Pike Place Chowder ★ 4.7
Pike Place Chowder in Seattle is Larry Mellum's 2003 Post Alley counter: eight national chowder cook-off wins, the New England with manila clams, served in a sourdough boule.
Try: Award-winning clam chowder
Vendors, food trucks and stalls: the cheapest, fastest, frequently best food in Seattle.
Don't-miss vendors
Daily Dozen Doughnut ★ 4.4
Daily Dozen Doughnut in Seattle's Pike Place is the Economy Building counter: hot mini doughnuts off the conveyor, dusted in sugar, sold by the bag, paid in cash.
Try: Hot mini powdered sugar doughnuts
Piroshky Piroshky ★ 4.5
Piroshky Piroshky in Seattle's Pike Place is the 1992 Russian bakery hand-folding stuffed buns: salmon and cream cheese, cabbage and beef, the line down Pike Place.
Try: Russian and Eastern European stuffed buns
Paseo Fremont ★ 4.6
Paseo Fremont in Seattle is the city's Cuban pork sandwich counter since the early 1990s: caramelised onions, aioli, marinated pork on a ciabatta roll, eaten over the bag.
Try: Cuban-style pork sandwich
Tacos Chukis Capitol Hill ★ 4.3
Tacos Chukis Capitol Hill in Seattle is the upstairs Broadway taco counter: al pastor off the trompo with pineapple, adobada mulitas, salsas built fresh until 22:00.
Try: Al pastor tacos off the trompo
Beecher's Handmade Cheese ★ 4.4
Beecher's Handmade Cheese in Seattle is the Pike Place counter where curds get made behind glass: Flagship cheddar, Just Jack, World's Best mac since 2003.
Try: World's Best Mac and Cheese
Biscuit Bitch Pike Place ★ 4.2
Biscuit Bitch in Seattle near Pike Place is the Southern-style biscuit counter: buttermilk biscuits, sausage gravy, the Hot Mess and chicken-fried bowls under the espresso bar.
Try: Southern biscuits and gravy
Salumi ★ 4.5
Salumi in Seattle's Pioneer Square is the Armandino Batali sandwich counter since 1999: house-cured charcuterie, the iconic braised porchetta with Calabrian chimichurri.
Try: Porchetta sandwich
Dick's Drive-In Broadway ★ 4.4
Dick's Drive-In Broadway in Seattle's Capitol Hill is the 1955 walk-up burger window: the Deluxe with mayo, lettuce and pickle, fries and a hand-dipped milkshake until 02:00 daily.
Try: Deluxe burger and milkshake
Tat's Delicatessen ★ 4.2
Tat's Delicatessen in Seattle's Pioneer Square is the East Coast deli counter: cheesesteaks, pastrami subs, the Tat's Bomb with a fried egg, all on house-baked rolls.
Try: Philly cheesesteak with pastrami
Street Food in Seattle, FAQ
When is the best time to eat in Seattle?
Peak food season in Seattle is year-round.
What time do people eat in Seattle?
Local dining hours: lunch around 12:30, dinner from 19:30.
How does tipping work in Seattle?
service is typically included; small extra is welcome but not expected.
What is the one dish to try in Seattle?
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Seattle rewards trust.