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I Miss Seattle

Jill


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The Times author actually did pretty well for himself, although I can’t believe he didn’t comment on Seattle coffee. At least he ate some quality salmon and sampled the food from Wild Ginger. My favorite Seattle restaurant that he missed: Kisaku, an amazing sushi place near Greenlake. But please, wait until after I leave Seattle for NY on Jan. 8th before you go there (or go before Christmas) — I’d like to be able to get a table.

Where are you from / where do you live and what are your local faves?

71 thoughts on I Miss Seattle

  1. It’s freezing in Seattle right now. I’d love to be somewhere warm.

    But my fav Seattle spots- Victrola coffee, Than bros pho, the Dahlia bakery and a long list of bars.

  2. I also live in the glorious Emerald City. Don’t worry, Jill, I’ll be visiting family out of state most of the time you’re here, so I won’t be getting in your way. Though I do get back before you return to New York, so don’t you take up all of the tables either!

    My favorite restaurant is Ray’s Boathouse on Shilshole Bay – both the upstairs and the swankier downstairs.

    As for favorite coffee shop, I don’t really have one, but if pressed, I’d have to say I liked Vivace in Capitol Hill best out of the places I’ve tried so far.

    Favorite bar? Too many I like for me to count…but among my favorites are the College Inn Pub in the U-District, King’s in Ballard and Linda’s in Capitol Hill. I used to like the old Cha-Cha, and the new one’s okay, but it just doesn’t feel the same. Maybe I’ve just gotten too old for it.

  3. Ah Linneaus, you’re a man after my own heart — I also love Ray’s and Vivace (although Red Queen, Victrola is delicious also). Although I’m very, very sad to report that my favorite Thai restaurant of all time (a little hole-in-the-wall on Greenwood Avenue that you’d never expect to be any good) recently sold. I actually cried when my mom told me. I have never had Thai food nearly that good anywhere, and I am so, so sad that I won’t ever get to have it again.

    I’m not good with Seattle bars since I haven’t really lived there since turning 21. I do, however, like a fine bottle of two-buck Chuck, my living room couch, and LOST on DVD.

  4. Bloomington, IN here. Local favorite is Roots on the square, currently our only full vegetarian restaurant. Service is sometimes spotty but the food is good and bountiful. We are also near the home of the best goat cheese in the United States and one recognized as quality in international shows, so if you pass through and are a cheese lover, pick up an Old Kentucky Tome. I need to make time for the local slow food place as well.

  5. I have never had Thai food nearly that good anywhere, and I am so, so sad that I won’t ever get to have it again.

    Sorry if this is becoming the “The Bluest Skies You’ve Ever Seen Are In Seattle” thread, but have you tried either Thai Tom or the Thaiger Room in the U-District. Both are almost always full. I’m no expert on Thai food, but I’ve liked them both.

  6. I’m from the Seattle area originally, too. (Born in Puyallup, grew up in Gig Harbor area.) My parents just moved back to WA from the midwest, so I go back and forth between PA and Seattle now, and I still prefer the latter.

    ::sigh:: There’s a gorgeous view of the Olympics and Hood’s Canal from my parents’ back porch. Somehow, the Appalachians just don’t quite cut it.

  7. Seattle — a Dick’s Deluxe, a Mighty O donut, Pho from this place down on Rainier… and damn, everything else I love in Seattle has closed long ago, actually.

  8. Knowing some people from PDX, I’m guessing they’d give you Seattle folks a run for your hometown-loving money.

    I’m from Galveston, TX, but it’s been nearly 10 years since I’ve lived or visited there, so I don’t know what’s good anymore, sadly. On the off-chance there are any g-town folks lurking here, where do you like to eat? I remember the Original, Gaido’s (though it was never my favorite, actually – I liked Luigi’s on the strand better); the Mosquito Cafe, which was recent; Sonny’s; and the candy shop that used to be called The Chocolate Factory and which they’ve since changed to (I think) La King’s. Oh, and the Phoenix. I love the Phoenix – mmm, beignets.

    In Providence, RI, I love Meeting Street Cafe for pastry and huge sandwiches; the Red Fez, and most places on Federal Hill. In Cambridge, MA, I like Burdick’s for hot chocolate, and the Danish Pastry House all the way out in Medford for amazing cinnamon rolls with chocolate in the middle that they call snails.

    Sighs happily – I love thinking about food.

  11. i am one of many people’s republic of berkeley expats living here in sea-town in economic exile. (i hear that’s starting to happen to seattle natives too.) this is my tenth year here and i still feel like a visitor in some ways. nice of them to transplant peet’s here for us, but it can’t beat the gourmet ghetto (partially relocated to 4th street now) for sheer atmosphere.

    as for seattle – i miss the chef who made the creme brulee at asteroid who has left and taken the recipe with him.

    i miss the time when there was only one caffe ladro. i even miss when there were three.

    caffe vita in capitol hill is my haunt of late, very early in the morning. for french press coffee and the omnipresent odor of burlap, it can’t be beat.

    i won’t tell you about my favorite restaurant, because then i would have to kill you.

  12. I’m from the Minneapolis/St. Paul area (currently of the St. Paul half) and a REALLY great place to eat is Everest on Grand, in St. Paul. Tibetan and Nepali food, with a lunch buffet and amazing dinner menu. If anyone’s ever in the area, I strongly recommend it. The prices are very reasonable, too.

    Also, Mickey’s diner in St. Paul. There are two of them, one downtown and one near the airport. The best greasy spoon place anywhere 🙂

  13. I live in the Baltimore suburbs and Rocco’s Capriccio is Teh Place. Way out of my price range though. I once had their salmon in tomato cream sauce and it literally brought a tear to my eye, it was that good.

  14. Buddha Ruska in West Seattle has incredible Thai food. The Garlic Crispy Chicken, we call it Crack Chicken is amazing.

  15. If you ever go to Detroit, where I grew up, by all means check out either American or Lafayette Coney Island. Culinary landmarks, and the rivalry between them is a local legend. You’re either one or the other.

    Under The Eagle in Hamtramck is worth a visit if you like Polish food.

    The bar scene can be difficult, since the area is so sprawling, but I definitely enjoyed a beer at the Old Shillelagh after a Wings game.

  16. Someone here has to represent the South.

    I’m from Marietta, GA (just 10 minutes north of ATL!) and we have a wonderful Greek resturant called Effe’s that has the best rice ever. And sadly, my favorite coffee house closed down, it was called Insomnia and it had the most COMFORTABLE couch. And my favorite bar… There’s this place on the square called Hemmingway’s that has kick ass mixed drinks. 😀

  17. I’m from Ottawa, Ontario, the capital of Canada!

    Shanghai restaurant on Sommerset is fantastic for martinees and has a great karaoke night.

    Khao Thai in the Market has fabulous mango salad and salmon curry.

    Best time to come is for the Tulip Festival in May or Canada Day (July 1). Hard to get a hotel room but worth it if you can find a place to stay!

  19. That’s a very pretty picture, but it’s not what Seattle looks like most of the time, you know?

    We’ve been living in Seattle (Capitol Hill) for about 5 years now. I love Rays as mentioned above, esp. in the summer when you might be able to sit on the deck for a late lunch.

    Just down the street from us on 15th Avenue East, Coastal Kitchen serves up a variety of yummy seafood and other stuff. Also Palermo which does really nice Italian. I find Victrola a bit crowded and noisy for my tastes, but Remedy Teas in the next block south is divine. If you’re a tea drinker, and I am.

    I’ll be here through the holiday, but Kisaku is safe; I don’t do sushi. I’d buy you tea at Remedy while you’re here though if you like. You’ve got the email. Or maybe we could do a Seattle Feministe gathering while you’re here?

    MKK

  20. When I lived in Kansas City, the Asian food was always pretty good: Sung Son for Vietnamese, Lulu’s and The Thai Place for Thai, Ruchi and Taj Mahal for Indian (Ruchi is technically in Overland Park. It’s also to die for). Coffee is always Broadway Cafe, although Muddy’s is pretty good. Now that I’m a student in Philadelphia, I have less money and less time, but if my parents are buying, I like Cafe Havana (20th and Chestnut-ish) and this fish restaurant I can never remember the name of that’s south of it a few blocks (Spruce, maybe?). 20 Manning is excellent as well. If I’m buying, Cafe Saigon is pretty good Vietnamese for the amount of money you’d spend on awful corner store “Chinese” food.

  21. That’s a very pretty picture, but it’s not what Seattle looks like most of the time, you know?

    Oh boy do I know. And now that I only come home in December/January, it’s all I see.

    And I am in full support of a Seattle Feministe gathering! That could be a lot of fun. I’ll get on it after Christmas (and if I don’t, someone remind me por favor).

  22. Santa Cruz, CA (even though I’m currently in Irvine). Love it.
    Local faves are:
    The Bagelry — oh yum
    The Poet and the Patriot — excellent pub
    Asian Rose/Malabar — amazing, well-priced Sri Lankan food, probably my favorite restaurant
    Las Palmas for their burritos
    Lulu Carpenter’s — excellent warm cider

    Absolutely worth a few days’ trip if you’re in the Bay Area — especially if you’re veg(etari)an!

  23. Jill!! I looooooove Kisaku’s. I used to live down the street from it and I was there all the time. I still do on occasion, but it is a wait sometime to get in!

    I live in the CD these days, so I head down the hill to the ID for my food fixes. My faves are Maneki’s for really good, affordable sushi, and The Tamarind Tree for blow your mind tasty Vietnamese food. I have been going to Smith’s a lot on 15th on Capitol Hill, it’s a newer bar with great atmosphere and pub food, and apparently the bathroom stalls are remnants from when they gutted my old highschool, Garfield.

    In the CD there are like, ten really great Ethiopian places.
    A Seattle Feministe gathering would be awesome, Jill.

  24. i am one of many people’s republic of berkeley expats living here in sea-town in economic exile. (i hear that’s starting to happen to seattle natives too.) this is my tenth year here and i still feel like a visitor in some ways

    I feel the same way sometimes. I’m not a native Seattleite, but I try to understand and adhere to the local culture. Yet regional identity is so strong here (certainly far stronger than where I grew up), that I wonder if I’ll ever be considered “one of them”.

    I have no desire to leave, though, and that ambiguity about my regional identity is a price I can pay.

  25. I’m from New Braunfels, TX, then moved to Austin for school, and now I’m out in Houston.

    New Braunfels has a great hole-in-the-wall BBQ place called Granzin’s for the carnivores, though they’ve recently upgraded to indoor dining which is just…wrong. Huisache Grill and River House Tea Room are great places too.

    And I miss Austin so much: Trudy’s, Hyde Park Cafe, Hills Cafe, Veggie Heaven, Juan in a Million, Chez Zee, Guero’s, La Traviata, Spider House Coffee. Too many to list.

    Now that I’m in Houston we’ve actually got a slow food place called Tafia I’m excited to try. And there’s a cute place in the Heights called Shade I love. I haven’t been able to find any good BBQ though…any Houstonians out there who can help with that? I’ve tried Goode Co., Pappa’s, and Luther’s and have been disappointed with all of them.

  26. I’m from Cambridge (the original one). The Castle on Castle Hill is a lovely place to get a drink and serves pretty decent food. The Wrestlers on Newmarket Road is a CAMRA pub, so the beer is excellent, and is run by a Thai couple who make the most amazing green curry. It is worth checking out. I think there are some fancy places to eat which aren’t pubs, but I don’t think I ever had the chance in six years to eat at them. But that’s okay. 🙂

  27. Seriously- I’m in the CD too and whohoo for the Ethiopian food.

    Also- Ruby’s in the U district for brunch. Totally divey but for 10 bucks you get a giant omelet, hash browns and a rocking good fresh bloody mary or mimosa served in an old Spaghetti Factory glass.

    I also like Jamjuree on 15th for Thai, best basil chicken ever

  28. I love Mistral, a Provencale rotisserie in the San Francisco Ferry Building. Their daily roast meats (chicken, lamb, pork ribs and loin) are divine and they make a sweet, fluffy couscous with raisins.

    Pizzeria Delfina, at 18th & Guerrero in the Mission, does awesome Neapolitan pizzas, but they don’t take reservations and so the wait is always at least a half hour unless you go by yourself and sit at the bar.

  29. North Carolina here.

    Asheville: The Laughing Seed is the absolute most fantastic veggie restaurant I’ve ever been to. I dream about their roasted red pepper hummus.

    Raleigh: Sushi-Thai is your best choice for affordable and delicious sushi. Azitra is expensive, but fantastic Indian food.

    Greensboro (I went to college there; I can’t guarantee all of these are still open): Solaris = best tapas. Cafe Europa, downtown, for Wednesday half-price wine — sit/stand outside in the summertime. M’Couls for quality Irish pub food and an awesome rooftop area. Taste of Thai is a perennial favorite for really affordable, awesome Thai food. Wasabi has $20 sashimi for two, and it’s delicious. Boba House is fun for vegetarian cuisine. And of course you can’t beat Lucky 32 or Green Valley Grill for fancy American cuisine. And, glory of glories, Tate Street Coffee. Never had better coffee or been to a more awesome coffee shop. Every time I happen through Greensboro, I have to get a Black & Tan there (a coffee black & tan, not a beer one).

  31. Oh, as per haunts… I get my coffee at the shop in my building, the Meetro, which promises me it serves nothing but fair trade and mostly organic coffee that I absolutely love. I like eating at the Thai Peacock near Powell’s books on the border between South and North West Portland. I also like Aroy Thai and the Greek Cusina, which are across the street from one another, and Sushi on the River, which serves the best Alaska rolls I’ve ever eaten. It’s on the cheap, too.

    Every Saturday (though I don’t know how much longer with the weather and all) there’s a farmer’s market in the South park blocks, which is a block away from my on campus apartment. I like to get sourdough baguettes from the Pearl Bakery and cheeses from a variety of different local vendors. Wandering Aengus Ciderworks makes some pretty delectable ciders, too, and I always pick up some locally made dips and sauces (though I don’t have any labels on hand, having finished off my Asian dipping sauce on my chicken dumplings).

    It sounds like I eat better than I do, though. That’s all for when I have money, which is rare. ;p

  33. I’m originally from Silver Spring, MD, just 7 miles from the capital. The best place to eat is just a few minutes away Tiffin’s, an Indian Restaurant in Langley Park. I definitely recomend it to anyone in the Montgomery County area or to anyone traveling to DC. It’s also fairly inexpensive and they have a lunch buffet for $10.

  34. If you’re ever in Wisconsin you should visit a Norske Nook, which is in Osseo, Rice Lake, or Hayward and has the most fabulous pies in the whole world. They also have good beercheese soup. I’m going home for Christmas and I will grow fat on cheese and sausage. Mmmm, Wisconsin.

    I did my undergrad in Minnesota near the Twin Cities and enjoyed eating at Chino Latino and Moscow on the Hill (I think that’s the name…maybe I’m remembering wrong). Both are in Uptown I think.

  35. I live in Madison, Wisconsin, and oh god are there too many good restaurants here. I favor Bluephie’s and Monty’s Blue Plate Diner (owned by the same local company), especially if there’s pie to be had for dessert. Oh, and the Great Dane will always have a special place in my heart, for their ridiculously yummy food and also the fact that they give 2 pitchers of their own beer for free to each league frisbee team after a game.

  36. Ummm, Seattle food! I’m originally from Maple Valley, Wa, but am now in the next town over– Issaquah. The ‘Quah has the most amazing Thai I’ve ever had at Noodle Boat, and the 12th Ave Cafe has this Montana hash thing that’s a veritable mountain of potatoes, onions, toamatoes, bacon, ham, green peppers, cheddar, and sour cream. Even a small will hold you for two meals.

    The Black Diamond Bakery has whole wheat cinnamon rolls that are absolutely worth the 20 mile drive for- especially with cream cheese frosting. If you eat there, they put an addition on about a decade ago (so it’s still “new” to me) with a big-ass picture window that stares at Rainier.

    In Seattle, I cannot say no to Serafina (their braised pork belly appetizer is phenomenal), Le Fournil on Eastlake for pastries, Ivar’s on the waterfront if I want to play tourist, Fuel on 19th for coffee, oh, I love Seattle food. I really liked Cafe Presse’s croque monsieur on the Hill, and I do love Bimbo’s and the Cha Cha, though Linnaeus had it right- the new Cha isn’t the same. I like Pony, the purposefully seedy gay bar that replaced the old Cha Cha. The husband and I went to Dahlia Lounge for our anniversary this year, and the Tom Douglas food was as good as rumored, but the bill was as big as feared. I shudder at the idea of Canlis.

    And the high holy grail of all Seattle food: Dick’s Deluxe, fries, and a chocolate shake at 2am when the bars close. I’ve even done this with my parents. Heaven!

  37. Aw! I usually never comment, but I lived near Greenlake the summer I lived in Seattle (117 Ave? Or street? I think?) and it made me happy to see it. I loved roller skating around that lake.

    I still miss Tully’s coffee, Chow, and Pasta Pomodoro from my years in SF, and the beautiful Jardinere that I took my sis and bro-in-law to for their engagement.

    Still, my lovely hometown of Charlottesville, VA boasts some of the best restaurants evah! Our own Vivace is good Italian, unlike y’all Seattle coffee people, went there on my first date with the fiance. Still, Escafe, West Main, Horse and Hound, Blue Light, ZoCaLo, Maya, Michael’s, South Street, The Virginian, all such good stuff – I feel blessed to be here and not in NoVa anymore. Although I’ll admit I miss Costal Flats.

  38. As good as Dick’s is, the gold standard for fast-food burgers is In-N-Out Burger. Hands down.

    Whenever I’m in California – particularly southern California – I find a way to go there.

  39. Minneapolis/Saint Paul here. It would sad to see these not included:
    Muffuletta’s in the Park
    Pizza Luce
    Grand Old Creamery (yes for dinner)

  40. Another one from Minneapolis here, and I have to second the recommendation for Everest on Grand! I am a born and bred Minnesotan, so adventurous eating is generally not my forte, but I had a client who was marrying a Nepali guy and I got curious about the food she mentioned. 🙂 Very reasonable pricing, attentive waitstaff, and really good food. I need to go back over there and try more stuff sometime….

    I am ashamed to admit that my husband and I are not well versed in the restaurants in the area. *shame!* I can recommend Jakeeno’s, a little hole in the wall Italian restaurant in South Minneapolis, and Kierian’s Pub (sp? anyone?) in downtown Minneapolis. Jakeeno’s serves some good Americanized Italian food, and their pizzas are just lovely. 🙂 Kierien’s serves an amazing steak with lovely, lovely garlic mashed potatoes and has live music. I actually don’t drink much, but am told that their beer/ale/whiskey selection is at least adequate. 😉

    For Middle Eastern food, I recommend Jerusalem’s in Minneapolis, and not just because I know the dancers there. 😉 I’ve never been disappointed in the food there, nor at Beirut in West St. Paul. Their garlic spread is *awesome*!

    I had the pleasure of spending 2 days in the Seattle area this summer, and we had *amazing* weather! I would really like to go back there and explore some more. I love how there are tiny little parks tucked everywhere in the city! And that there are a lot of really old, old buildings tucked in with the new ones. Very cool atmosphere, and I can see why Jill misses it.

  41. I lived in Seattle for three years and for my mostly vegetarian family, nothing was better than Bamboo Garden. Oh the yummy, yummy meat-free Chinese. Delish! I also really loved Mojitos, but for the life of me I can’t remember exactly where it was (though I could give you directions from Ballard).

    If you’re ever in Chattanooga, TN (hey, it might happen), I recommend The Boathouse for seafood, Sugar’s Ribs for BBQ and ribs, The Southside Grill or Bald Headed Bistro for something more formal, and without a doubt the best place to kick back with a good burger and beer is Durty Nelly’s. Of course, if you’re just driving through on your way to Florida, stop by Krystal. It’s a chain, but it started here an it’s something that really must be experienced – and believe me, you will experience it over and over and over again.

  42. Cedar’s on Brooklyn in the U-Dist (two blocks away from me!) for very good, very American-ized Indian and the best chai you’ve ever drunk. Banjara on Queen Anne Hill for more authentic Indian. I don’t do Thai, but I’m told that Thaiger Room is OMGWTF. Though, for Thai, you should not under any circumstances miss Bai Tong in Seatac. You have to understand, Bai Tong was originally a private establishment catering to Thai Airways’ flight crew, since they couldn’t get any good food in the US. So a Thai Airways flight attendant imported a bunch of chefs from Bangkok and made a mint feeding hungry Thais. And now you can benefit. I, disliking Thai in general, am not in a position to appreciate the place, but friends tell me it’s to die for. Vivace on Cap Hill for coffee, certainly.

  43. Atlantic Street Pizza followed its founder to the grave this year. Poor Harry, and poor my pizza addiction. 🙁

  44. (Delurks)
    Another Seattlite here. My current favorite restaurant is Cafe Presse on Capitol Hill. I just can’t get enough of it – the croque madame is OMG! Coffee – well, all the coffee here that isn’t corporate coffee is awesome. I go to Discovery Espresso in Magnolia because I live near there, but my favorite is probably Ladro or Vita. Maybe Vivace, if it’s done right.
    I’m from Oklahoma City, which has exactly no good food or coffee, so I feel like I have an embarrassment of riches up here.

  45. Well, I grew up in and currently live in Chicago. I think I will pick two places from each city I’ve lived in…nothing fancy though. I’m just not that kind of guy.

    Alsip IL (my suburban home town): Nancy’s or Beggar’s Pizza (Beggar’s is technically in Blue Island but close enough) STUFFED PIZZA.

    then I moved to the railroad-infused town of Galesburg, IL for college.
    My Galesburg choices are the Landmark Cafe and Creperie and the relatively new Innkeepers Coffee shop. I noticed a Starbucks as opened up in town–I hope it doesn’t doom these two lovely restaurants.

    I then moved to Madison, Wisconsin. Monty’s Blue Plate is super (love their waffle fries) and I was a big fan of the Original Pancake House on University–especially for their german apple pancake. and Michaelangelos for coffee.

    Now as for Chicago…again, I’m not that fancy. My favorite place is Hopleaf in Andersonville for mussels and pomme frites. and lots of delicious Belgian beer.

  46. (also delurking)

    I’m from Philly, where if you’re in the South Street area, we have a) Horizons, a generally amazing vegan restaurant, and b) Beau Monde, an equally amazing creperie (goat cheese and grilled veggie crepes are made of pure awesome). I also love Kingdom of Vegetarians — great Chinese (I’m pretty sure it’s all vegan) at really reasonable prices. If you’re a tea drinker, I like Remedy, even though it’s kind of expensive. Also, I’m pretty sure Bob and Barbara’s is the best. bar. ever.

    I’m currently in Providence, RI, and I’m going to echo Betsy here — Meeting Street Cafe is great, if somewhat pricey. I recently discovered Red Fez and love it. I also like Haruki. And Fellini’s probably has the best pizza in Providence. I still (!) haven’t been to Federal Hill, so I can’t speak to that.

  47. I’ve lived in Seattle just a year, so it’s nice to see all the suggestions for places to go in this thread. But I like Trabant coffee in the U District and they opened one nearer my apartment in U District. I just dig the yerba mate lattes.

    And yes, Thaiger Room is good, but the best Thai I’ve had is in my former hometown of Flagstaff, AZ, with Dara Thai. Also, in Flagstaff, Hiro’s, a sushi restaurant, has the best Miso I’ve ever had.

  48. Ooh, also great in downtown Seattle, Shucker’s, an excellent seafood restaurant if you can afford it. Had poached king salmon there when my parents were paying. Soooo incredibly good.

  49. Hmm….

    Depends on which city since I’ve spent a lot of time away from my hometown of NYC and all of my favorite childhood eateries in my old area are gone due to gentrification and other factors.

    In the town of Oberlin during the mid-late ’90s, my favorite places were “The Mandarin”, The Feve sandwich shop, and a restaurant that served a good chicken fried steak. All reasonably/cheaply priced for the college student’s budget.

    In the greater Boston area, the Pour House on Boylston was one of my favorite afterwork hangouts with co-workers and friends. Other places included the Texas Style steakhouse near Brookline Village, a Thai restaurant in the Backbay area, and various college student frequented eateries whose names have escaped me. In the Boston Chinatown area, I regularly patronized the Hong Kong Eatery, Chinatown Cafe, and Penang. In Porter Square, there are a series of small Japanese eateries in a mini-mall area…and by Harvard Square, I’ve patronized the Hamburger joint across the street from the Yard as well as both of the Chinese restaurants on the block. There was also a Moose themed steakhouse in the Watertown area that my workgroup would occasionally meet for a relaxing afterwork dinner.

    When I moved back to NYC, I had been away about 8 years…so with the exception of Big Wong’s in NYC’s Chinatown and a few other places in Elmhurst and Flushing, I am not very familiar with the restaurants. Fortunately, some grad school friends have slowly been familiarizing me with more eateries. It’s really sad that in terms of restaurants, I’m probably more clueless than some knowledgeable tourists despite having been born and raised here for the first seventeen years of my life.

  50. Good post! I live to find new restaurants.

    I’m new in town (Berkeley CA) and haven’t had much chance to scope out the local deliciousness. I can tell you that the Cheeseboard makes fabulous vegetarian pizza with local ingredients, though. And if you like meat on your pizza, there’s a bar called Jupiter on Shattuck that makes surprisingly wonderful pizza.

    For the past four years, however, I’ve been in Poughkeepsie NY in the Hudson River Valley. The Terrapin in Rhinebeck is probably my favorite restaurant ever. So good. They make a barbecued duck quesadilla with fontina and mango-avocado salsa appetizer that is death. Oh god, I’m three thousand miles away and I’m going to cry.

    Grew up in Rochester NY, which is decidedly lacking in the culinary department. 2 Vine is good, but very pricey. HOWEVER, there’s a place called the Rabbit Room in Honeoye Falls (~30 min out of Pittsford) that serves lunch every day and dinner on Thursdays. If you live anywhere close, you must get there for dinner. Dear lord.

    Also, the Bay Street in Sodus Point, NY is a well-kept secret that’s totally worth driving an hour (if you live in Rochester) for. It closes for months at a time because the owners live part time in Key West, I think, but anyone in the area should find out when they’re open and go (unless you’re a strict vegetarian, god help you).

  51. I forgot to mention that the Beekman Arms and Gigi Trattoria in Rhinebeck are also pretty good, though by no means in the same league as the Terrapin (but then, who is?). The real reason I’m commenting again, though, is because there’s a little bakery in Rhinebeck (I can’t remember the name… it’s down a side street, not on the main drag…) that makes scones and breads that everyone should try before dying, and I couldn’t have gone on thinking of myself as a decent person without alerting any Hudson River Valley-area Feministe-readers to its existence.

  52. I live in London, UK, born and bred here, too. I live east now, but was brought up west. My favourite places? The Phoenix Theatre Bar on Charing X Road, the amazing Turkish mezze cafes in Hackney, the Thai vegan buffets in Soho, Coffee, Cake & Kink in Covent Garden, Foyles Bookshop’s (all organic and veggie!) jazz cafe, Rivington Bar and Grill in Shoreditch, and the S&M cafes spread around the city for traditional sausage and mash (with various other trad. English variations…). Oh, and so many more. There’s an endless number of amazing places to eat in this city, if you can afford it…

  53. I’m from Philly, where if you’re in the South Street area

    I spent a month in Philadelphia about two years ago and I really liked it. I thought I would feel “strange” there, because I grew up in the Midwest (albeit near a large city) and I live in the Northwest, but I felt like I fit in on the very first day.

    Philly, by the way, is a very underrated city for restaurants. I didn’t get to experience much because of my low research budget, but if one is into the whole cheesesteak thing, Jim’s on 4th and South was the best I had. Forget either Geno’s or Pat’s.

    OT, now I’m jonesing for a new episode of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia.

  54. Kisaku is great. Down the street from it is a terrific Tiki style bar called The Luau (?). They have a meeting room that can be rented for a Seattle Feministe Fest (just a thought).

    Vivace is excellent. Uptown China at the bottom of Queen Anne is good Chinese (with lots of veggie options) and good drinks. The Zig Zag Cafe (behind Pike Place) is hands down the best bar in the city. And I cannot believe I haven’t seen a shout out for Cafe Flora. For upscale dining I like Cascadia.

  55. I just moved to Palm Beach, FL, from Minneapolis, MN, less than two months ago, so I’m still suffering from culture shock. (Wearing Birkenstock sandals in late November is just NOT NATURAL.) I haven’t found anywhere I really love here in Florida yet, but there’s a whole HOST of things I miss about Minnesota, like the strong liberal and progressive tradition. I haven’t gotten over the jolt of realizing that Florida has the death penalty.

    I don’t miss being cold, though.

  56. I live in Chicago (as the nick gives away) but am from New Zealand … and I ADORE Seattle!!!!!

    It’s pretty much my favourite city in the US. I have a number of friends that live all over the bloody place there, and I go out as often as I can … it does remind me so much of home. I’m hoping to get out there again come Xmas and New Years …

    As to food, I’m gonna do what I usually do whenever I am out there … namely attempt to eat my own body-weight in seafood (which as you might imagine, is crap here in Chicago) and sushi (maki, nigiri, etc) … oysters, scallops, lobster, salmon, etc, etc … geoduck! (okay, now I am drooling here).

    However, I do also really miss my hometown in New Zealand. Wellington. I was born there, and while I’ve only spent a couple years there after moving around the rest of the country, I really do consider it my home town. It has a feeling that’s kind of a combination of San Francisco and Seattle.

    I seriously miss New Zealand pizza (particular Spagalimis and Hell’s Pizza), souvlaki, New Zealand burgers (involve having things like pineapple, beets and fried egg on top), and meat pies (I would seriously consider killing someone to get a good mince-meat or steak-&-kidney meat pie), a sausage roll, REAL fish and chips (not the american pretend version), and a filled-roll from a diary.

    Okay, officially famished now.

    Just to top it off, I also lived in the Netherlands growing up (particularly in the south, near Maastricht, and Utrecht), and I totally miss fritjes met (dutch french fries with mayo) … or my particular favourite, a frite oorlog (a ‘fry war’, involving french fries covered in mayo, thai peanut satay sauce and raw diced onions) … I also adore zuur harring, which is pickled herring.

    So yeah, Wellington NZ, Seattle WA, and the Netherlands are all home for me, as is their food …

    [And yes, if you’ve noticed, these are all cold-weather places … I HATE (ie DETEST) summer and the heat … give me snow, and the cold, and the sting of a below-freezing kiss on my cheek]

  57. Yikes! Not the Thai place one just north of 85th? I kind of burned out on Thai food a couple of years ago, in part, because I ate their beef panang, garlic chicken, tom ka gai, and curried eggplant three or four times a week. Because yeah, it was the best. I really liked the people who ran it — I hope they’re doing well wherever they are now.

    As for best places to eat the first has got to be Taco del Mar which is *still* inexplicably highly local, edible, inexpensive, and remarkably healthy for fast food. And Dicks? Absolutely, although Spud has better fries and *definitely* better tartar sauce. Rocketing up the quality curve, though, Marjorie on 2nd in Belltown is exquisite. The owner’s from Jamaica (Marjorie is her mom) and her chef is from, I think, Peru, but they knock out everything from Japanese to French as if they were born there. Great music, great atmosphere too. Equally appropriate for your parents or BFF drinking buddies. Order the… um… I think it’s called the Chef’s Whimsy. Not as good as the Herb Farm but you can talk about them in the same paragraph and people know what you mean. Nothing at all like the price either.

    Um, what else? There’s a new Puerto Rican restaurant on Market in Ballard, just before 24th that’s wonderful. La Carta de Oaxaca on Ballard Ave is pretty new and really great. Cafe Moose has stunning breakfast. Oh yeah, and my family’s favorite Ethiopian spot on Greenwood just past Holman Rd. closed. Eight bucks for the veggie combo and two people couldn’t finish it! Sigh.

    Anyway, drop me a note if you’re in the neighborhood over the holidays and need an emergency backup coffee buddy. At least one of the shops on Greenwood (Herkimer and, I think, Seven) is now roasting on premises. That or I’m *always* looking for excuses to go to Cafe Besalu on 24th in Ballard. (They pull incredible somethings out of the oven about every 15 minutes all day. Which makes them one of the few places, in town anyway, that serves both excellent coffee *and* pastry in one spot.)

    figleaf

  58. Cedar’s on Brooklyn in the U-Dist (two blocks away from me!) for very good, very American-ized Indian and the best chai you’ve ever drunk

    Oh, Cedars. I would cut someone for their chai and the dipping sauce for their naan.

  59. Oh man, I would be totally down for a Feministe in Seattle thing. My best friend lives in Capitol Hill, and I visit as often as I can manage. (And incidentally, guys? Gentle Lord, go to Sun Liquor in Capitol Hill for their cocktails. You would not believe.
    I do love my Portland, though. I’d be even more down for a meet-up here.

  60. I live in the Cleveland area now. Some good places are:

    1. Lola (downtown) and Lolita (Tremont), both owned by newly-minted Iron Chef Michael Symon (the bald guy with a laugh like a demonic Hello Kitty).

    2. Fahrenheit (Tremont). Just typing that made me want their BBQ duck quesidilla.

    3. Bubba’s Q (Avon Lake). Owned by former Browns player Bubba Baker – lots of smokey meat goodness.

    4. Luchita’s (West 117th St.). Mexican food made by real Mexicans. Their salsa is soooo good.

    5. Waterstreet Grill (Warehouse District). Good burgers, salads, soups, sandwiches, breakfasts and comfort foods.

  61. Another great thing about Philly – really good cheap lunch trucks on every corner, particularly in “Univercity City” and center city. The soul food ones outside the post office are the my favorites, even though they’re a little pricier. I particularly like the pink one.

  62. Down here in Birmingham, Alabama, we actually have more than just awesome barbecue joints — right on the other side of the block from my apartment we have a Provençal French restaurant called Chez Fon Fon that’s owned and operated by Frank Stitt, one of the top chefs in the Southeast. The food is out-of-this-world incredible and it isn’t even that expensive, and everyone from the hostess to the waiters to the bartenders is very friendly — though I may be biased because the hostess is a friend of mine, and she occasionally dog-sits my Boston Terrier when I’m out of town.

    At the other end of Highland Avenue there’s a fun Latin place called Rojo that’s getting written up in Esquire before too long. See, we have culture down here!

  63. hey! I recognize that view!
    I was just home to Seattle for Thanksgiving, and the weather was cold but beautiful. A glorious Seattle Fall. I’ll stop gushing about the best city in the world. now.

    Anyway, most of my favorite stomping grounds are referred to as “that little place in greenlake” or “you know, that brewery in Ballard”
    Names of places I remember and love:
    Mae’s Cafe – greasy good b’fast food.
    Maltby Cafe – a little farther north, but worth the drive
    Hales Ales – aforementioned brewery
    Macrina Bakery
    Peets Coffee- a CA transplant
    Krittaka Thai – aforementioned greenlake place. so.freaking.good.
    and of course, Dicks.

    The thing I love about Seattle, is you can land in almost any hole-in-the-wall and get good food and good drinks!

    I live in Ventura now,
    so far I love the Anacapa Brewery and Yomama Sushi (yes, that’s the name). I’m still venturing out there if you live in the area and have good suggestions.

    somebody shut me up. I love food.

  64. Yikes! Not the Thai place one just north of 85th? I kind of burned out on Thai food a couple of years ago, in part, because I ate their beef panang, garlic chicken, tom ka gai, and curried eggplant three or four times a week. Because yeah, it was the best. I really liked the people who ran it – I hope they’re doing well wherever they are now.

    As for best places to eat the first has got to be Taco del Mar which is *still* inexplicably highly local, edible, inexpensive, and remarkably healthy for fast food. And Dicks? Absolutely, although Spud has better fries and *definitely* better tartar sauce. Rocketing up the quality curve, though, Marjorie on 2nd in Belltown is exquisite. The owner’s from Jamaica (Marjorie is her mom) and her chef is from, I think, Peru, but they knock out everything from Japanese to French as if they were born there. Great music, great atmosphere too. Equally appropriate for your parents or BFF drinking buddies. Order the… um… I think it’s called the Chef’s Whimsy. Not as good as the Herb Farm but you can talk about them in the same paragraph and people know what you mean. Nothing at all like the price either.

    Um, what else? There’s a new Puerto Rican restaurant on Market in Ballard, just before 24th that’s wonderful. La Carta de Oaxaca on Ballard Ave is pretty new and really great. Cafe Moose has stunning breakfast. Oh yeah, and my family’s favorite Ethiopian spot on Greenwood just past Holman Rd. closed. Eight bucks for the veggie combo and two people couldn’t finish it! Sigh.

    Anyway, drop me a note if you’re in the neighborhood over the holidays and need an emergency backup coffee buddy. At least one of the shops on Greenwood (Herkimer and, I think, Seven) is now roasting on premises. That or I’m *always* looking for excuses to go to Cafe Besalu on 24th in Ballard. (They pull incredible somethings out of the oven about every 15 minutes all day. Which makes them one of the few places, in town anyway, that serves both excellent coffee *and* pastry in one spot.)

    figleaf (who’s regular URL always triggers comment-spam filters.)

  65. “I’m new in town (Berkeley CA) and haven’t had much chance to scope out the local deliciousness. I can tell you that the Cheeseboard makes fabulous vegetarian pizza with local ingredients, though. And if you like meat on your pizza, there’s a bar called Jupiter on Shattuck that makes surprisingly wonderful pizza.”

    Ooh! Ooh! I spent four years in Berkeley/Oakland and just recently moved to Atlanta. It’s getting better now (since I’ve started finding good places to eat around here) but I still spend a lot of time thinking about bay area food.

    For Ethiopian, Cafe Colucci on Telegraph and Alcatraz.

    For the most greasy-delicious midnight pizza slice it has to be Fat Slice on Telegraph.

    Lanesplitter Pizza and Pub on Telegraph just south of 51st for good pizza, I recommend their chicane neapolitan and their side salad with honey mustard vinegrette. And a pint of the Bear Republic Red Rocket of course.

    For sandwiches, the Genova Delicatessen is great. It’s in a non-descript shopping center next to a Walgreens on 51st and Telegraph but definitely worth going into.

    And the best bar ever is the Tiki Bar on Piedmont and 51st, near the Mountain View Cemetary. It’s sketch on the outside and kitch on the inside.

  66. Linnaeus — Yeah, Pat’s and Geno’s are pretty much there for the tourists. I feel like you could go to any non-upscale restaurant in Philly and get a good cheesesteak. I’m kind of dismayed by what they do to the cheesesteak up here in New England…

    Rosie — There’s also a soul food truck that’s always outside 30th Street Station. I’ve never tried it, but there’s always been a seriously long line every time I’ve walked by it.

  67. Well, how about some Southern cookin’?

    I am from Blytheville, Arkansas. There is not much in this small northeastern Arkansas town, but it does have The Dixie Pig. Now I know all you veggies will hate this, but they absolutely have the best barbequed pork sandwiches in the world. The same family has run this restaurant for decades and no matter where you live, if you have had one of these one, you will always come back for a “pig” sandwich or salad! I can smell that wood smoke now…

  68. I second the New Zealand burgers wish — when I’ve been there, walking into any random place and ordering the “house burger” was a neverending adventure. You’d never know what would show up in that thing. In one small pub in the middle of nowhere the house burger consisted of a burger patty, a slice of ham, a layer of bacon, a thin-sliced steak, a fried egg (the fried egg is so mandatory on burgers in New Zealand that McDonald’s serves a version with a fried egg), everything they could find in the vegetable crisper including a few things I didn’t recognize along with lettuce, tomato, carrots, and three forms of pickles including pickled beets.

    At another place it involved marinated eggplant. And nuts.

    Minneapolis/St. Paul: Definitely Moscow on the Hill. I’m also a fan of Kabuki in Eden Prairie, a small family-run teppanyaki and sushi place with good food and reasonable prices.

  69. Yes — Seattle Feministe meetup! I’m in!

    I’ve lived here just under a year, so the article was interesting to me in that I think I’ve eaten at one or two of those places; so glad he finally got out of Belltown, ugh. We will have to check out some of those spots.

    So far we’ve really liked Dahlia Lounge, The Pink Door (and I know people who hate both; whatever), Geraldine’s Counter in Columbia City, Hattie’s Hat (I can’t resist them), Smartypatns in Georgetown (sandwiches are sooo good), Blackbird Bistro in West Seattle. The big raves in town are Paseo Caribbean in Fremont for sandwiches — oh the shame; I’ve yet to make it there! And for some reason EVERYONE loves Thai Tom even though I just read a review on Yelp where the guy was like, “They have roaches, the service is crap, I’ll go back anyway.” Sheesh.

    I am from Cincinnati, OH so try these while you are there:
    – Graeter’s Ice Cream, always and forever
    – Skyline Chili — you have to. It’s weird, and it’s not really chili in the traditional sense, more of a spicy ground beef sloppy joe only on top of a hot dog or over noodles with cheese, onions and beans. If you grow up here, you get addicted to it.
    – Jean Robert at Pigalls is a five-star restaurant downtown. He also has several other restaurants locally including a more casual bistro downtown.
    – The Comet is Northside is without a doubt the best bar, and has humongous stuffed burritos (lots of veggie stuff too like jerked tofu burritos) and delicious quesadillas and salsas.
    – Northside in fact has my favorites: Slims, Honey and Melt (Plus Shake-It Records)

    There you have it!

  70. PS to Red Queen: Ha ha, freezing! Not hardly; this is the first year I haven’t had to suffer through a midwest winter.

  71. Helen –

    I second the New Zealand burgers wish — when I’ve been there, walking into any random place and ordering the “house burger” was a neverending adventure. You’d never know what would show up in that thing.

    Now you’re TOTALLY making me hungry!! I miss burgers from home so much … hmmm, methinks that might be an idea for dinner tonight …

    Did you experience the kiwi approach to pizzas too while you have been in NZ? It’s the same thing as with burgers; you never know what’ll show up on them … *drool* okay, officially peckish now …

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