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If you always make sure that your jeans are on trend, subscribe to Dwell magazine, embody the DIY ethos, or just like to people-watch, head to Capitol Hill for some of the best shopping in town. Broadway is popular among college students because of its cheap clothing stores, including standbys Urban Outfitters and American Apparel. The Pike–Pine Corridor holds the majority of the neighborhood's most interesting shops.
Best shopping: East Pike and East Pine Streets between Bellevue Avenue and Madison Avenue East, East Olive Way between Bellevue Avenue East and Broadway East, and Broadway East between East Denny Way and East Roy Street.
One of the city's liveliest and most interesting farmers’ markets fills a plaza and spills onto a side street. There's fresh produce galore, various prepared foods, plus music, samples, and plenty of cut flowers. The market is open year-round on Sunday from 11 am to 3 pm, and also June through September on Tuesday from 3 to 7 pm.
If you want to get a true sense of Pacific Northwest style, this men's and women's clothing shop embodies it all, from casual plaid button-down shirts to wood-framed sunglasses. They make a point of sourcing top-quality goods from local and regional makers.
Nestled into a residential neighborhood, this spacious gallery features work by artists from all over the country, along with locals in its "Niche Market" space. There's a focus on inclusiveness and diversity, and they don't shy away from big, bold pieces. Note that open hours are limited to afternoons.
This vintage women's clothing store focuses on inclusive styles and sizes, making it a destination for anyone who has ever struggled to fit into clothes, or to trends. Owner Adria Garcia curates her selection with impeccable taste and impressive range.
This lovely store sells artisan crafts from studios in Japan and the Northwest. You'll find tasteful home wares, cute but functional gifts, and quirky pieces of furniture.
One short block of Melrose Avenue between Pike and Pine holds a concentration of adventures for your taste buds, including Taylor Shellfish Oyster Bar. You'll also find here Melrose Market, a former automotive shop dating from the 1920s that's been transformed into a sort of hipster food court. Duck inside to check out several small, stylish dining options, a wine shop, and an artisanal butcher.
Vintage shopping meets modern style in this consignment shop. Mixing used women's clothing with a collection of jewelry and art from local designers and other miscellaneous items, the store winds up with just the kind of eclectic collection that feels curated enough not to be slogging through junk, but haphazard enough to feel like your next treasure could be right in front of you.
It's hard to miss this excellent used-book store: simply look for the six-foot neon Cheshire cat waving his tail. Inside, you'll find lots more kitties winding their way through the maze of stacks. The specialties here are rare books and out-of-print treasures, but they've got a smattering of everything.
If you're on the hunt for Japanese avant-rock on LP, antiwar spoken word, spiritual reggae with Afro-jazz undertones, or old screen-printed show posters, you've found the place. They carry new and used CDs and LPs of all sorts, specializing in the kinds of things you probably won't find anywhere else.
Try the cupcake of the month or flavors like the peppermint patty and the tiramisu, made with Stumptown coffee.
At one of the city's original kings of coffee, the espresso is as pretty as it is divine.
Yep, it's a Portland import, but Seattleites have swallowed their pride with this one, as the coffee is just too good to ignore.
