5 Best Restaurants in University District, Seattle

The stained glass saint over the door, holding wheat in one hand and a Japanese melonpan (bun) in the other, exemplifies this eccentric but excellent bakery perched above Portage Bay, just south of the UW campus. Scandinavian-style cardamom knots, classic French croissants, and fried egg sandwiches with Thai-style turkey sausage are great to start the day, and an intriguing array of grab-and-go salads and sandwiches are popular at lunch. The counter and kitchen take up the small indoor space, but a covered patio on the side keeps diners warm and dry.

Among the several gyro shops along The Ave, Aladdin is the standout, serving succulent meats, crispy falafel, smoky baba ganoush, and silky smooth hummus. There's a dining room in the back, but this is primarily a takeout joint, with very late hours. Generations of UW undergrads have ended a long night here.

This inconspicuous cafe, on an alley between The Ave and campus, is a piece of coffee history. It's Seattle's first espresso bar, opened in 1975. The original owner, Dave Olsen, came up with the espresso roast that Starbucks still uses today, and Starbucks used this place as the model for its interior design. Despite that connection, things haven't changed much over half a century--it's small, a little scruffy, and pours delicious classic coffee drinks.

After working her way through school at a chain ice-cream shop, UW graduate Lois Ko bought the space and opened up her own ice creamery, committed to making each batch daily from scratch, using organic, local ingredients whenever possible. The passion for quality shows both in standard flavors like sweet cream and salted caramel, and in the originals, like makgeolli (Korean rice beer) or kettle corn. Plenty of vegan options round out the selection, and the cones and cookies for ice cream sandwiches are both baked in-house.

Sidle up to the antique bar at this hot spot for students and faculty from nearby UW, for a good selection of suds and pizza.