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Where designers should go: Seattle IXDA ’19 edition

[Updated 1-31-19]

I love Seattle and enjoy showing people why. When visitors interested in design or engineering come to town, they often ask me for cool places to check out. Here is my list (revised for Interaction ’19) aimed at those folks, followed by some basic advice useful to anyone coming to visit. It’s a mix of local must-sees, unique food, inspiring architecture and more.

1. Where to eat and drink, that’s good and close by

The main venue for Interaction ’19 is on the Amazon urban campus, on the edge of the downtown and SLU (south lake union) neighborhoods. This is an expensive and somewhat boring part of town (it’s dominated by Amazon employees), but easy walking distance to some good choices. All these recommendations are conveniently within a 10-minute walk from the main conference building.

  • Home Remedy – a funky mix of a local deli and grocery store. Open till 9pm.
  • Suite 410 – small, classy bar with fantastic service and cocktails.
  • Lola – Modern upscale Greek food (Part of the local Tom Douglas restaurant empire).
  • Cursed Oak – great bar and restaurant with small, tasty plates. Good for groups. (located on the edge of Belltown neighborhood, so walk north on 1st and 2nd afterwards for more nightlife fun).
  • Local Pho / Pho 25 –  Pho is a fantastic Vietnamese soup, very popular here. Try it. Inexpensive. Hot. Fast. Delicious.  A Seattle lunchtime staple.
  • Serious Pie – delightful pizza (vaguely Sicilian in style, but higher end with fancy ingredients). Seattle mostly has terrible pizza (yes, I’m a former NY’er), exceptions include Big Mario’s on Pike and Big Mamas.
  • Biscuit Bitch – Southern-inspired breakfast/lunch place with an attitude.
  • Rob Roy – one of the best cocktail bars in the area.
  • Shorty’s – dive bar with video games, pinball and lots of old Seattle charm. Located in Belltown with many other food and nightlife options nearby.
  • Portage Bay Cafe – great brunch place, in the heart of Amazon land. Excellent healthy options, lively staff, a good choice all around.

2. If you have more time or crave local adventure

  1. Seattle Public Library (10-minute walk) – odd and underwhelming on the outside,  inside is a design wonderland: are many great choices: neon yellow escalators, exposed girders, red blob like walls, spiral verticals. Easy to find on 4th avenue. Free. Ask at the information desk for the self-guiding tour pamphlet.
  2. Pike Place Market (10-minute walk) – has a touristy reputation (the whole fish throwing thing) but it’s a huge complex with many places locals love. Including Daily Dozen Doughnuts It’s in a tiny, beat up stall in a busy part of the market, but well worth the $3 for a half dozen fresh little mixed delights, as you get to watch the wondrous Donut Robot Mark II make your doughnuts for you. Wander the market first for lunch, then stop here for dessert. Radiator Whiskey is a great whiskey bar nearby, and Matt’s in the Market is the best seafood place (upscale) in the area. Best cheap eats seafood, that’s super fresh is Jack’s Fish Spot (hard to find – it’s just a stall so be prepared to ask). Also, see the wall of gum wall for weird public art / social custom behavior.
  3. Freeway Park (10 minutes) – this most unusual urban park should not be missed if you’re into urban design. It’s a funky, curious and inspiring combination of cement paths and walkways, greenspaces and stairs. It’s a short cut of a kind from downtown to First Hill / Capitol Hill.
  4. Capitol Coffee Works (15-minute walk) – in the heart of the funky (but gentrifying) Capitol Hill neighborhood, this coffee shop has the right mix of good coffee, great people watching, wifi and the rest. Just a short stretch from lots of shops, restaurants and fun. Capitol Hill Cider is a great place (all food gluten-free if that’s how you roll) for drinking and eating, right in the heart of things. Optimism brewery is great for groups, lots of space, gorgeous industrial/wood building, and you can bring your own food (they always have a food truck too).  A bit of a walk
  5. Olympic Sculpture Park (15-minute walk)  – On the north end of downtown Seattle is an outdoor park with various works of art. it’s a great walk or run on a nice day, with views of Puget Sound and the Olympic mountains and a little beach where you can sit and chill. The 5 point cafe is a 24-hour dive-y dinner nearby, good food and some attitude,  with lots of Seattle history. Also, Green Leaf is excellent Vietnamese food that does take-out.
  6. Take a ferry ride – this is a great way to see some of the nature around Seattle without working very hard.  Seattle has the nation’s largest ferry system, taking people and their cars out to the islands and back. The shortest ferry ride is to Bainbridge island, just 30 minutes each way ($8 round trip if no car). I’ve had lunch meetings with friends where we bring food, take the ferry out and back, and then go back to work (or get a bite near the ferry terminal on the Bainbridge side). It’s relaxing, charming, and has many design and engineering things to be curious about.If you have more time make an afternoon of it.
  7. Gasworks park (Lyft/Uber). Take an old construction plant, add love and some Seattle funk, and you get one of the most interesting urban parks in the country. Quietly tucked away a few blocks from the Fremont neighborhood, I’ve spent many a good afternoon watching kids fly kites and having a bite down by the water. (Don’t miss the human sundial on the top of the hill). Add-a-ball is a nearby video arcade and bar, and head to Brouwers for a gastro-pub with an amazing beer selection (and gloriously Belgian vibe).
  8. Purple (downtown, 10-minute walk). This local wine-bar chain’s downtown location centers on a two-story bar sculpture that’s worth staring at for at least one good drink (Photo above). You can head down two blocks for dinner at Wild Ginger a touristy but reliable Asian-fusion experience, or better yet, catch a show at the glorious Triple Door theater, which serves dinner and drinks from Wild Ginger to your seat. (If you’re more budget minded, head over to Dragonfish, for a great atmosphere, many specials and a funky interior design).
  9. Peter Miller books. This is the best design/architecture bookstore in the city (Although Elliot Bay books in Capitol Hill is a better general bookstore and in a more interesting location). Located just down from Pike Place Market on Post Alley.
  10. Top Pot Doughnuts (5th avenue). The downtown location is right on the famed (but surprisingly short) monorail, giving views of what might have been for Seattle urban transit (great fodder for prolonged doughnut/coffee-fueled discussions). The doughnuts are sublime works of food design, but the crazy floor to ceiling bookshelves, free wi-fi and loungy upstairs seating makes this place worthy of some extended leisure time.
  11. Rhein House beer hall and Bocchi ball –  if you’re a big group, you can’t go wrong here. German-themed food and drinks in a big place with outdoor seating. Also a few blocks away is Seattle University, with one of the funkiest churches you’ll ever see. It’s almost next door to Canon, a nationally rated cocktail bar.
  12. Museum of Pop Culture (formerly known as  The Experience Music Project). Call it a Gehry on acid or Seattle’s 2nd most interesting building (SPL being #1), Also gives you a peek at the neighboring Space needle (not quite worth the price to go up IMO) and the aging science center nearby.
  13. Amazon Spheres (aka Bezos balls) – it’s certainly striking to look at but you have to wonder if this really made a lot of sense (it’s not really open to the public, and it’s a very low building in what could be a high-density place).

3. Basic things you should know (travel guide) 

Seattle is the #18th largest U.S. city by population (despite an infrastructure not scaling well to that size). Its location in the northwest corner of the U.S. (called PNW or Pacific Northwest) is surrounded by mountains and water, and has a great reputation for culture, arts, food and liberal political views! Vancouver is the nearest city to the north (Canada) and Portland to the South – all three share the same weather and are equidistant (about 2.5 hours drive or 3.5 hour train), which make for a good day trip or getaway.

4. Getting around (Walk / transit / Uber / Lyft)

The airport is 35 minutes by car, off-peak, from downtown, but the light-rail takes 45 minutes and is new, convenient and inexpensive (has several downtown stops). The Westlake stop is the closest to the IXDA venue.

Seattle is a city of little neighborhoods, but some are walkable and others are far apart. Buses are the main public transportation, plus a light-rail that runs north-south, all the way from the University of Washington to the north, through the core of the city, and down south to the airport. The buses, the light-rail and the street-cars all use the same payment system: The Orca card, which you can usually buy from any light-rail or street-car station. You load it up with cash and refill when needed.  Lyft and Uber are very popular too. Traffic is terrible here during rush-hours so avoid them.

Quick Seattle neighborhood rundown:

  • Downtown: some major tourist sites are here and it’s where people work, but not where most of the fun/culture is.
  • Capitol Hill: the core arts/culture neighborhood (although it has gentrified in the last 15 years). Great food, nightlife, music, people watching, and late night activity. Cal Anderson park is great and central. Walking up Broadway (the main street, a block from Cal Anderson) will reveal lots of shops, cafes, restaurants, etc. Make sure to look for the sidewalk street art of dance steps. And the map of amazing murals in the neighborhood.
  • International District: (south of downtown) it’s Seattle’s equivalent of an Asian district and it’s where much of the best food from those regions and nightlife are. Jade Garden is famous for it’s Dim Sum (and they’re open late). Just south of downtown, near the sports stadiums.
  • Belltown: just north of downtown, 1st and 2 ave run to the north with a long stretch of nightlife/restaurants and shops – more upscale and uptight than Capitol hill, but you’re also near the waterfront (yay views).
  • Fremont: north of the city, it’s also a funky arts/nighlife/shopping area, but smaller than capital hill and more laid back.
  • Pioneer Square: the oldest part of the city. Ferry terminals are near here.  Underground tour and other tourist attractions are here as well as some resteraunts and shops.
  • Ballard – northwest of the city and a bit far, but has its own wonderful vibe. Staple and Fancy is one of my favorite restaurants and it’s here.
  • South Lake Union (SLU): Amazon is headquartered here and the neighborhood is filled with new construction, high-end restaraunts, and bars.

5. Culture/Travel notes

  • Marijuana is legal (yay). Designated stores sell everything from joints (aka pre-roll) all the way on up. Technically it’s not legal to smoke it in public, but it’s generally tolerated and you’ll probably see (and smell) people using it outside. And just like the rest of America, you are not allowed to drink alcohol in public.
  • Tipping is often expected (15-20%) but many Seattle restaurants have switched to a built-in service fee, so check your checks before you pay or ask the waiter/waitress.
  • Seattle is generally pretty safe IMO but it’s all about knowing what neighborhoods/blocks to avoid/etc. especially late at night. If you’re not sure Lyft/Uber is reliable.
  • Generally, people dress casually here – lots of t-shirts, shorts, jeans and sandals, even out at night. Clubs and fancy places can be different.

6. Things to do and see  (Touristy / Downtown)

  • Underground tour – sounds cheesy but it’s actually well done and quite fun. Walks you through the original city (currently underneath Pioneer square) and tells the story of the big fire, how they rebuilt the city, etc. Surprisingly fascinating. Takes about 2 hours (though I got bored after the first hour, I’d still recommend it).
  • Best view: you can get a spectacular view of Seattle from the rooftop bar at the Thompson Hotel (on 1st ave). It’s an expensive bar ($$$$) but worth getting a drink and looking at the skyline, the waterfront and the mountains.
  • The Space Needle is part of Seattle Center, where the world’s fair was in the 1970s (It’s still a lovely park). The needle itself is popular but a bit boring and VERY touristy (don’t eat at the restaurant there!)  – there are some good museums near it, including the Museum of Pop Culture  or the Pacific Science Center (a bit run down, but OK) I’d check to see what special exhibits they have.
  • Kayaking – Since the city is on the water ther are many places to rent kayaks from. Here’s one http://aguaverde.com/paddleclub/ – it’s also right next to the University of Washington (which has a beautiful campus to stroll through), and literally walking distance away from a Aqua Verde, good Mexican place with views of the water. Also, Portage Bay café isn’t far.
  • Hiking – There are a crazy number of options I won’t even bother to list them. All levels, all different kinds. A good searchable list of them can be found at the Washington Trail Association.

7. Other food/drink recommendations

Seattle has an excellent food scene – highlights include seafood, Thai, Vietnamese, weird fusion places and more. Capitol Hill and Belltown are two easy neighborhoods to explore for food and drink (Ballard is another excellent neighborhood, but it’s further away). In these neighborhoods, it’s easy to experience lots of Seattle’s best food and bar experiences.

A personal list of favorite places I recommend to visitors:

  • Momji – a great sushi place, but expensive (they have happy hour specials tho) – Capitol Hill
  • Excellent Indian/Nepalise food at http://annapurnacafe.com/  – I love this place, great food, not that expensive and good people watching. Capitol Hill, right by the light rail station. The (in)famous Dick’s burgers is just a block away.
  • Pinxto – small plates / Tapas, on the edge of Belltown.
  • Etta’s seafood – not as fancy as Matt’s but right by Pike Place and a classic Seattle joint.
  • 5 point café – a dive bar/dinner that’s an experience. Open 24 hours. Cheap drinks. Good diner food. It’s the last bastion of an older Seattle, hanging on at the edge of Belltown.
There are many microbreweries/pubs here, but I’m not much of a beer drinker. I can say Optimism brewery, in cap hill, is a lovely place for communal beer drinking – it’s on Capitol Hill, you can bring food in (they often have a food truck too).
  • Six Arms / Mcmenamins – lovely simple pub with good food, good drinks, good vibe. On the edge of Capital Hill towards Downtown. I’m here a lot. (Mcmenamins is a local chain of pubs where they bought old properties and renovated them – very cool)  – it’s also across the street from the largest/fanciest Starbucks in Seattle – worth walking in even if you don’t like coffee. Lots of tourists but it’s still impressive and they have good food.
  • Linda’s Tavern – this is one of the old school bars where Nirvana and Soundgarden used to hang out.
  • Grimm’s – fancy gastro-pub on Capital Hill.
  • Capital Cider – The single best bar in Seattle if you are into cider – really great. Good food too.
  • Canon – one of the top bars in the U.S. Very lovely, but tiny – get there early. They don’t take reservations and it gets busy Th/Fr/Sat.
  • Tavern Law – another top-rated cocktail bar – first rate, good but fancy small plates (there’s a speakeasy upstairs).

8. Not enough for you? Well then…