In August I had a chance to go to Seattle to visit my boyfriend E’s family. I hadn’t been to Seattle in many years so was excited to return. Being a foodie, I was especially looking forward to exploring Seattle’s Pike Place Market.
Have you been? If not I highly recommend booking a trip. I know you’ll be enticed once I share all the highlights from our Viator Original Food and Culture Tour of Pike Place Market. With 10 floors and over 500 vendors, there’s lots to see. Our tour was just a sampling.
Beautiful bouquets of flowers have been sold at the Market by Vietnamese vendors for many years
Soul of Seattle
According to its website: Pike Place Market has been a “Seattle icon for more than a century and spans nine historic acres in the center of downtown. Founded in 1907, the Market is one of the oldest and largest continuously operating public markets in the United States.” It is serviced by hundreds of farmers, crafters, small businesses, and residents.
Pikes Place Market is a top tourist attraction in Seattle
An icky, sticky Gum Wall
“For the next two hours you”ll sample food, hear the story behind the food, and have fun,” said our guide Nick as we met up at the Improv Theatre on the upper level to begin our tour. Nick grew up in Seattle and loved going to Pike Place Market. He had numerous tales to tell.
Upon exiting the theatre we were hit with tons of tourists taking pictures in front of a wall of gum. I was curious to learn more about this popular work of art.
Had to take my pic in front of the Gum Wall
“The Gum Wall started in the early 90s when a guy placed gum on the wall and stuck a coin on it,” said Nick. “People plucked the coins off and then it was a gum wall. The Market cleaned it off and people kept putting more gum back. In 2015 they cleaned off 2300 pounds of gum. Now they clean it every few years. It’s the second germiest tourist attraction. The Blarney Stone in Ireland is #1.”
One of the most recognizable symbols of Seattle
While we stood in front clicking pics of the famous Pike Place Market Sign and Clock, Nick told us about the Market’s early beginnings . “In 1907 when the Market started, you could host a public market on public land. Ten farmers showed up and 2000 people showed up. Food sold out by noon. It was so successful,” he said
The famous Pike Place Market Sign and Clock
My AI research notes: “The Market was open for 30 years before the iconic Sign and Clock was erected in 1937. It sits three stories tall, with fragile neon lights, and a challenging rooftop positioning. A few years ago the Sign and Clock underwent a restoration and preservation project.”
Rachel the bronze piggy bank is a guradian of the Market — her donations raise over $20,000 a year to support the community
Time for the donuts and more goodies
Are you ready for our foodie adventure? Ooh, ooh, ooh, this part of the post will make you hungry!
Let it roll….
First up was Daily Dozen Donuts: “They have nailed it down to a science. A robot makes 10,000 donuts a day,” said Nick. The mini donuts were topped with cinnamon and sugar and tasted more like a beignet or churro. They were so good, so good, so good.
Time for the donuts
Before heading over to our next sampling, we stopped to at Pike Place Fish Co, whose team is known for its fish throwing skills. “They do a practical toss and ship it within a day,” said Nick. “The tourist toss includes a large salmon that they won’t sell.” The fishery is fully sustainable.
Sample two was at Oriental Mart where Chef Lila won a James Beard Award for the food she serves at her small Market lunch counter. Our tasting included Filipino sausage, egg rolls. and mango juice. It was so good, so good, so good.
Chef Lila has a tiny lunch cafe where she makes award-winning Filipino food
Stop three was Franks Produce Stand which has been selling seasonal and delicious produce since 1926. “They source amazing produce from all over the world,” said Nick. We tasted nectarines, pretty lady grapes, and Washington Rainier Cherries — some of the sweetest cherries in the world. The cherries were my favs – so good, so good, so good.
It was a short walk to our fourth tasting at Pike Place Chowder. There were long lines around the block for this chowder which features clams, bacon, and half and half. It was quite rich but I managed to eat it all – so good, so good, so good.
The purveyors of Franks Produce Stand are known as the fruit and vegetable whisperers
Nearby was sip five at Rachel’s Ginger Beer. Female-owned, this popular ginger beer is made in Seattle using fresh water, lemons, pure cane sugar and ginger. I’m not a beer drinker but I love anything ginger so I really liked it. In fact, I enjoyed a full glass on another day during my vacay.
Next we took a short break to see the outside veranda where there are beautiful views of Elliot Bay, West Seattle, and the Seattle Ferris Wheel. We also walked around the local vendors who sell their handmade crafts and jewelry. Nick told us that it’s a rigorous process to get get a booth at the Market.
On to sample six for a sweet treat of Seattle’s Chukar Cherries chocolate covered Ranier cherries. We tasted one with cocoa powder, one dried, one chocolate covered and a bonus chocolate covered pecan. All so good, so good, so good.
Seattle’s Chukar Cherries sells a variety of chocolate covered Washington State cherries and other delicacies
Winding down at seven was Hellenika Cultured Creamery for handcrafted cultured Greek gelato. We tasted London Fog, flavored with earl grey tea and Washington milk. Each serving provides 6 grams of protein. A few steps away was the oldest Starbucks coffee shop — OMG Nick said sometimes the lines can last five hours to get into the shop since it’s such a tourist attraction.
For the finale #8 we went to Mr Fish and Chips. It’s owner Chef Tom was on Iron Chef. Chef Tom faced off against Chef Morimoto on a TV food competition. My tummy just about had enough room for a nibble of Chef Tom’s Alaskan beer battered cod over homemade slaw. It was so good, so good, so good.
Had to make room for fried fish and homemade slaw from Mr Fish and Chips
Wow! What an afternoon. I think I could have walked miles to walk off the calories — but it was sure worth it.
Until next time…
Judi the fullest foodie
