Compiling a Seattle eating guide could be the new painting the Forth Bridge. Seattle has around 1,600 restaurants and a population of 800,000 people – that's one restaurant for every 500 people. London has around 15,000 restaurants and a population of nine million – so one restaurant for every 600 people.
Conversations in this city rarely run for long before the subject of food comes up, be it a new restaurant recommendation, an essential local snack, or all points in between. Here are my picks from a recent graze through the city..
. Pike Place Market Like so many visitors to Seattle , we're going to start at Pike Place market. It is, admittedly, a bit of cliché but there are some gems to be found there – I was particularly taken with a stall selling "really really big ass shrimp".
The entire, sprawling, multi-level building is always a fun place to wander but, for me, there's only one starting point: Chukar Cherries . While the cherries are great, the chocolate covered ones are truly addictive – do not leave me alone with a bag of their Honey Pecans..
. From there, it's a short stroll to the ever-dependable Beecher's Handmade Cheese shop and then around the corner to Pike Place Chowder . I've spent a bit of time researching chowder (consuming gallons for a feature) on the East Coast and, frankly, this is better.
Queues outside are often long, but if you're in a hurry you can order online for their pick-up window. Also worth the diversion, and one that will leave you.