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12 plus one – Unique Seattle Spots that the Locals Know

  • Breakfast
    🍴 Beth’s Cafe – since 1953 (before bell-bottoms were even a thing!) – calls itself  “a Seattle Breakfast Diner.” This diner is infamous for its 12-egg omelet. [7311 Aurora Ave N Seattle, WA 98103 •   (206) 782-5588]
  • Bagels and more
    🍴 Locksmith’s Bagel Bodega has an assortment of offerings including a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich or a Korean-inspired take on the classic with gochujang bacon kimcheese, and for bagels: onion poppy bialy, zaatar, asiago and the usual – but very good – fare. [209 Broadway E (Capitol Hill) · Seattle, WA 98102 • (206) 713-9385]
  • Bakery
    🍴
    Seabrook, one of Seattle’s fave beachside town’s, has the Vista Bakeshop, which offers cruffins rolled in zesty lemon sugar and filled with tart lemon curd, cardamom pistachio shortbread, flaky sea salt dinner rolls, savory morning buns with vegetable pesto, croissants of so many varieties and, well, more yum. You might need to wait more than the allotted half-hour to go swimming (which is really a myth, but if you wait a half-hour, your stomach might have more room for you to go back and grab that blueberry muffin).
  • For the Grill
    🥩  Grill some meats courtesy of MamnoonSeattle’s Lebanese-influenced restaurant (think smoked lamb shoulder and ground beef kefta, with a side order of chips, fruit, and cookies for dessert). [1508 Melrose Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 • (206) 906-9606]
  • Live Shows
    In keeping up with Seattle’s great music reputation, Neumos/Barboza offer live shows any music head would love. Neumos features bands like the Black Ends (who play what they call “gunk pop”), These Arms are Snakes, Lost Dog Street Band, Fenix Flexin, Buku, and revues like Mama Mia Dance Party. Barboza features bands like the electronic music genius, Chong the Nomad, King Youngblood, Fleetwood Snack, Bully, Maita, French 79 and more. [925 East Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98122 • (206) 709-9442 – technically two separate venues but different stages and doors.]
  • Beerhall
    The Queen Anne Beerhall (7,000 square feet of it) follows the European tradition of having communal tables for dining and mingling.  25 premium draft beers – many from local Seattle breweries, crafted cocktails prepared with in-house shrubs and syrups. Pacific Northwest dining is on the menu. [203 W. Thomas Street, Seattle, WA 98119 • 206-420-4326]
  • LGBTQ+ Cinema
    The Three Dollar Bill Cinema showcases queer film programming, educational experiences, and social dialogue. Here you’ll find the Seattle Queer Film Festival, Translations: Seattle Transgender Film Festival, Reel Queer Youth Virtual Camp, and more. [517 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122 • (206) 323-4274]
  • Shop (after you come back home / or take some Seattle with you)
    “Snag a slice of Seattle at the Seattle Made store” at Sea-Tac airport, concourse C. And we don’t mean stupid t-shirts and a hat. (Okay. They do have t-shirts and hats, but they aren’t stupid.  They’re cool! And you’ve purchased them so you’ve just supported local artists. Bang!) You’ll also find foods, facials, and fun stuff – all made in Seattle.
  • Extremely Fun Classes
    The Works Seattle – take pickling classes, hammered earring classes, craft cocktail classes or go a bit further and take a shrub fruit class. (“Shrub? What’s that?? It’s not a bush, it’s a fermented syrup and it makes a darn good mocktail or cocktail!”) [ 151 12th Ave in Seattle. (206) 475-5974.]
  • Biking Fun
    Usually held during the winter, the ride takes cyclists around the Island, including Baker Hill — they took out Toe Jam Hill some years ago after they decided Baker was enough punishment. 😩  But for the more avid bikers, the Chilly Hilly returns to town in the summer, too.
  • Biking & Coffee Fun
    ☕️ Metier Seattle and Overcast Coffee Bikes = the best place to hang out and watch the Tour de France, drink great Seattle coffee and gear up for your next ride! Metier Seattle — a bike shop that offers “coffee, craft beer, and local eats”. [1017 E. Union Street, Seattle, WA 98122 • (206) 816-3436]
  • B&B (what?!)
    Discover the mini “Schitt’s Creek” Rosebud Motel, located in the Queen Anne neighborhood [their self-proclaimed location: 354 Eudan Road, “Schitt’s Creek”]. Their slogan: Where every stay, feels like home.
  • Nude Beach
    Head to Denny Blaine — and if you missed this tiny detail, e.g., it’s a nude beach — any sense of hesitation on your part will quickly be erased when your feet hit the water. (You can also opt to keep your bathing suit on.) [200 Lake Washington Blvd. E, Seattle, WA 98112 • (206) 684-4075]