Pike Place Market

(Originally posted 7/5/06)

One of the most popular tourist destinations in Seattle is the Pike Place Market. This is akin to our own Fanueil Hall Marketplace but I think Pike Place is a far better destination. It is far less touristy than Fanueil Hall, the food is less expensive, there is much more variety and it is larger. We spent much of a day meandering around Pike Place, eating our way through. Here are some of the highlights.

The Crumpet Shop--large, moist crumpets that can be topped by a variety of things from simple butter to eggs and ham.

DeLaurenti Specialty Food & Wine---A large grocery store with lots of fresh meats and cheeses, as well as good wine selection.

Crepe de France--Had a tasty ham and cheese crepe

Beecher's Handmade Cheese--One of the best macaroni and cheese dishes I have ever had. Penne pasta with their own signature cheese. It goes right to the arteries.

Belle's Buns--A superb cinnamon pecan bun, large, moist and full of rich cinnamon and lots of nuts.

Vital Tea Leaf--This store sold loose leaf teas and all the accoutrements for tea making (http://vitaltleaf.com/). You are able to sit down here at a counter where you are served samples of various teas. You get to watch them prepare and brew the tea. It is a marvel to watch and it is evident they know what they are doing. A nice place to relax after walking around the market for awhile. Be warned that most of these are not inexpensive teas. Many of the teas cost $50-200 a pound. But, they are quite tasty and you do not need to buy alot to have enough tea leaves for many pots. A few ounces will do well. We bought some Jasmine tea and Pu-erh, a black tea.

We also got to sample some fruit, candies, smoked salmon and other items as we passed by a number of stalls and stores. The market should be a definite stop for anyone visiting Seattle.

http://www.pikeplacemarket.org