Seattle | Pike Place Market
The world famous Pike Place Public Market! Of all the major sites in Seattle on my list, this was the one I was most excited to visit! The Pike Place Market dates back to 1907, and it’s one of the largest and oldest markets in the US. Hundreds of farmers, artisans, chefs, craftspeople and small businesses are located within the sprawling nine acre historic district.
In 1971, the City of Seattle made the Pike Place Market a historic district to protect and preserve the market and its buildings for generations to come.
Fish Throwers & Crab Meat
Located right under the iconic “Public Market Center” sign is one of the most recognizable stalls in the entire market: the Pike Place Fish Co! They have been a Seattle institution since 1930, serving some of the finest and freshest seafood around. But! What they’re most famous for, is their fish throwing skills! These guys can sling a salmon, toss a trout, or lob a cod 20 feet without losing a single slippery scale. And I don’t know about you, but I just feel like fish tastes better after it’s flown through the air multiple times into the hands of a Seattle fish monger.
The Pike Place Fish Co is on a mission: to provide world famous customer service, sell the finest, freshest seafood available, and they have a commitment on 100% sustainability, adhering to the highest standards of marine stewardship. They also ship fish anywhere in the US!
We were determined not to leave this place empty handed so we asked one of the fish mongers what would be good for us to try right there in the market. We settled on some King Crab Legs. After it was weighed, they split it open for us and handed it over. We snapped a few quick pics with our crustaceous snack, and we dug in! And I’ve got to tell you, in all my years of eating crab legs, I’ve never had better or fresher! It was a symphony for the taste buds: delicate, salty, and packed full of flavor. My mouth is starting to water again just thinking about it!
Pike Place Urban Garden
Once we left the famous fish flingers we hung a left and found ourselves in a quiet pocket of the market known as the Pike Place Urban Garden. This beautiful 2,000 square foot vegetable and herb garden is found right in the heart of the market! After putting our temporary stamp on the place in chalk, we took a load off and enjoyed a relaxing few minutes in the sunshine (something Seattle doesn’t see a whole lot of!)
The garden is run entirely by volunteers, and all produce grown is donated to the Pike Market Senior Center and Food Bank. Not only is the garden itself beautiful but the patio provides commanding views of Elliott Bay where you can catch a glimpse of both ships lazily making their way around the water, and an incredible view of the Seattle Great Wheel. The next time you’re in the Market, do yourself a favor - take a break, and find your way to the garden and see what’s growing!
After our stop in the Urban Garden we spent about an hour meandering through market, drinking in the ambiance and immersing ourselves in the experience. This incredible landmark is truly a feast for the senses - sights, sounds, smells & tastes all culminate in an experience that is unforgettable.
We walked through the many food stalls and shops, stopping to enjoy some of the freshest produce one can find. We strolled past colorful flower vendors, marveling at the rich colorful hues in the bouquets. We then took a trip down the Lower Post Alley to explore the markets and shops on the lower levels, stopping, of course, to see to see the famous gum wall (which…is a thing for some reason).
Once we made our way back up to the surface level we continued wandering the market, just a group of vagabonds with no real plans in place, we soaked up what we could with our short amount of time. Eventually, we made our way further northwest on Pike Place, searching out the original location of what is now the world’s largest coffee chain. You know the place - the place where your friend that wears a beret sits writing his screenplay sipping on a $7 latte even though he can’t afford a second pair of shoes. The place where your favorite fall flavor infused beverage started its pumpkin infancy.
Starbucks is the largest coffee chain in the world, by far, with nearly 31,000 locations. It’s followed distantly by other major chains like Dunkin Donuts, which has about 10,000 locations and Tim Horton’s which has about 4,300.
Yes, the one and only Starbucks started right here in the Pike Place Market in 1971. Now by this point the four of us had consumed enough coffee that we could have made James Bond’s favorite drink just standing still, so we didn’t opt to go in, but it was very cool just being in the presence of caffeine greatness.
