SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT Katie Pesznecker and husband Joe head out on a birthday jaunt to the Emerald City. A game, a hotel, some adventures + delicious eats. This is her report.
We were sleepless in Seattle on a recent long-weekend trip to Alaska’s nearest big city, and it proved a reminder of what a gem we have just a single flight away from Anchorage at any time of the year.
The occasion on this trip: my mid-December birthday, holiday season shopping, and attending an NFL game. But the great thing about Seattle is any number of events, holidays or occasions are excuses to enjoy the Emerald City, especially for Alaskans. It’s the easiest place to go from Anchorage, with ample daily non-stop flights. And with its ever-evolving roster of restaurants, markets, shopping, and cultural and athletic displays, you can head on down to Seattle any time of year and make a fun-filled weekend out of it.
Our first stop, always: the venerable Pike Place Market. No matter the time of year, Pike is iconic, with its colorful produce stalls, fresh seafood stands, artisan crafts and overflowing flower booths, not to mention a hive of coffee shops, cafes and restaurants.
Boisterous buskers and engaging sellers unfailingly ramp up the energy. Even on the dampest day, the market is a bright spot on any Seattle itinerary. Beecher’s Handmade Cheese is a must-do for me. Husband Joe and I shared a small portion of the creamy, gooey classic mac and cheese, which tasted delicious and comforting after tromping around in the Seatle drizzle.
We also made sure to venture out back of the Pike Place Market, where views of Puget Sound are better than ever thanks to the removal of the eyesore viaduct and the installation of a series of paths and steps that make their way down to the expansive aquarium facility. There are great views here of the water, the impressive Seattle Wheel, and the city beyond.
After a busy morning, we happened upon lunch at a restaurant called the Hart and the Hunter located in the Palihotel. The restaurant is a spinoff of its original Los Angeles location and styles itself around elevated comfort food. My grilled cheese came on locally sourced wheat bread with a blend of Washington cheeses, and Joe’s velvety clam chowder was served with half of a classic Rueben sandwich.
As friends started to arrive in town and get off work for the day, our group grew and we ventured out for an evening of dining and pub-hopping. Our first stop: dinner at La Fontana, a Sicilian restaurant situated in a 100-year-old building in the Belltown neighborhood. In the summer, seating expands around a brick courtyard with a centerpiece fountain. In winter, the restaurant is cozier and more intimate, with warm candlelit ambiance.
Dinner at La Fontana was personal and unhurried. Our table’s array of dinner dishes included a special chicken and artichoke dish with roasted potatoes; a tortellini dish with gorgonzola, pine nuts, and a touch of cream; and a delicious arugula salad.
Belltown remains a fun and lively nighttime neighborhood loaded with pubs, from divey joints to stylized speakeasys to craft cocktail bars. Stops included Jupiter Bar, with a pizza oven and a game area in the back stuffed with pinball machines.
Following that, it was more pints and pinball at Shorty’s. Seattle really does love its pinball and many bars sport the game, but Shorty’s styles itself as the original Seattle pinball bar, founded in 1997. Shorty’s truly is a Seattle nightlife institution, with whimsical carnival-inspired décor, a long and colorful arcade room filled with nearly 20 pinball machines, and a quirky menu that includes multiple creative hot dogs.
We ended the night at Cyclops Café and Lounge, a corner pub with a cadre of regulars and laid-back bartenders who set a mellow mood. Cyclops has brunch and happy hour menus and serves food fairly late, a good note for folks craving an evening bite.
Saturday morning, we woke up hungry with one destination in mind: The 5 Point Café in Queen Anne. Somehow, I’d managed to never go to this legendary café and dive bar that is approaching its 100th anniversary (one neon sign reads “We cheat tourists-n-drunks since 1929”). Check out its history in this write-up on the website. It sits on the edge of Tilikum Place park, a brick square with a large fountain and a direct view of the towering Space Needle.
5 Point Café’s reputation is rooted in no-frills service, stiff drinks (all day), and generous portions of delicious diner food. It’s intentionally grunge in true Seattle fashion, slathered in band stickers, with bathroom walls covered in graffiti – and fronted with a neon sign that reads, “Please don’t do coke in the bathroom.”
We waited about 10 minutes for a table, and considering the place was packed and it was a Saturday morning, this felt more than reasonable. Once seated, our crew ordered Irish coffees and mimosas. Joe and I split The Mess, a concoction of hashbrowns, sausage, bacon, cheese, jalapeños and eggs, which hit the spot after the previous late night in Belltown.
We spent the day wandering the city, visiting coffee shops, and returning to Pike Place Market. Saturday evening, we shifted location to Capitol Hill, another good-time neighborhood known for its arts and culture scene, hip residential options, and for serving as a hub for the LGBTQ+ community. We selected the Comet Tavern as our meeting spot, as friends rolled in for an evening celebrating my birthday. With brick walls, high ceilings, exposed piping and pool tables, Comet gave off strong Pacific Northwest vibes. Huge booths provided the perfect place to gather the group together before heading on to dinner.
Dinner, conveniently, was directly across the street at Poquitos, an upscale Mexican restaurant with locally sourced meats and produce and imported ingredients to support a menu featuring dishes that showcase culinary traditions of Mexico. Poquitos is all-ages which is great for families and people traveling with kids, and the ambiance coupled classy with laid-back for a fun Saturday night dining experience.
Our awesome waiter was responsive and friendly, and when he learned it was my birthday, ended our night with a complimentary plate of churros with caramel sauce, topped with a lit birthday candle of course.
After Poquitos, we explored a couple more Capitol Hill bars, starting with Linda’s Tavern. Teeming with rambunctious energy, the neighborhood pub was decorated to the nines, embracing the holiday theme.
We got lots of steps walking around the busy neighborhood, and ended up basically back where we started, at the Lost Lake Café and Lounge, which adjoins the Comet Tavern.
Finally we had come to Sunday, game day! Kickoff wasn’t until after 5 p.m. which allowed time for one last outing, this time to the highly recommended restaurant Ben Paris, just uphill from Pike Place Market. I was grateful we had reservations for our group of six because downtown was packed, namely with roving visitors clad head-to-toe in Green Bay Packers attire, as the midwestern team was set to square off against the beloved Seattle Seahawks. It was a real experience simply being in the city on game day and seeing how it visibly shifted the landscape.
Because it was a Sunday, we chose from the weekend brunch menu. Several of us ordered the house-made chive biscuit sandwich with fennel sausage, Beecher’s cheddar, spicy mayo, pickled Fresno chilis and a fried egg. The Yukon potatoes served alongside the sandwich were exceptionally crispy on the outside and insanely fluffy on the inside. I would have been happy with a bowl of those alone. The table also shared a ricotta pancake with fresh berries and vanilla bean anglaise, a sweet bite to top off a savory start to the day.
Finally it was time to make our way to the stadium. It was shockingly nice weather for Seattle that Sunday, with blue skies and only a light breeze. Like good Alaskans, we wore many layers and packed our possessions in clear plastic stadium bags (thanks Amazon!), as most venues prefer these days.
In real time, the NFL season is drawing to a close, and it’s probably too late for most to attend a game this season. But if you’re a football fan, consider adding a Seahawks game to your 2025 adventure wish list. The Seahawks fans were open and gracious with us Packers fans who invaded their turf (go Pack go!).
Lumen Field is a gorgeous stadium, easy to access and get around. I had imagined long lines and logistical headaches and nothing could be further from the truth of the experience. Well-staffed and clean, the venue was packed with service options, whether you needed a brat or beer or bathroom. The ease of use was impressive and enabled fans to spend their time watching the game, not standing in lines.
The game itself was incredible, a high-energy experience that flew by, accentuated by a half time over-the-top drone show. Afterward, our group reunited at Cyclops one last time to toast our incredibly packed and fulfilling weekend in Seattle.
It had been several years since I spent a leisurely weekend in the Emerald City, a place that’s usually where I stop long enough only to change flights at Sea-Tac. It served as a great reminder that when we Alaskans are craving an urban break with some big-city offerings and experiences, we’re lucky that one isn’t far away at all.
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