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Categories: Fruits & Veggies, Farmers Market, Seafood Markets [Edit]
Neighborhood: Downtown
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The Market has enriched my Seattle experience because it offers a departure from the norm.
Indulge in culinary delights:
-A savory or sweet piroshky from the Russian bakery
-Mediterranean/Italian to-go meals from Michou Fresca
-Baklava from the Greek food stands
-Warm buttery croissants from Le Panier Very French Bakery
-Organic, succulent peaches
-Cup of yummy chowder
-Absolutely ANYTHING from De Laurenti's....their procuitto, jams, specialty pastas & ravoilis are divine! Try some pecorino cheese, or better yet, get a slew of stuff in plastic cups for a picnic!
Also:
-A great rock-and-gem shop in the lower level of the mall
-Sometimes you get really GREAT musicians playing in the less-traveled nooks and crannies in the market. Usually, I'm almost never impressed with whoever is playing right outside the originial Starbucks
-Interesting tiny jewelry shops
-Friendly people
-Great selection of music, home decor, and artisan shops in the immediate vicinity
-Beautiful cherry blossoms in early spring line Pike St.
Cons:
-Too many homeless begging for change/ or on something at that grassy park overlooking the Puget Sound.
-Sometimes it's a crush of rude or slow people
-The flowers are beautiful and cheaper than at stores, but you can get a great bunch at $5 up the street at the Cap Hill Farmers Market
Pike Place Market is like a more-presentable version of SF's Fisherman Warf + a Farmer's Market squeezed into about two blocks: it's so clean and everything looks so fresh and beckons you to come in or eat it!
Highlights:
- Good mom n' pop eats galore!: Crumpets, piroshkies, hot dogs, baked goods, seafood, etc.
- Enthusiastic fish throwing guys! They sing!
- The first Starbuck ever! resides here.
- Arts N' Crafts: hand-crafted jewlrey, scarves, gifts, etc.
- Fresh fruits, produce, and preserved jams/honeys/nuts/etc. you can taste and purchase.
- This place is catered towards the locals AND tourists, so you know it's great!
- Great panoramic view of the Pudget Sound (bay-like body of water)
What a great way of spending 3 hours in Seattle!
Just moving out here four months ago, I've only been to Pike Place twice. I am still very much a tourist when I come down here, but hell if I'm not proud that I can say it's only 15 minutes from my place! I am excited to go seafood and produce shopping down here sometime soon. Tip: park at the lowest elevation possible. You don't want to be lugging groceries up the steep hills to your car!
If you like fresh food, hit the market up. Yeah, it's touristy. Plan on walking through at a slow pace; the crowded shuffle will be your main dance move, for sure. With plenty of other shops in the area (the original Starbucks, for one!), restaurants and bars, this is a great way to spend your Saturday afternoon!
I gave it 3 stars because it is an interesting tourist spot to walk thru. See the famous fish throwers and see the Sleepless and Seattle coffee shop. But besides that its not really a great place to eat or anything. Parking is dangers as my car got towed just cause I was 5 minutes over the time limit eating lunch two blocks away. So watch out they are hard core about parking and towing your cars!
But basically in short the Farmers Market in Los Angeles is far superior to Pike Place Market in every way shape and form!
When you walk into the market, no matter from which entrance, there's always a variety of smells. Fresh fish, flowers, pastries, wood, etc! It's incredible! There are so many vendors in the market that it's almost overwhelming. It's definitely what keeps the culture in Seattle alive and kicking.
Supporting the local farmers is a huge deal to Seattleites and I'm sure the tourists love it too!
Just this week, I visited the market twice! My mom really wanted to buy these really huge green grapes so we did... twice. They were really sweet and juicy and pretty much the neatest grapes in the grape family. I just love how there's a variety of fruits and veggies to choose from at all the different vendors. It's always an adventure when walking through Pike Place Market. And when you're craving coffee, the first Starbucks ever is conveniently across the street.
Whoo Hoo!! What a great place! I love walking through marketplaces as varied and exciting as this one, the only one I've been to that was on par or just a bit better was in Odessa, in the Ukraine! This place has food stops galore! Farm fresh fruits, veggies, fresh seafood, there's an old used bookstore downstairs, little shops abound- coffee, cheese, wine, handcrafted local jewelry, there's even a salmon jerky shop! It makes for a great morning walkabout, of course there's tourists everywhere, hey- I was one of them, but if only locals came here it wouldn't be the place it is.
The first Starbucks is here, but I don't like them, some people do but some people liked the movie Titanic and Hitler too, what you gonna do? Great views are everywhere, so grab a bite, relax and enjoy your day. Try a crumpet with pesto! Soo yummy.
The Pike Place Market Place is a Must See when in Seattle! its definetly one of my favorite places to go to whenever in town. There is just so much to see. Ive been lucky enough to go on days in the past when there is no crowd at all, but today was another story. IT was pretty packed! it was almost hard to walk through... Tourists as far as the eye can see, but what do you expect, When you have the home of the first Starbucks, and fish being thrown left and right with loud shouts, how is it not going to draw attention!
Then there are the shops underground the marketplace, little vintage shops, record stores, people preforming, a magic store, and food everywhere! Seattle, you have won my heart. I cant wait till i come back to visit you again!
An unbelievable resource that borders on being one of a kind. It's certainly one of a kind here in Seattle.
Amazing array of shops and vendors.
Keep in mind: prices are high on non-food items, and on plenty of food items, too. Don't try to buy all your stuff here if you're even a little bit budget conscious. Parking sucks. Crowds suck on virtually every weekend, and can even be annoying during the week.
If you're not actively walking somewhere, try to stay out of the walkways. Please.
They have everything a tourist could want here, and virtually everything a food shopper could want. Half a dozen places fighting for your fresh fish business, the two biggest spice merchants in town, a dozen different produce stands, great dining at dozens of places from casual to white linen.
Tons of tchotchke shops, some year-round, some summertime/weekend craft vendors. Lots of farmers selling hand-packaged (or fresh) goods.
Has a brewery and a newsstand. You can burn a day here whether you're a tourist or a local. You could also go broke or break your ankle if you're not paying attention. Offers a genuine urban experience, albeit rather touristified, in a city with precious few of them.
Pike place is like any other market, except that it's packed with tourists, and has a couple gems for stands.
I was particularly fascinated with the pasta stand. I purchased their world famous dark chocolate pasta and a sun-dried tomato basical pasta. Their risotto selection is very impressive as well. It's a fun try, and although my dark chocolate pasta desert wasn't as tasty as I expected, it was still something new to try.
I definitely enjoyed the flower arrangements throughout. Everything was sooo cheap over there, and the flowers were incredibly fresh and vibrant.
Watch out for the fish tossers.
Frankly, I would like to know where else in the world you can get comic books, fresh fish, doughnuts, handmade ocarinas, and framed art all in the same place.
There is nothing like Pike Place Market. Yes, it is a tourist trap, and yes, it gets VERY crowded, but that is part of the allure. If you are in Seattle, both tourists and locals alike, then Pike Place Market is a must do. It is as simple as that.
Pike Place is wonderful! I absolutely love the atmosphere and all of the vendors located here.
On my last visit, I picked up the following:
1 lbs Sun-dried tomato pasta
1 lbs pesto blend pasta
1 lbs lemon orzo
6 jars of various jams/jellys (spicy and non spicy)
Pike Place reusable canvas shopping bag
1/4 lbs pine nuts
2 bunches of basil
pecorino cheese from Beecher's
1 basket of assorted colorful cherry tomatoes
1 bouquet of flowers
You seriously can find everything you need for a great dinner at Pike Place. I made the most delicious pesto pasta salad for my boyfriend's family. We each were in charge of making something different. My boyfriend's mom was so impressed with my dish that she emailed me a couple weeks later to ask for the recipe. I'm a decent cook, but the meal was great because of the fresh ingredients from Pike Place.
I'm not a big fan of touristy places (mostly I'm not a fan of large masses of confused people), but I go to them anyway for "cultural experience." When I go to Seattle, I go to the Pike Place market.
That said, I absolutely love it. Living in Southern California, we have farmers' markets all the time. However, they are not quite like this one (granted, they aren't famous, but whatever). The selection is enormous, the fish people are always fun to watch, and the FLOWERS. Oh my god, the flowers. The hussle and bussle becomes enjoyable as you work your way through the crowds in an effort to find the best bouquet/elephant garlic/knick-knack.
It's also great because it's located right next to the water, so scenic walks usually ensue. I also enjoy the plentiful coffee shops/restaurants/food stands. There is an endless amount of stuff to do here. Love love love!
As a tourist:
This place is a definite MUST-SEE in downtown Seattle. Shit, it might even be the definitive MUST-SEE in all of Washington.
Besides all the farmers market hoopla, they have pretty good street performers and a park across the street with awesome view of the bay. (they also have a couple of chinese people doing Tai-Chi, and you can join along ...which is cool) It's proximity to everything in downtown is awesome.. walking distance, really. People watching was probably my favorite thing to do, besides getting hit up by random drug dealers asking if I wanted some "fire."
But after spending more than a week in Seattle, across the street from Pike over at the Tortoise Hostel, I really only went to Pike a handful of times. (which is all you really need to get the gist of this place) A couple times to get a feel for the area, then a couple times to take pictures. Then maybe one time to pick up a drink or a piece of fruit because i was hungry.
For all the reasons above, I would make this a top destination if you're a visitor.
I love the market. I have lived here all of my life, and have watched the market change over the years. The market I loved the best was back in the 70's, I remember the little old man that used to sell crosses, and St; Christophers out of a big case. The older guy that had the chowder stand and cafe downstairs, awesome chowder. It was more laid back then, and not quite so crowded. Now I like the market, in the early morning hours, when the crowds aren't quite so thick..It still has it's charms, I just wish I could turn the clock back now and then.
I've been hearing the Pike Place Market hype for years and unfortunately, it didn't live up to it for me. Maybe its because as a Bay Area native, I'm used to our farmer's markets and the tourist traps of Pier 39, Fisherman's Wharf, Jack London Square, Monterey's Cannery Row and so on. If you've never been to a place like that, its worth a walk though and if you're a lover of rocks and gems, Gem Heaven is definitely worth a visit.
Pike's Place defines Seattle for me. Beautiful, crowded, fresh foods, great coffee, scenic views of the pacific, and a little smelly. Not the kind of smell you get in Tacoma, which I rather classify as a stink, but a good kind of smelly.... the fresh fish variety.
There are so many things to do here... of course you have your produce & fish markets, but go down to the market's sublevels and you'll find an array of antique shops, comic book stores, chocolate/desert boutiques, and souvenir shops. You also have the original Starbucks here as well as Piroshky Piroshky across the street!
A must-stop for any tourist! I'd suggest avoiding the Saturday morning crowd because it does get packed, but it's never overwhelmingly bad.
TIP: There is a garage close by on 2nd ave (down the hill from the market) that offers cheap hourly parking... and you're one block away. Beats trying to find street parking!
If I lived in Seattle, you better believe this is where I would shop for the most fresh, most beautiful food I've seen. The seafood, to the meat, to the fruits, and let me not get started on the fresh flowers, and most for only $5.00, I couldn't believe it.
There really isn't much else to say, if you haven't been GO. They also have a few tea places with free samples, we found one place super cute and nice and great tea. We actually bought a black tea, and they also ship so we got there information.
I love to just walk around here on a beautiful day!
Ok... I know it's famous.... I know there are lots of stores here....
But when I remove the hype... it's a farmers market. The flowers are nice and fresh, the seafood is very very fresh(and expensive),and there are it's own share of tourist traps and nick nack stores that drive me nuts with their potential to clutter.
I like the place, I'll stop by when I'm back in the seattle area again... but the glitz and glamour is lost on me.
Full of things to do, things to see and things to eat for just about everyone. Definitely take the time to explore all the levels and turns to here. At first I didn't know there was a lower level, then I wondered around and found all these stores and eateries, I was impressed.
Filled with many "acts". Whether it's the stand doing a little show for the crowd or street music acts, it surely a non-stop action place.
Love this place for the fact is a market and has that feeling to it.
People know about the fish throwing.. which is why it is infamous.
some cool shops below.
A must visit just to see a part of seattle.
What can I say? I'm a sucker for places like this. Too much goodness in one place gets me all excited!
Come with an empty stomach because there is a lot of yummy food to try!
I could spend days there trying all the different food items, browsing through the various wares, looking at all the pretty flowers, etc.
I think I could have stared at the seafood display for hours upon hours. The monkfish dude kind of freaked me out, but as a seafood aficionado, it was exciting to see the selection!
What I especially liked was the showcase of local goodies. There's no need to relentlessly hunt for that stuff. It's all in one convenient location.
Def worth at least several hours of time during a short trip to Seattle. If I lived in Seattle or even remotely nearby, I would hit up Pike Place Market every weekend!
I guess I can see how the novelty would wear off if you did live in Seattle and you had to deal with all the gawking tourists, but as I was also a gawking tourist, I highly recommend a visit here!
I used to live a few blocks from this place and I was SO excited....at first.
Ugh, I was so turned off by all the damn tourists who don't know how to walk, the pricey ingredients, the lackluster quality of the food, and overall uselessness of the place. It's a giant souvenir pavilion!
We went there several times to get seafood, fruits, breads, cheese, etc. but we felt pretty gyped each time we got home and saw what we got for the amount of money we paid. One time, we paid $100 for these giant Australian lobster tails and they had the taste of chemical FUNK. No amount of salt and butter could salvage it. We got crab multiple times and there was a 50% chance that they would give us one with a rotted off leg.
As for produce, sometimes they'd let you pick but most times they'd do it for you and it's never consistent. We basically had to toss batches of fruits and veggies cause they janked us SO BAD. Go there to experience "Seattle" or whatever, but don't go there to buy anything fresh or edible.
This place was my introduction to a real sort of farmer's market deal. I love this place, and I miss it :[. Just walk around. The food smells great :). Must try: the salmon pate @ piroshky, watermelon juice from the little asian stall nearby, the doughnut stand.
As a visitor to Seattle, a trip to Pike Place Market provided a real pleasure in meeting and talking with a veritable plethora of incredibly talented artists of all types.
Sure you can buy fresh fish and amazing flowers here, eat in fabulous restaurants steeped in decades of tradition, but for me, the unique hand made artisian things here made it worth the visit.
Ocarinas, solid wood jewel boxes, totally unique paintings and hand made jewelry and it just goes on and on. If you EVER have a chance, stop in and look. Just don't be in a rush and DON'T miss the scale model car shop with all of it's fabulous treasures . . .
Ok ok its a freakin market place. Not sure what is soo super great about this place. Everyone kept building this place up..omg you have to go to Pike Place Market....omg they have flying fish.....give me a freakin break. This place was crowded and smelly...Ok I saw scores of panhandlers and the bronze pig ..whoopdie doo.
I'll have to admit at first I was like...oh this place is cute...but that lasted about a min.
Do yourself a favor and stick to your local neighborhood farmers market. Oh and the chick that works at the nut stand...When I tell you I dont want a sample of your freakin almonds...that means i dont want your freakin almonds ... get off me bitch.
Good place to shop or just to see the Walter front, but fore my self I like the freshness of the food there the prices is a little touristy but you get what you pay fore. so come to the market and see what the fussiest is about from Mindy donuts to fish & good beef that is locally
raised and veggie lot of veggie to choose from all locally grown.....
Originally a burial ground, a port for those sicken with influenza and a whore house, Pike Place Market has sure seen a lot of change.
The market has a lot to offer and a great place to people watch. It would be nice if they were open later, but they aren't.
We would not have enjoyed Pike Place Market as much if we had not known about its rich history. Along with a market visit, we recommend the Market Ghost Tour http://www.yelp.com/bi....
I absolutely loved Pike Place Market. Staying literally across the street from it made my trip. Every morning I'd wake up, shoulder my camera, and wander around, listening to the sounds, taking in the different languages and conversations, and inhaling all the delicious smells around me. I'd buy something--whether it was a piroshky, some fruit, or a box of smoked salmon--every time I walked through. It's hard to believe that in the 70's, this place was under threat of demolition. It's so fortunate that the community banded together and made sure this landmark was saved.
There are street performers, tiny pastry shops, fruit stands and the freshest, most beautiful flowers I've ever seen here. It made me envious of anyone who was buying--I don't usually travel with a vase, but my trip to Seattle made me rethink that!
This isn't something to see in Seattle, it's something to experience. The wonderful times spent at Pike Place have made it an imperative for me to check out the local farmer's markets in my hometown--though I'll definitely be missing the electric atmosphere and the beautiful weather!
This place is the best! Yes it's crowded on the weekends and full of people who are waiting to go on cruises. But go during the week and it's not as bad. Fresh fruit and flowers are the best, and inexpensive. $10 for a gorgeous bouquet that just makes your hotel room feel a little more like home!
You have to watch them throw the fish of course, and then just meander around the area. Don't forget to go down Post Alley to see the gum wall, yuk! But then it leads to a walkway to the waterfront. There is also more than just the main market, but lots of side buildings to explore as well. My two favorite places at the market are Piroshky Piroshky and Beechers Handmade Cheese. YUM!
I would go here everyday if I lived in Seattle. Pikes Place is definitely a "lifestyle" and perfectly embodies the chill west coast, earthy vibe of the city.
I don't consider myself a huge foodie, but this place was simply amazing. The produce was so gorgeous my friends and I were compelled to just take pictures of the different food stands. And don't even get me started on the amazing tulips! Stunning! Simply stunning - and at only $1/stem I was really sad I was only visiting for a few days because I would have easily purchased a truckload if I lived in the area.
My friends and I parked a couple of blocks away and the price for parking was really reasonable - $10 I believe. The walk to the market was really hilly, but what do you expect in Seattle.
We walked around the market for a couple of hours but I could have stayed there all day - my entire vacation actually. We visited the first ever Starbucks, naturally, and that's something I would highly recommend because it's very different than your average corner Starbucks!
We sampled so many different foods, from the best seafood chowder on the planet to fresh baked goodies to organic produce to chocolate covered Washington cherries and nuts and everything was to-die-for.
Pikes is more than just the cliched flying fish place (although that was pretty neat too) and no trip to Seattle would be complete without visiting! You won't be disappointed!
(Tip of the Day: Need to stop by the Market, but don't want to pay for parking? Head to the conveniently located Cost Plus parking garage, walk to the market, grab what you need, then get your parking validated by spending over $2 at Cost Plus. Using two bucks towards a bottle of wine or six pack of beer = a whole lot better than throwing it away at a parking machine.)
Oh Pike Place Market, how I love thee.
I marvel at your selection of things and trinkets I want, but do not need. You are a wonderful place to visit during the week, when the hordes of out-of-towners walk through your halls and bump into my arms with a blatant disregard for personal space. The weird little one-string guitar player = soothing. The crazy clown with his pants handing down = slightly creepy. But these are the things that make you wonderful. Walking by and seeing the barbershop quartet outside the first Starbucks warrants a need to stop, grab a piroshky from the store nearby, and just enjoy the entertainment.
You have vegetables, donuts, Magic cards, luggage, books, fish, chocolate, people-watching, cat whisperers and even cherries. I've tried every single mass-produced jar of pickles available in supermarkets/groceries and none of them ever compared to my Nana's homemade pickles. But Pike, you came through. Never again will I purchase a jar of fermented cucumbers again, only to toss them away in a fit of rage.
Of course there are times that I wish I could simply have the whole market to myself, sans tourists. They make for great side banter but get in the way when I am in dire need of some smoked salmon.
But I'll let that slide.
Bouquet of amazingly fresh flowers: $5
Hand-made vase for said flowers: $4
Beautifully scented candles: $2 each
Assorted fresh veggies and fish for dinner: ~$12
Bottle of Columbia Valley wine: $11
Parking: $0
Having a nice, in-depth "conversation" (nudge, nudge - wink, wink - say no more!) with your lady friend in the evening? Priceless.
This place isn't just for the tourists. On sunny days I love coming here to spend the day, grabbing small bites to eat at one of the many shops. Piroshky Piroshky (http://www.piroshkybak...) is a favorite as is the Crumpet Shop with their soft on the inside, slightly crisp on the outside covered with sticky honey crumpets. For a brunch or lunch my favorite picks are Café Campagne or the Pink Door. Inside the market itself, I love getting the inexpensive incredibly fresh flowers from here that seem to last forever. My favorite places to shop here include De Laurenti (http://www.delaurenti.com/ ) and the Spanish Table (http://www.spanishtabl...). For road trip snacks I love getting the roasted hazelnuts from the Holmquist Hazelnut stand or the incredibly plump raisins from Stackhouse Brothers.
Some cool stuff. Worth a visit.
This place is magnificent!!!!! It should be your first stop in seattle.
The produce, fish, meat, pasta, bakery's, and flowers will leave you speechless. This is a farmers market to the tenth power and everyone is so nice and happy to be there.
This place has everything! It makes you want to cook, seriously!
There is really something for everyone here.
Verdict: Love It!
I've seen this place a million times on TV-it's where The Real World Seattle cast went to catch the flying fish, it's where a part of "Sleepless in Seattle was filmed, I think "Fraiser" might have even had an episode here...and now I can add myself to the list of characters who've come to Pike Place Market.
My cousin, who is a Seattle transplant, took me, my mom & grandma here on a little tour of farmer's market heaven. We bought raspberry yogurt covered almonds (yum) and peaches to eat while browsing. I bought wallets made from different colored duct tape. We took pictures in front of the "Sleepless in Seattle" Italian restaurant & of course, we had to make that obligatory stop in the world's first Starbucks for a cup o' joe.
Tons of parking close by, friendly vendors, lots of beautiful things to buy & see. It gets really crowded so be prepared to walk slower than usual behind fellow gawkers. I really enjoyed my time in Seattle and at Pike Place Market.
Still love it. Still awesome. Hung out here last weeekend. Still 1,000 times nicer than any other local market in any other major American city. Great prices on cool products. Lots of free tastings going on. Weird people in the streets. Nice flowers everywhere. Those fish guys throwing fish. It's cool.
Blows away any other major American city's main "market". Puts them to shame.
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Fresh cut flowers? Check. Fresh fish? Check. Mt. Saint Helens ash figurines? Check. Tourists everywhere you look (yourself included?) Check. Neat little (OK, big) market on the Seattle waterfront. And right across the street is the original Starbucks! Great photo opportunity spot (unless you get there when it's flooded with tourists in front, and the sun is making an awful glare like in all my cell phone pics of the place.)
This place is so chill! seen it on the travel channel and hit it up when we were in seattle.. i would totally move here if i was able to relocate! so many different types of food around here and they give you free samples of fruit and tea and candy before you buy it.. we bought fruit to eat while walking around, then bought flowers to bring when we visited Bruce Lee and Brandon Lee's grave site, which is not too far away from Pikes Place!
I am in love with Pike's Place Market.
Whenever my husband and I go down I take my cameras because there are dozens of great things to photograph along with the people, there are many quality places to eat (I'm a fan of the Beechers cheese place myself).
The only drawbacks are the fact that it is nearly always crowded, but as a landmark what can you expect?
I somehow manage to get lost in there every time, I go down stairs thinking I'm heading someplace and end up someplace else.
This place is amazing. There's fresh fish and produce, along with flowers that just look beautiful. Also there are many individual vendors that sell their own goods.
With this much variety, this is a place not to be missed. Prices are reasonable also! I could easily spend a good amount of time here, so much to see.
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Local Flavor
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Category: Local Flavor
Neighborhood: Downtown
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