Even if you didn't score tickets to the FIFA World Cup games in Seattle, it's well worth heading to the Emerald City this summer. Seattle is making a sparkling post-pandemic comeback.
Foot traffic is up, hotel demand is rising, and downtown now draws about as many visitors as it did in 2019. The city has retained its charm and, at the same time, feels revitalized with vibrant public art and new businesses.
This long weekend itinerary features new and notable spots, along with a couple of classics.
Friday Evening: Check in at The Grand Hyatt Seattle
(Courtesy of Grand Hyatt Seattle)
The Grand Hyatt is a centrally located, luxurious hotel with artful touches, including a playful Tom Otterness sculpture greeting guests at the entrance and a Dale Chihuly glass showcase in the lobby. The hotel also has some very nice perks: The club floor offers guests a full breakfast each day, and the lobby features a whimsical vending machine stocked with only bottles of Champagne. The hotel is within walking distance of Pike Place Market and downtown shopping. It’s also less than a five-minute walk from the Westlake Station, so you can take the light rail directly from the airport.
After checking in, head back to the lobby to The Elliott Bar for a nightcap. The bar has an impressive selection of both Champagne and Champagne cocktails, and the knowledgeable bartenders can also talk you through their whiskey list. Open until midnight, it also offers snacks and dessert.
// 721 Pine St., hyatt.com/grand-hyatt
Saturday Morning: Indnon Cafe & Bistro, Olympic Sculpture Park + Seattle Art Museum
One of the paintings fefatured in 'Beyond Mysticism'
(Courtesy of Seattle Art Museum)
Start your morning with a stop at Indnon Cafe & Bistro for coffee, chai, and one of their unique breakfast treats, like a samosa croissant or paneer panini. // 2822 Western Ave., indnon.com
Directly across the street is the nine-acre Olympic Sculpture Park, free and open 365 days a year. The zigzagging path through the park connects landscapes that reflect four different native Pacific Northwest ecosystems. Near the entrance, you'll see Ai Weiwei's Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads. Explore further, and you'll find large-scale sculptures by artists including Alexander Calder and Richard Serra. // 2901 Western Ave., seattleartmuseum.org
Next, head to the Seattle Art Museum to see Beyond Mysticism: The Modern Northwest (on view through Aug 2nd). The exhibition really sets the scene for a visit to Seattle, exploring the city's urban growth, which coincided with American Modernism. It showcases more than 150 pieces that weave together iconic local scenes with surrealism, social realism, and the impact of urbanization on the environment. Formidable local artists Mark Tobey, Kenneth Callahan, Guy Anderson, and Morris Graves are featured alongside both Native and international artists such as Georgia O’Keeffe and Salvador Dalí, highlighting how the Northwest fits into broader worldviews and art movements. // 1300 First Ave., seattleartmuseum.org
Saturday Lunch: Bottega Gabriele
(Amy Sherman)
Walk on to Railspur, a mini-district in Pioneer Square that’s named for the railways that once ran through the area. Here, historic brick-and-timber warehouses have been transformed into multi-use buildings, and public art has injected vitality into the area. The relatively new Italian deli, Bottega Gabriele, offers delicious, fresh sandwiches on focaccia bread with mouthwatering combinations of fillings like mortadella with ricotta, lemon zest, arugula, and hot Calabrian honey, or ‘nduja with capocollo, salami, olive, and tomato tapenade. Don't miss the filled-to-order cannoli in a variety of flavors.
// 75 Yesler Way, facebook.com/p/Bottega-Gabriele
Saturday Night: Dinner at Mio Oh Mio
(Courtesy of Mio Oh Mio)
For dinner, head to Mio Oh Mio, one of the latest restaurants from the restaurant group of star chef Renee Erickson. This is a sweet little spot with a concise menu and a living-room vibe. It's just the place to enjoy the best the Pacific Northwest has to offer, with some quirky twists. Must-order dishes include the Guinness bread with salted butter, beef tartare, and potato pavé with crème fraîche. Dining here makes you feel like an insider.
// 419 Occidental Ave. S., mioohmio.com
Sunday Morning: Waterfront Park, Seattle Aquarium + Lunch at Aroom Waterfront
Squid noodles at Aroom Waterfront
(Amy Sherman)
Walk to the Waterfront Park. Much like the removal of the old Embarcadero Freeway in San Francisco, the opening of this 20-acre stretch of prime waterfront real estate took a lot of money and many years. In fact, the total budget exceeded $800 million. But the views from the Overlook Walk, which is connected to Pike Place Market, are stunning. Glance down the waterfront, and you'll get a feel for the art, landscaping, and installations that make the park such a delight. From the Salish Sea to the native plantings and artworks, the park makes you feel rooted in place. // 1401 Alaskan Way, waterfrontparkseattle.org
Continue down from the Overlook Walk, and you'll first bump into the expanded Seattle Aquarium, a star attraction especially for those with kids. The new Ocean Pavilion features a multistory underwater canyon you can gaze at from various perspectives. Make it your mission to seek out the nursery where the tiniest fish are on display, the marvelous jellyfish, and the irresistibly cute sea otters. // 1483 Alaskan Way, Pier 59, seattleaquarium.org
Across from the waterfront and the Seattle Ferry Terminal is Aroom Waterfront (a room, get it?), a welcoming, charming, and cozy modern Vietnamese cafe with an enticing menu with options like banana coffee, sesame lattes, and pandan cafe, all made with phin-dripped Vietnamese coffee. The menu is limited, but the mashups, including bánh mì xíu mại—mini baguette sliders served with savory pork meatballs, pâté, salted egg yolk, and pickles—and mì mực, a Vietnamese take on garlic pasta topped with tender squid, are comforting instant classics. // 904 Alaskan Way, aroomcoffee.com
Sunday Afternoon: Tidelands Gallery + The Observatory
Tidelands Gallery
(Amy Sherman)
Tidelands is the city's first Indigenous-owned and -focused art gallery. The current exhibition, Lushootseed Creation Histories, is a multimedia show featuring Coast Salish artists and storytellers who share their culture and ancestral teachings through contemporary art, public dialogue, and community (on view through July 31st). It's a moving exhibition with paintings, photography, and video that makes a fine complement to the Beyond Mysticism show at the Seattle Art Museum. // 55 University St., thisistidelands.com
If you've never been up to The Observatory, a snazzy bar up at the top of the historic Smith Tower, it's worth making a reservation. Your experience begins with a visit to several very cool interactive displays in rooms filled with equipment and ephemera from days gone by. Immersive exhibits take you back to the tower's construction in 1914 and the Prohibition era. The tower was the tallest building on the West Coast for nearly 50 years until it was surpassed by the Space Needle. Visiting at sunset is an excellent idea. // 506 Second Ave., smithtower.com/observatory-bar
Sunday Night: Dinner at La Loba
Scallop crudo at La Loba
(Courtesy of La Loba/1 Hotel Seattle)
La Loba is quite simply a delight for the senses. A buzzy new restaurant attached to 1 Hotel Seattle, it's got a menu full of tantalizing small plates and a wonderful list of mostly domestic and Spanish wines. Local ingredients are treated with techniques and approaches popularized in places like El Bulli in Spain. Striploin carpaccio is draped over pani puri and served with goat cheese and black truffle. Scallop crudo is presented in scallop shells, draped in a cold sauce inspired by the flavors of the iconic Thai soup tom kha kai, dotted with candied lime and pickled jalapeños.
// 2125 Terry Ave., 1hotels.com/seattle/taste/la-loba
Monday Morning: Breakfast at Pan de la Selva
(Amy Sherman)
Before heading to the airport, swing by Pan de la Selva for the best (not to mention most creative) pan dulce ever, such as an Earl Grey blueberry concha, a cardamom panela bun with orange blossom glaze, a matcha pistachio concha, and a guava rhubarb and queso semita. The cheerful space is part of the Seattle Restored program, which offers prime locations to startup businesses. The most difficult decision isn’t just deciding which pastry to choose, but figuring out how soon you can get back to Seattle for more exploration.
// 600 Fourth Ave., pandelaselva.com
