Though it’s only been a little over a year since our last update to The Modern List, Seattle has been bubbling with new places to explore almost every day. This year’s short list aims to satisfy the palate of design-leaning residents and visitors alike.
COFFEE
In a town known for its high quality coffee found on every other city block, Seattle still has room for more. We’ve seen a particular uptick in cafes opening up shop in some up and coming neighborhoods as well as one business that’s trying to fill the gaps with mobility.
Elm Coffee Roasters, 240 2nd Ave S #103, Atelier Drome
[Photo by Melanie Biehle]
Broadcast Coffee*, 6515 Roosevelt Way NE, Trey Jones Studio
[Image Credit: Jennifer Chong]
Convoy Coffee, Mobile Coffee Cart
[Image Credit: Convoy Coffee]
BRUNCH | LUNCH
The midday meal has, in recent years, been elevated to a dining experience on par with an evening out. As the city swells with new residents, a growing 9-5 working crowd, and an expanding flow of tourists, these spots offer a beautiful and delicious break from the day’s agenda.
Cafe Barjot, 711 Bellevue Ave E, 206.457.5424
[Image Credit: Sweet Tooth in Seattle]
Goldfinch Tavern, 99 Union Street (Four Seasons), 206.749.7070, EDG Design
[Image Credit: Eater Seattle]
Meat and Bread, 1201 10th Ave, Babienko Architects
[Image Credit: Alex Garland for Capitol Hill Seattle]
DINNER
It’s tough to keep up with the numerous new dining options that continue to pop up around Seattle. The pace is nowhere near slowing down, but for the moment, we have our favorites. (And we’re happy to see an addition to the BUILD neighborhood.)
Stateside, 300 E Pike St, 206.557.7273, Heliotrope Architects
[Image Credit: Stateside]
Salare, 2404 NE 65th St, 206.556.2192, Atelier Drome
[Image Credit: Suzi Pratt for Eater Seattle]
Manolin, 3621 Stone Way N, 206.294.3331
[Image Credit: Manolin]
DRINKS
Whether you’re looking for a pre-dinner drink or a night cap, these new bars have staying power fueled by drinks both creative and consistent.
Damn the Weather, 116 1st Ave S
[Image Credit: Eater Seattle]
Bitter/Raw, 952 E Seneca St, 206.323.5275, Babienko Architects and Gensler
[Image Credit: In Your Head]
Good Bar, 240 2nd Ave S, 206.624.2337, Strata Architects
[Image Credit: Good Bar]
Single Shot, 611 Summit Ave E, 206.420.2238
[Image Credit: Single Shot]
DESSERT
While the trend towards a single type of dessert seems to have died down a bit, Seattle’s sweet tooth is still going strong. In true urbanist form, we’re recommending an alley-side ice cream shop and a brick-and-mortar bakery born out of a monthly pop-up.
Kurt Farm Shop, 1424 11th Ave, Graham Baba Architects
[Image Credit: In Your Head]
Coyle’s Bakeshop, 8300 Greenwood Ave N, 206.257.4736, Atelier Drome
[Image Credit: Coyle’s Bakeshop]
MUSEUMS | GALLERIES
The past year has seen a big boost in art walks, aided by the multitude of neighborhood art walks and venues to support local artists showcasing their work. A high-profile museum expansion (technically a bit outside of Seattle) and a merger of a couple favorite local galleries in the past year are worth a visit.
Roq La Rue (w/ LxWxH), 532 1st Ave, 206.274.8977
[Image Credit: Roq La Rue]
Tacoma Art Museum, 1701 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, 253.272.4258, addition by Olson Kundig Architects
[Image Credit: Olson Kundig Architects]
RETAIL
There’s something about shopping for beautiful objects in beautiful spaces that starts to blur the lines between commerce and art. Seattle’s been upping their retail game, tapping into some underrepresented demographics for high style.
NICHE Outside, 1424 11th Ave, 206.939.7913 Gardening accessories, Tyler Engle Architects
[Image Credit: NICHE Outside]
Hammer & Awl, 1137 34th Ave, 206.992.7444 Clothing & accessories for men
[Image Credit: Hammer & Awl]
LIKELIHOOD, 1101 E Union St, Men’s footwear & sneaker boutique, Best Practice Architecture
[Image Credit: Footwear News]
HOTELS
A couple adds to the local hotel scene introduce a new boutique spot, as well as a historic hotel injected with a new concept and new life as a cultural hub.
Sorrento Hotel, 900 Madison St, 206.622.6400, 76 rooms
[Image Credit: Sorrento Hotel]
Motif Seattle, 1414 5th Ave, 206.971.8000, 163 Rooms, Ankrom Moisan Architects
[Image Credit: Motif Seattle]
BUILDINGS
Whether you live in Seattle or are just considering your first visit, the development boom of the city is no secret. We’ve grabbed a few of our favorites examples of development done right, and look forward to more projects like these popping up around town.
12th Ave Arts, 1620 12th Ave, SMR Architects
[Image Credit: 12th Ave Arts]
Chophouse Row, 1458 11th Ave, SKL Architects and Graham Baba Architects
[Image Credit: SKL Architects]
Rooster Apartments, 900 NE 65th St, Weinstein AU
[Image Credit: BUILD LLC]
LANDSCAPES
Seattle’s been making small strides in big urbanism with the expanding network of bike-friendly, pedestrian-postured, and transit-minded moves in the past year. We’ve got bigger strides about to launch (see: light rail), but for now, we’re seeing the dots connecting our growing city.
Pronto Cycle Share, multiple locations throughout Seattle, 884.677.6686
[Image Credit: Geekwire]
Seattle Parklets and Streateries, multiple locations throughout Seattle
[Image Credit: City of Seattle]
Seattle Streetcar, multiple locations throughout Seattle
[Image Credit: Seattle Transit Blog]
For the running list of mainstays and new adds, hop over to The Modern List Seattle. And new to the arsenal: a TML Instagram account, chronicling our modern adventures near and far. Give us a follow at @The_Modern_List.
Cheers from Team BUILD