Pikes Market Seattle Food Guide
Updated: 4 days ago
Pikes market has been a staple of the Seattle, Washington, community since the early 1900s. A few weeks ago, I had the fantastic opportunity to visit the market and the Seattle area. Washington is known for having beautiful mountain views, and our hotel was no exception. The Salish Lodge and Spa overlooked a beautiful waterfall and the Pike Place Market was equally as stunning as a foodie heaven.
Pike Place Market opened in the summer of 1907; the city was packed with gold miners and merchants. As with any city, these workers had to be fed. And so, the wholesalers came to drive up prices and make a profit. Pikes market was the solution; farmers would sell goods directly to the miners and residents of the city.
Immediately when I walked into the market, I began to get excited; the amount of fresh produce available was incredible. This was your neighborhood farmers' market turned into a busy, hustling, and bustling street centered on food and other goods.
Other than the market being located on the waterfront, what was most impressive was the market's sheer size. I initially thought the market was a single main street with shops on either side. But I couldn’t have been more mistaken. The market was layered in every which way. Shops were hidden behind other shops in back hallways, and long stairways led to levels beneath the main street. The market wasn’t just storefronts of food; many shops had flowers and other crafts as well.
From the freshest strawberries to cheese shops with their entire cheese-making operations on display, It's a must-see for any foodie. But the array of food didn’t stop there; there were extensive amounts of seafood available. Seattle is located in the Pacific Northwest, right next to the ocean, and with it, a bounty of seafood there for the taking. If you've ever heard anything about Pike Place Market, you might have heard that they throw fish across the counter to customers. I didn’t get a chance to see this spectacle, but they were throwing packaged fish across the countertops to workers on the other side.
Not only are there fish flying through the air, but they are on display- whole fish right in front of you and live crabs in fish tanks. This isn't your neighborhood grocery store with fish behind glass shields on ice. This is fish set atop a mountain of ice inches from you; you could touch them and pick the perfect fish for your dinner.
Beyond fish and vegetables, I enjoyed the vast number of bakeries the market had. From artisanal bread to fine French pastries, as an avid baker, I felt at home. Although we didn't have a chance to try it, one shop was serving soup in a hollowed-out bread loaf; you don't get any simpler and more rustic than that.
My absolute favorite bakery was La Panier; from their sign in the store, they were celebrating 38 years at the market. After waiting in the long line outside, I knew it was a must-visit bakery. I could spend hours there, from excellent baguettes to the incredible assortment of Macarons. What was most surprising was their Pumpkin Macaron; now, I'm not one for pumpkin spice overload in the fall, mainly because most items don't contain any pumpkin, but this was a pleasant surprise: light, airy, and the perfect fall spice flavor. My only regret is not ordering an entire box of them. If you go to Pikes Market, make it your mission to visit this store; I cannot recommend it enough.
And, of course, there is the original Starbucks location: the coffee lovers' heaven. We didn't visit that store; far too long of a line, but we did visit one of Starbucks Reserve Roasteries. This is where some of their finest specialty coffee is made. This building had everything from a small coffee-making operation, a coffee bar, a gift store, a bakery, and huge pizza ovens. If you like coffee, this is the place for you. The strong smell of roasted coffee beans surrounds you as you walk in, followed by the smell of freshly baked pizza and pastries. It was another foodie paradise.
But that's not all this trip had to offer; our hotel, The Salish Lodge and Spa, overlooked a beautiful waterfall. We would often wake up to mist in the parking lot while waiting for our car to be pulled around. The restaurant overlooked this vast waterfall, which was truly a sight to see in the morning. We would try to wake up early enough to see the clouds cover the entire region and gently lift midway through breakfast; the clouds would part, and a stunning rainbow would form.
Apart from the fantastic views, excellent service, and cozy atmosphere, the food was terrific. From Filet Mignon and complimentary drinks if you were a hotel guest, to their great honey-from-heaven service. A waiter would come around with a pot of honey and a large spoon and drizzle a large dollop of honey from above their head onto your plate; it was not a gimmicky experience but a fascinating one. The honey came from the hotel’s own beehives. They also brought complimentary bread during our dinner, but that's not all. They brought a small plate of garlic and olive oil to dip the bread into; sitting atop it was a small candle made of oil and fat. As the candle slowly burned, you’d be left with a delicious dipping oil for the bread- a phenomenal experience whether you're staying at the hotel or not.
Although not as well-known as other cities for being a foodie destination, Seattle most definitely has its fair share of foodie centric experiences. Amongst the mountains, Space Needle, and Chihuly Glass Museum are countless places for a foodie to be at home.
Cheers,
Chef Olson
"The Flying Chef"
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