Attractions
Since many of you will have a shorter stay in the area I chose a bunch of cafe's and restaurants - hopefully you will have enough time to do a little food tourism.
We hope you have fun in Washington! Enjoy!
Purple Cafe & Wine Bar
Located Downtown Seattle -
I've gone here way too many times to count! Everything on the menu is excellent! I especially like the wine and cheese flights where you can sample small amounts of wine and cheese for a fixed price - great way to explore new wines. For the wedding weekend, I recommend the Champagne flight!
Portage Bay Cafe
Located in the U District, near the University of WA (make sure to go to this one, it's the original spot and therefore the best)
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this place for brunch. Definitely in the top 5 - try pancakes and enjoy the complimentary bar of fruits, nuts, whipped cream and syrups to choose from!
La Casa Del Mojito
Caribbean/Latin American Food - Located in near the U district, this is another hole-in-the-wall that has become pretty popular! My friend Sunny introduced me to this place and I've never been the same! As the name of the restaurant implies...GREAT, I repeat, GREAT, Mojitos! It's a little tricky to find but you'll love me when you get there!
Alki Cafe
West Seattle - Great Brunch option! I have to give a shout out to my West Seattle peeps who happen to have the best view of downtown Seattle you can find! Eat brunch at Alki then take a stroll along the beach and admire the views of DT Seattle.
I should write this stuff for a living...it comes so natural...ugh. :)
Salty's
West Seattle - This restaurant is right out on the water and has the BEST view of Downtown Seattle. I've only been there once with Adam but he loved it! My friend Joni had a celebratory brunch there after she got engaged - it's definitely a well known Seattle restaurant!
Wasabi Bistro
Belltown, DT Seattle
Japanese Cuisine and Sushi Bar - For all of you sushi lovers, Wasabi offers a great, late night happy hour deal. It's located on 2nd, in the hip, modern, belltown neighborhood, downtown Seattle.
Sluys Bakery
(360) 779-2798
18924 Front St NE
Poulsbo, WA 98370
Bakery - DT Poulsbo
I can't tell you how many times I skipped class to get a "maple man"...go see for yourself, it's a pretty famous bakery with delicious Norwegian pastries!
Ruby's on Bainbridge
206-780-9303
4569 Lynwood Center Rd NE
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
Ruby's is just off the main road, up a driveway, in the trees - it has dark furniture and a really warm, homey charm. Go there for a nice glass of wine after exploring the island a bit.
Mor Mor
Cozy Bistro - NW Cuisine - DT Poulsbo
It's a relatively new place (meaning it hasn't been around ever since I was a kid living in Poulsbo) - I've been there a couple of times and enjoyed the food and wine.
The Pink Door
Italian - Pike's Place Market
If you are interested in grabbing dinner in the market, this place is very mysterious with a hint of Moulin Rouge ambiance. Great patio and view of the Puget Sound!
Olypmic Mountains and National Park
Just a short trip across the Hood Canal bridge and you'll find lots of outdoor, recreational activities in the Olympic National Park. Hurrican Ridge was always a favorite growing up - great hiking and sledding in the winter. If your feeling really adventurous and up for an extremely strenuous hike, try the Lake Constance trail, beautiful at the top!
Paseo - Carribean Restaurant
This hole-in-the-wall, dear to my heart, only two blocks from my old apartment, hot spot - is definitely in my top 5! Try the Midnight Cuban sandwich...it's a spicy, pulled pork number that typically sales out before days end! It's tricky to find because they don't advertise but you can typically see a line out the front door!
Pike's Place Market
It's pretty fun to wander around the market - there's always a lot of activity there! You can see the flying fish, spectacular views of the Puget Sound and stop by the first Starbucks for a cup of coffee. You have to have coffee! When in Rome//Seattle :)
Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery
There are quite a few winery's and a brewery (Red Hook) located about 25 minutes north of Seattle in Woodinville. I love the grounds at Chateau Ste Michelle, it's really gorgeous to wander around, sample some wine, or perhaps catch a concert if you are in town on a night when there is a show to catch. Either way, if you are a wine aficionado, you'll love the visiting Chateau Ste Michelle!
Mt. Rainier
The mountain that floats over Seattle...I know this would take a lot more time than most of you have, but if you can get out and hike around at Mt. Rainier, you'll have a great time. It's gorgeous up there!
Safeco Field & Mariner's Baseball
Adam and I love going to games together - we don't always agree on the team, but we always agree on the food :) Many of you know that Adam and the "Smokey Joes" took a fun road trip across the country stopping by some of the most famous ball parks. Towards the end of the trip, when they were supposed to head north to Seattle, I heard that a couple of guys were a little too tired to finish the trip :) Here's your chance to catch the Mariner's at Safeco field - it's a great park and there are NO calories posted at each of the concession stands...what's up with that NY Yankee's?
Cafe Nola
(206) 842-3822
101 Winslow Way E
Bainbridge Isle, WA 98110
European Style Cafe
Bainbridge Island is beautiful - many of you will drive through it to get to Poulsbo. If you have time, this is a great cafe with extremely good food! I worked there as a server right after college - it was pretty short term - I ate all of their food :) Try the crab melt sandwich...AAAAAHHHHmazing!
El Camino
Traditional & Contemporary Mexican Cuisine in the Fremont neighborhood, Seattle.
This restaurant is one of my favs - located in my old neighborhood which is very hip and quirky with lots of interesting shops, boutiques, restaurants, and bars. Stop by El Camino for a margarita on the deck!
Dick's Hamburgers
Adam & I love Hamburgers!
These burgers are the best when you have the munchies late at night (they are open until 2am) or after a sporting event. They aren't fancy - they just taste delicious and you can eat 100's of them. The added bonus is it's a Washington only burger joint :)
Ray's Boathouse
Best view ever - and great seafood!
That's a Some Italian Ristorante
Okay - I landed my first job at this cute little Italian restaurant, downtown Poulsbo. Well, actually, Allison (bridesmaid) got me the job as a buser -- thanks Alli! Great location, lots of wines and try the focaccia bread with the homemade blue cheese dressing -- delightful!
