Suggestions for person moving to Seattle

[Chew on That]

My brother just got a job out in Seattle and is moving out there mid-November. We're from Chicago and he's never been there. What are some good grocery stores or restaurants to ease him through the transition?

Or what's notable about Seattle cuisine that he should know about as a future resident?

[jbyoga]

The Teapot! Great Veg place that is loved by meat eaters as well. Never had a bad meal there!

[skisvalley]

You can't beat Canlis if you need something sophisticated in this city-thank goodness someone still has a dress code. I cant stand spending a fortune for dinner, and having to sit next to someone in polar fleece, cargo pants, and flip flops. Mind you I have all these things in my closet, but can't we still get dressed sometimes.

[howard 1st]

if clothes (especially those of persons at other tables...) have that much effect on your dining pleasure then perhaps you should don your tuxedo/long gloves and dine at olive garden (prom nights would be ideal...)

[paulj]

Like the well dressed customers in the current Buca ad? :)

[Toni6921]

I agree. I am from the east coast and boyfriend lives in Seattle. I will be going clothes shopping with him when I visit.

[paulj]

Any idea of what neighborhood he's going settle in?

What kind of shopping and eating does he like in Chicago?

It's been a long time since I lived in the Chicago area. While I mostly shopped at one of the newer, larger Dominicks, I also shopped the warehouse-like Cub, with occasional trips to markets in Chinatown, Indian shops, and Mexican ones.

For a long time Top foods was my favorite Seattle area chain. Now I mainly shop at Trader Joes (which is also the Chicago area), 99 Ranch (a large Asian shop), with less frequent stops at Central Market, and rare gawk at the prices at Whole Foods. I could also mention a meat market and a couple of poly-ethnic produce stands, but that would be of value only if we are talking about the same neighborhood.

paulj

[paulj]

Long before the likes of Whole Foods came a long, Chicago had a local chain called Treasure some-thing-or-other with lots of imported items. Seattle had until recently as similar chain, Larrys Markets.
paulj

[bluedog67]

I love Met Market, and while it can be more expensive, it is usually worth it. I admit I go to QFC for toilet paper, etc for better prices, but the produce is better. I have a friend who worked in produce imports, and he said that even when the produce is "the same" Met Market gets first pick (as do other small chains like central markets), so things will be fresher, less bruised, etc. I will also add that QFC is trying to step up with improrted cheeses, etc. And can't forget Trader Joe's!

[jaydeflix]

What surprised the heck out of me was that the Cougar Mountain cookies are actually less expensive at Met Market (2.99) then at, say, Ballard Market (my market of choice).

[cocktailhour]

I am always pleased with the quality at Met Market, and I like supporting a local chain. The produce at a QFC or Safeway us not hearly as good, when I have compared, nor do they carry the variety I can find at Met Market. I also go to the farmer market most weekends. I know I am in the minority, but I don't really like Trader Joe's--their cheese and produce have always gone bad for me very soon after purchase.

[jaydeflix]

I never buy produce at TJs, just the snack stuff, chips, and the bagged nuts and dried fruit.. I'll get a thing of crumbled cheese, but that just lasted a week on my salad.

If I moved to the top of QA, I'd shop at Met Market more, I wager, but Ballard Market (also of the local chain variety) is local for me now =)

[bluedog67]

you bet, Ballard market has that awesome salad bar, and pretty good produce. and yes, TJs is not good for produce unless you like mold. but i get pizza dough there and love the nuts and snacke choices.

my favorite thing about met market is the service! everyone is knowledgeable friendly, and once, on the Wed before Thanksgiving, someone walked me down each aisle until I found everything on my list!

[northwestkiwi]

I live on the Eastside, and I've found both Whole Foods stores over here (Redmond and Bellevue) to be excellent! While the prices may be a little higher than a Farmer's Market or regular supermarket, the quality is superb and it's convenient to have everything you need in one place (compared to some Farmer's Markets etc).

Also, there's still a Larry's Market over here in Redmond - but I prefer Whole Foods!

[jenn]

we'll be getting to Seattle about a month ahead of your brother! I hope he will be planning to share his discoveries.

If he is into foodish things, I found a great book on Seattle called "the Food Lover's Guide to Seattle" by Katy Calcott. It lists all kinds of food and sources for ingrediants. You should be able to buy it on-line from Powells or Elliot Bay Books [did I get that name right?].

When we go to Seattle we always like going to the Market and getting fish--smoked or fresh. The last time we went we really liked the cheese from Beechers which is also in the Market. And I confess, while I know there is controversy and many say it is NOT the best, I like Ivars Chowder especially at happy hour with a beer watching the ferry boats sail away........

http://books.google.com/books?id=6LDu...

[Hanads]

Welcome to Seattle! I think what's notable about northwest food is our dedication to fresh, locally grown produce. I read a report once that Seattle supermarket chains had to duplicate the 'farmers market' look to increase sales. Besides the always crowded Pikes Place Market, check out the neighborhood farmers markets. The Ballard market is year-round and will be open when your brother arrives.

My favorite grocery stores are Metropolitan Market, Uwajimaya and Madison Market. If you're a meat lover you should definitely check out A&J Meats, just a few blocks away from the Queen Anne Met Market.

Enjoy!

[mrnelso]

Big John's PFI 1001 6th Ave S (all the way down the driveway ramp, at the end).
John Croce started Pacific Food Importers out of his car in 1971 and now furnishes exotic Meditteranean import foods to local restaurants and grocers, with this little treasure of a retail outlet tucked away behind the old INS building.Anyone who cooks needs to know this place.

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Co....

[howard 1st]

agree on metropolitan markets and also a great fan of central market (155th/aurora) and its sisters in ballard, greenwood and marysville - of course, the mother of them all is pike place market which, even as it drips t-shirts and tourist chatchkes, remains a superb market for local folks

[barleywino]

my guess is that to ease him through the transition, he'll want to locate some chicago favorites (deep dish pizza, ribs, sausages/brats, gyros...a tough call around here)

[Chew on That]

Thanks! That's a good point. Anyone know of any Chicago style food out there?

[MsMaryMc]

Matt's Famous Hot Dogs (several locations) has pretty good dogs, which they claim are Chicago-style (can't judge that myself). Greek food is a lot less prevalent here than in Chicago, but Nikos Gyros on Magnolia makes a pretty good gyro. But if anybody has found a really good deep dish pizza in or near Seattle, I want to know about it! Some people swear by Delfino's in University Village, but I was sorely disappointed there. The closest I've had to the real deal is The Pizza Place, way up in North Bend.

[flams53]

Wallingford Pizza House makes some tasty deep dish that I prefer to Delfino's. While I'm no expert on the topic (as a displaced New Yorker who has only been to Chicago a few times), I don't think it's really Chicago style (it only takes 15 minutes for them to make it), but definitely worth a taste.

My favorite is the "garlic van goat" with red sauce. So you know, the name's all alliteration--there's no goat--and if you forget to say "with red sauce," it won't be there.

[jaydeflix]

There's a place out in North Bend area who has a deep dish that is supposedly really good.

Madame K's has a pretty good deep dish too.

[cocktailhour]

This board has lots of good restaurants. What are you looking for? For grocery stores, I like Metropolitan Market. Uwajimaya is fun too. Classic Seattle food: Pacific wild salmon, dungeness crab, clam chowder, seafood, pan-Asian, lots of fresh, local ingredients.

[eternalX]

Metro Market is SO expensive. I always feel I'm getting ripped off. The only thing worse is Whole Foods.

I miss Larry's. it was my favorite. People were nice, quality of the food was good and the prices were acceptably higher. I don't mind paying a little more for local or organic items or high quality meats and cheese, but to pay twice as much for the same New Zealand apple just makes me angry. I've basically vowed to stop going there and spend most of my grocery money at the market. Otherwise, Uwajimaya is a good backup.