6 Best Restaurants in Downtown, Seattle

Tucked into Post Alley, this hole-in-the-wall joint serves award-winning chowders. Skip the wait and order ahead for pick up, then snag a table in the outdoor section of the market and enjoy with a view. The smoked salmon chowder and crab and oyster chowder give the traditional New England chowder a run for its money. While most people come for the chowder, it also sells seafood rolls–brioche buns stuffed with fresh Dungeness crab or lobster. Few places draw longer lines than the Pike Place Starbucks—but Pike Place Chowder gives Seattle's flagship coffee shop some stiff competition. 

Anchorhead is serious about coffee: everybody raves about their smooth roasts that need no doctoring, from pour-overs to perfectly pulled espresso. They also serve unique milk-substitute creations, like the popular creamy-green pistachio matcha and the Shy Bear Fog Latte (oolong, burnt honey, and oat milk), along with a menu of pastries and breakfast sandwiches on biscuits. Finding seating at the industrial-chic cafe can be tricky on busy mornings, so you may end up having to grab-and-go. 

A staple in Seattle's food scene since it opened in 2003, Beecher’s is the city’s first artisanal cheese maker. Watch cheese churning and sample a bite or two of the establishment’s flagship cheese—a nutty, aged cow's milk—as you wait in line. Beecher's might attract much of the Pike Place crowd, but the decadent mac and cheese and gooey grilled cheese are understandably popular. As you wait for your lunch to be prepared, you might be tempted to purchase some of Beecher's cheese varieties to bring home. Snag a table along the waterfront to enjoy your cheesy bites.  

More walk-up coffee window than actual coffeehouse, this is a good spot for a surprisingly good latte when you're shopping Downtown, waiting for the bus to take you up to Capitol Hill, or have just seen one too many Starbucks. A few blocks from the Convention Center, this casual spot frequented by bike messengers also serves up famous "Chubby" chocolate-chip cookies with a genuine smile. This place deserves its loyal following—Monorail Espresso has been serving Italian-style espresso in the Emerald City since 1980!

Cozy leather bar seats surround the wide wood bar at the stylish, modern Mr. West Cafe Bar, where they’ve got you covered from morning pick-me-up to early-evening imbibing. The coffee menu offers the usuals, from drips and cortados to cappuccinos and lattes, as well as creative espresso-based options like coffee soda, coffee egg cream, and a cardamom tonic. There’s also a separate tea drinks menu and a solid wine, beer, and cocktails list. If you're looking for more than a drink, fill up on light bites like chia pudding or yoghurt with peach compote, or opt for something more filling like the shakshuka or smoked salmon on toast.

Climb to the top floor of Pike Place Market to find this storied Seattle cafe. In addition to perfectly pulled espresso drinks, Storyville offers fresh pastries, light lunch items, beer, and wine in a welcoming space with ample comfy seating and Elliott Bay views. The coffee beans are lovingly roasted on nearby Bainbridge Island. Enjoy a steaming cup of housemade hot chocolate or chai in front of the fireplace–the perfect remedy for a chilly Seattle morning.