Going on a weekend getaway to Seattle, WA requires good music, even better friends, and a plan for when you make your arrival. This is your ultimate guide for the perfect weekend in Seattle including food, parks, and, of course, shopping!
Brunch Places
Portage Bay Cafe
This cafe’s slogan is “Eat Like You Give a Damn” for a reason. All their ingredients are local and sustainable. They have amazing gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan options, so this cafe is perfect for all your friends. My favorites are ANY of the french toast options, the crab cake eggs benedict, and the goat cheese omelette.
Voulas
This breakfast place was featured on Diner’s Drive-in’s and Dive’s and is the epitome of American diner breakfast food. Portions are huge, classic, and delicious.
The Fat Hen
If you have a food Instagram or just want a photo for the ~aesthetic~ this is the place to go. It’s tiny inside, but the interior is all natural woods and white granite, and the food does not disappoint, either. My favorites here are the egg bakes that are served in a cast iron pan and part of a baguette and the classic millennial avocado toast.
Lunch/Dinner
Din Tai Fung
This restaurant serves everything family style, so it’s perfect for a large group of friends so that you can try a little of everything. The menu is huge so it is guaranteed that someone will find something that they like. My favorites are the Pork XiaoLongBao Dumplings, the garlic green beans, and the fried rice.
Nikos
Nikos is the type of restaurant where you walk in and the little Greek grandmother takes your order, and that’s how you know a place is going to be good. My favorites are the Lamb Gyro, the lamb souvlaki salad, and the greek fries.
Beecher’s
Beecher’s is at Pike Place Market. When you’re downtown, go and get the original “World’s Best Mac and Cheese” because it truly is world’s best.
Nordstrom Cafe
You wouldn’t think that Nordstrom would make a cafe that is worth putting on this list, but they did something right with this one. Everything on the menu is fantastic but you must, must, must get a cup of the tomato basil soup with whatever you order! It comes with a little crostini that is to die for.
Serious Pie
If you’re a pizza lover, this is for you. It isn’t traditional round cheese pizza. Serious Pie experiments with ingredients and flavors. My favorite is the soft eggs, smoked prosciutto, local greens, and pecorino sardo.
Sansei
This is some of the best sushi in Seattle. I first discovered this restaurant in Hawaii and then they made another location in Seattle and, of course, it’s a success. Things to try here are the shrimp dynamite, Panko-Crusted Fresh Tuna Sashimi, the Caterpillar roll, and the Sansei Special Roll.
Snacks
Rachel’s Ginger Beer
Yes, they do have in-house Moscow Mules. This is the best ginger beer in Seattle by far. They make a bunch of different flavors, but I would recommend blood orange or blueberry.
45th Stop N Shop & Poke Bar
When you walk into this place, you feel like you’re in a gas station, but don’t let it fool you. This is some of the best poke in Seattle and we have a lot of poke. Fill your bowl up with all the combos and toppings you want, and go eat it at Gasworks and enjoy the view.
Dessert
Hello Robin
This cookie shop collaborated with Seattle’s famous Molly Moon’s Ice Cream to create the perfect ice cream sandwich. Hello Robin’s cookies have a wide variety of classic flavors and innovative favorites, my absolute favorite is the birthday cake cookie.
Molly Moons
This is for sure the best ice cream in Seattle, very similar to Portland’s Salt & Straw Ice Cream. Best flavors here depend on preference but my favorites are the Lavender, Coffee, and Maple Walnut.
Hot Cakes
The Peanut Butter Cup Molten Hot Cake is the best dessert I’ve ever had. It has peanut butter fudge INSIDE the molten hot cake with a side of ice cream and it truly is a heaven-sent dessert.
Parks
Gasworks
Gasworks has an amazing view of downtown Seattle and a huge hill to sit on and watch the boats go by. My friends and I will always pick up food and take it to Gasworks in the summer to eat.
Discovery Park
This park has everything. A beach, woods, hikes, sand dunes, it is truly the triple threat of parks. On a nice day, everyone and their dogs are out walking through it. It is the perfect urban escape to nature.
Madison Park Beach
If you’re visiting in the summer. this is the perfect urban beach because there’s no sand! For people like me that want to take food to the beach and not get sand in their food, this is the place to go. It’s on a lake, so the water doesn’t make you feel gross, either. It’s the perfect city-girl beach.
Notable Neighborhoods
Queen Anne
Queen Anne Ave has cute boutiques and bakeries and is fun to walk through. Kerry Park also has one of the best views of downtown, very good for photos!
Ballard
Market Street in Ballard has lots of local stores and restaurants. This is also a place for great nightlife!
Fremont
Fremont is the “Center of the Universe”. This neighborhood is filled with antique malls and thrift stores. It is also home to the famous Troll.
Capital Hill
Arguably the best nightlife in Seattle is on Capital Hill. Broadway has the best shopping, there is one Urban Outfitters that my friends and I used to hit-up on lunch breaks in high school, but the shopping over there is very true to Capital Hill so don’t expect to find clothing that you can’t live without. But enjoy the experience of walking through the different stores.
Magnolia
Magnolia has a sweet little village and is home to Discovery Park. As well as the Boulevard which is a long street that goes along the water that tourists always stop and take view photos of.
Shopping
Downtown
Zara, Nordstrom flagship, Urban Outfitters, Sephora, Forever 21, All Saints, Antropologie, Nike, H&M, Lulu Lemon, Victoria’s Secret, J Crew
University Village
Artizia, Free People, H&M, Madewell, Athleta