can try. You can tell that the broth has been cooked for over 10 hours because it’s layer upon layer of flavor.

Prohibition (In the Hotel Georgia) - We didn’t eat too much here beside oysters and drinks but if you can find this stylish speakeasy located in the Hotel Georgia, it’s definitely worth the visit. I had one of the best Aperol spritz’s ever and would love to go back to try their full menu. Their cocktail menu was spectacular!