Vegan Seattle Travel: Emerald City is awash with vegan options and tasty treats. Check out these highlights from Drizzle & Shine, Plum Bistro, Vegan Haven, Araya’s Place, Olympic Sculpture Park, and the best view of the Space Needle at Kerry Park.
In the weeks leading up to our Seattle getaway, David and I put ourselves in a Washington state of mind by watching Frasier. Seeing the Space Needle from Frasier’s balcony and rain beating against his window whetted our palates (and wetted their umbrellas) for the adventure to come.
(It also reminded me of why I had SUCH a crush on Niles when I was in high school. Smart and funny has always been my type.)
So after weeks of 20-minute episodes, it was time to see the Emerald City for ourselves. We hadn’t been there since our one-year wedding anniversary back in ’07.
(My wedding anniversary with David, not Niles. That love affair wasn’t meant to be. Alas.)
Vegan Seattle
After an outgoing flight in the wee hours of morning and a long layover with LAX airport food, we touched down in Seattle in the early afternoon. We picked up a rental car and headed to lunch.
(Tip: Did you know that if you get your rental car away from the airport in Seattle the taxes/fees are significantly lower? We saved $200 on our rental car by taking a short cab ride and getting it off site. Your results may vary, but it’s worth checking out.)
Plum Bistro
Plum Bistro is on the fancier end of the dining spectrum. It’s an intimate dining space with large windows along one wall. It was during a very busy lunch rush. So we grabbed a couple of stools at the bar.
I ordered the reuben.
The reuben is only on Plum’s weekday lunch menu. It’s topped with a tofu pastrami, pickled cabbage, and thousand island dressing. I especially liked the layering of melted vegan cheese inside. On the side, a mixed green salad with lemon vinaigrette.
(I put this sandwich on my list of 10 vegan reubens you don’t want to miss!)
My dining companion ordered the Chipotle Grill. It typically comes as a sandwich, but there’s the option to order any of their sandwiches as a salad instead for a couple dollars more.
She said that the tempeh was perfect and reminiscent of teriyaki. She told me that the chipotle sauce was delicious as well, and the arugula and chives added a really nice flavor.
Drizzle & Shine
After lunch, we headed to nearby Drizzle and Shine, a vegan clothing and accessory store. They have clothes for women and men, shoes, and jewelry.
Owner Jean White was working when we were there. She was very friendly and happy to tell us about her store.
Drizzle and Shine is such a cute space and definitely somewhere I’d recommend visiting if you’re in the market for pretty things.
Araya’s Place
Araya’s Place has a quiet dining area with lots of seating and a nice wine list.
We started with an appetizer of tofu satay. The pan-fried tofu was crisp and sticky with a marinade of curry powder and coconut milk. It was served on skewers with peanut sauce for dipping and a vinegary cucumber salad.
One bite and I felt confident we’d chosen wisely with our restaurant choice.
Then we ordered two entrees to share.
We chose a stir-fry called Araya’s asparagus that was a mixture of seitan, ginger, Portobello and shiitake mushrooms, along with asparagus.
The presentation was beautiful and the spices were just right. The stir-fry was topped with basil leaves that were fried until crisp. It was an elegant touch.
We also split this avocado curry. Somehow I’d never had avocado in a warm curry application before, but what a brilliant idea!
Creamy avocado is always welcome, and each bite was a revelation. The green curry broth was also filled with seitan, soft and fried tofu, bell pepper, and basil.
Vegan Haven
One place high up on our list of where to go in Seattle was Vegan Haven in the University District.
It used to be called Sidecar for Pigs Peace, and proceeds from the store go to support Pigs Peace Sanctuary. It is volunteer-run and the only 100% vegan store in the state of Washington.
The store isn’t huge, but it is incredibly well stocked. If there’s some vegan product that you’ve been looking for high and low, chances are they have it.
I couldn’t believe their wall of Miyoko’s cheeses, Parmela, and Vtopian cheeses from Portland. We were heading out of town the next day and wouldn’t have access to a refrigerator for most of the time, sadly. It was so hard not to pile endless non-dairy cheeses in my cart.
In the chocolate area, though, I made up for it. I stocked up on the amazing hazelnut chocolate bars that I’d been dreaming about ever since I got one in my swag bag at Vida Vegan Con in Austin last year.
I also grabbed some coconut bacon and several Eli’s Earth Bars. The Dream Big flavor is my favorite, and it’s surprisingly hard to find, outside of online ordering.
Butter Home in Melrose Market
Melrose Market had an airy feeling like a farmers market, but the set up had cooking classes, restaurants, and little shops sharing a loft space. It reminded me of East End Market in Orlando.
I perused the wares at Butter Home and picked up a couple of porcelain bowls by Heirloom Home & Studio that were molds of a cauliflower and an artichoke. I especially liked that they were bright white, which made their kitsch factor a little more muted. They will be great dip holders at parties.
Waterfront Park
Coming from a landlocked state, I was eager to get to the water. So we headed towards Pike Place Market. The market had closed for the day, but a few of the adjacent shops were still open. We did some quick milling and continued our trek to the bay.
There was a lot of construction in the area, but we were still able to see some of the calm water and boats going out with the islands in the distance. So picturesque.
Karen Blixen said, “The cure for anything is salt water — sweat, tears, or the sea.” That definitely rang true when I breathed in this view. It made everything feel still and right again.
Olympic Sculpture Park
I’d asked for suggestions on Instagram of things to see and do in Seattle. Jeanette Zeis suggested Olympic Sculpture Park. I had never been there before.
It was getting close to sunset, and I knew that would be a beautiful place to watch the sun melt into the ocean.
As opposed to the construction and crowds from earlier in the day by the water, this was the perfect antidote. There were people reading books, walking with their dogs, and strolling along the pathway.
The beauty of human-made sculptures played against the natural beauty of the water and mountains.
Kerry Park
To cap the day, I wanted to get a vantage point of the city that included the Space Needle and skyline.
When we visited Seattle in 2007, we went up the Space Needle to the top. It was a lovely view, but when you’re on the Space Needle, you can’t see it yourself. And it is one of the most iconic parts of the Seattle skyline.
So this time we searched where we should go for the best view in the city. That took us to Kerry Park.
If a person had at least two nights to spend in the city, I’d recommend spending one watching the sun set from Olympic Sculpture Park and then spend the second at Kerry Park. Seeing the city darken across the water and then light up again as it turns on its lights was a stream of beauty.
The park had a festive atmosphere as families gathered around, couples posed for pictures, and photographers with cameras on tripods took long exposures of the twinkling lights.
As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I spent a lot of time “preparing” for our Seattle adventure by watching old episodes of Frasier. It ends up that there’s no apartment in Seattle that would actually have his view from the window.
However, most people think that the view was actually from Kerry Park. So there couldn’t have been a more appropriate way to finish our time in the Emerald City.
“Hey, baby. I hear the blues a callin’. Tossed salads and scrambled tofu…”
Mae
Sugar Plum and No Bones are still on my “must visit” list! Your pictures make me want to go even more now… Thanks again for meeting up with me! Glad you made it home safe 🙂
Cadry
I’m so glad you asked! It was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon. I look forward to seeing what’s next for Cupid’s Landing. 😀
Trinity Bourne
Oh my goodness – I am headed to Seattle in October and you’ve got me beyond excited now!!!
Thanks for pulling all this together and sharing your journey with us. I’m going to pin this in my vegan travel folder so that I can pull it up in a flash right before I go.
Love
x
Cadry
Oh, you’re going to have the best time! I didn’t get to spend as much time in Seattle as I’d hoped. (I basically had a day and a half.) I would love to go back and do more in depth exploring. It is such a beautiful place.
Susan
Oh, Seattle! My love! My heart!
No Bones and Sugar Plum are new since my last visit, but I am definitely planning on getting to know them at my next visit! Also Drizzle and Shine. I met Jean last year at VVC and in Seattle and am really excited to visit her shop!
I can’t wait to see the rest of your Seattle adventures. I wish I could be there!
Cadry
I can definitely see why you are so enamored with Seattle. Not only does it have loads of vegan restaurants and stores, the scenery is breathtaking. That’s very cool that you met Jean at VVC last year. I didn’t realize she was there. I would have mentioned it when we chatted at her shop. I hope you’re able to return to Seattle soon!
Becky Striepe
Oh man, this post makes me feel like I need to get over to Seattle, ASAP! It has been way too long, and there is so much that I need to eat there!
Cadry
You really do, Becky! On my first and only other trip to Seattle, I thought it was nice, but I wasn’t blown away. I don’t know if my expectations were misplaced, or if I was so used to Los Angeles and San Francisco that mountains and oceans didn’t wow me in the same way. But this time I thought, “What was I thinking? This place is STUNNING.” I’d love to go back again and spend more time exploring.
Jackie
It was so crazy running into you! I love when fun things like that happen. Your pictures are making my mouth water, and making me want to go back to Seattle RIGHT NOW! Although, my brand new niece could be a part of that feeling, too! 😉
Cadry
So crazy! Seriously, what are the chances that we’d live in the same state, never run into each other, and then when we’re both on the opposite coast from where you live, we finally meet? I’m so glad you both came up and said hi. It was so fun to finally meet in person! Congratulations on your new niece!! I hope you’re able to go back again and see her before too long.
Melanie
It’s been too long since I’ve been in Seattle, I’ve never tried any of those places! High time for another road trip, obviously – those nachos!
Cadry
It looks like new things are popping up there all the time! I think veganism has truly hit its tipping point in Seattle. A road trip sounds like an excellent idea!
KZ
Wow I really can’t wait to visit Seattle! Looks like a great place to be vegan <3
Cadry
Absolutely! They’ve got a great vegan scene.
Bianca
Oh my! I need to get back to Seattle! So many new places since I was there last March (2015)! I LOVE Plum Bistro (their vegan mac is my fave anywhere —- and just like you have to order the reuben everywhere, I have to order the mac!). 🙂 Love all the blogger meetups! Can’t wait to see what else you ate.
Cadry
I was really impressed with how many new places they had popping up in recent history, in addition to the standards that have been around for a while. If the reuben wasn’t so filling, it would have been fun to try the mac & cheese too at Plum. I’ve heard lots of good things. It was so fun to meet up with blogging buddies; although, I wasn’t even able to see everyone I would have liked. There are lots of cool people in the Seattle area! All the more reason to go back again. 🙂
Mandy
I am drooling over all of these food pics!! Especially those nachos! Oh, my! How fun that you got to meet up with so many amazing people – sounds like you had a great trip. We’ve been itching to take another road trip up to WA and I’ll definitely refer back to this post when it comes time to eat 🙂 Oh, and Drizzle & Shine sounds super cool!
p.s. – Frasier is the BEST show, ever!
Cadry
Seattle is a wealth of good food, good people, and amazing sights! I hope you’re able to work in a road trip sometime soon. I can’t wait to make a return visit someday too!
P.S. I totally agree on Frasier! Not all shows from that time period hold up. However, it stands the test of time incredibly well. The characters feel like well-rounded humans who are flawed in the most endearing ways. It’s such a cozy show to re-watch.
Jean White
Thanks for including Drizzle & Shine in your Seattle write-up! It was great to meet you and Mae and I’m happy you liked the store. You visited all my favorite places in Seattle! Glad you had a good visit!
Cadry
It was wonderful meeting you and seeing your beautiful shop! I’m glad to hear that I visited your favorite places in Seattle. That’s a very good sign. 🙂
Shell
Cad, I can’t believe all of the delicious food and great people! Also, I think I recall you loving little bottles of hot sauce from Louisiana way back in the 1980s. 🙂
Cadry
That’s what started my love affair! I remember coveting those tiny bottles of hot sauce… You know, like a totally normal sixth grader. 😉
Mary Ellen @ VNutrition
I have always wanted to visit Seattle – so glad you’ve done a post so I know where to go!
We always try to watch a movie or tv show that is set in the place we’re visiting too! It really does make the time before your travels fun!
Those rubens looks incredible! I need to check those out! And it’s so wonderful meeting blogging friends. I have yet to meet any of my blogging buddies but can’t wait to get the chance.
Cadry
Oh, I hope you’re able to get to Seattle. I was really blown away by the beauty, and of course, the excellent vegan options.
That’s awesome that you watch TV shows & movies about places where you travel too. It’s really fun as a way to whet your palate for the trip, and then once you’ve arrived, to walk around in your characters’ world. 🙂
Laloofah
Oh man, I’m just finding out you were literally just down the road from us and I missed any possibility of getting to meet you?!? Teach me to not keep up with your blog!? I know in reality it wouldn’t have worked out – your visit brief, your dance card full, our lives consumed with the care of our ailing dog and inability to venture even the paltry distance to Seattle (we’ve only made it there once since moving here a year ago, so you’ve probably seen – and definitely eaten at – more of it than we have!)… but here’s hoping for future opportunities that come sooner than every 9 years!? A very Happy Belated Anniversary to you and David! So glad you got to celebrate it in such a wonderful place with such delightful friends and delicious food!????
Cadry
Oh, no! I’m so bummed that I missed the chance to see you! I didn’t know/forgot that you were close to Seattle. I know that you moved a while back, but in my mind, you were still somewhere in Wyoming. I would have loved finally meeting you in person after all of these years! I adored Seattle, and so with any luck, it won’t be another 9 years before we’re back again. Hopefully next time it will work out!