Guidebook for Seattle
Food Scene
Our neighborhood artisan butcher shop. Heaven for carnivores!
Excellent pastries and Chai. (Sorry: closed at least temporarily as of spring 2024)
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Cafe Besalu
5909 24th Ave NWExcellent pastries and Chai. (Sorry: closed at least temporarily as of spring 2024)
Caffe Umbria
1201 Westlake Ave NA little bit of Italy in Ballard. Love their coffee!
Open every Sunday year round from 10 til 3. One of Seattle's best farmers markets.
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Ballard Sunday Farmers Market
5345 Ballard Ave NWOpen every Sunday year round from 10 til 3. One of Seattle's best farmers markets.
Widely acclaimed as one of the best restaurants in the U.S. Fresh oysters, great atmosphere and so much more. They don't take reservations so best to go early and get your name on their list.
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The Walrus and the Carpenter
4743 Ballard Ave NWWidely acclaimed as one of the best restaurants in the U.S. Fresh oysters, great atmosphere and so much more. They don't take reservations so best to go early and get your name on their list.
The newest addition to the Ballard dessert scene, Portland-based Salt & Straw makes ice cream in hyper-local flavors and inspires a cult following among chefs and good-food fanciers. Expect to stand in line whenever you go!
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Salt & Straw
714 East Pike StreetThe newest addition to the Ballard dessert scene, Portland-based Salt & Straw makes ice cream in hyper-local flavors and inspires a cult following among chefs and good-food fanciers. Expect to stand in line whenever you go!
Beast and Cleaver
2362 NW 80th StEverything Else
Tall Grass Bakery
5907 24th Ave NWWonderful bread bakery, don't miss the baguettes.
Hot Cakes - Molten Chocolate Cakery
5427 Ballard Ave NWAmazing treats and a charming place too.
D'Ambrosio Gelato
5339 Ballard Ave NWDelicioso! (especially the pistachio)
Essentials
QFC
11100 Roosevelt Way NEThe closest grocery store and open nearly 24 hours a day.
Now called "Town & Country Market." Beautifully fresh fruit and vegetables, both organic and non-organic. All sorts of good local food and great house-made soup.
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Ballard Market
1400 NW 56th StNow called "Town & Country Market." Beautifully fresh fruit and vegetables, both organic and non-organic. All sorts of good local food and great house-made soup.
Good assortment of well-priced food, including a surprisingly broad selection of fresh fruit and vegetables.
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Trader Joe's
1700 E Madison StGood assortment of well-priced food, including a surprisingly broad selection of fresh fruit and vegetables.
Prescriptions and related goods, plus a good selection of souvenirs and locally produced goods.
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Bartell Drugs Ballard Commons
5625 22nd Ave NW Prescriptions and related goods, plus a good selection of souvenirs and locally produced goods.
The latest addition to the neighborhood food shopping scene. Organic and local produce plus all sorts of other goodies from the Northwest and the rest of the globe. Good for coffee, baked goods, and prepared foods. There's even a small seafood cafe where you can sit and enjoy the people watching.
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PCC Community Markets - Ballard
1451 NW 46th StThe latest addition to the neighborhood food shopping scene. Organic and local produce plus all sorts of other goodies from the Northwest and the rest of the globe. Good for coffee, baked goods, and prepared foods. There's even a small seafood cafe where you can sit and enjoy the people watching.
Shopping
Not exciting but pretty much anything you need for hardware, clothing, food, etc. Also a decent selection of Seattle souvenirs.
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Fred Meyer
915 NW 45th StNot exciting but pretty much anything you need for hardware, clothing, food, etc. Also a decent selection of Seattle souvenirs.
Deliciously fresh seafood, plus locally made sausages. Wonderful smoked salmon for carrying home!
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Fresh Fish Co
2364 NW 80th StDeliciously fresh seafood, plus locally made sausages. Wonderful smoked salmon for carrying home!
Irresistible house-made ice cream, including macaron ice cream sandwiches and other treats.
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Parfait Ice Cream
2034 NW 56th StIrresistible house-made ice cream, including macaron ice cream sandwiches and other treats.
Sightseeing
Watch the ships go through, and the salmon climb the ladder. The garden is a great spot for a picnic.
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Ballard (Hiram M. Chittenden) Locks
3015 NW 54th StWatch the ships go through, and the salmon climb the ladder. The garden is a great spot for a picnic.
Boats of many shapes and sizes traverse the Ballard Locks on their way between the salt waters of the Puget Sound and the freshwater Lake Union and Lake Washington. There's also a lovely garden. Summer band concerts on the weekends. And, if you time it right, you'll see salmon swimming in the fish ladder and/or young herons being taught how to fly.
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Ballard (Hiram M. Chittenden) Locks
3015 NW 54th StBoats of many shapes and sizes traverse the Ballard Locks on their way between the salt waters of the Puget Sound and the freshwater Lake Union and Lake Washington. There's also a lovely garden. Summer band concerts on the weekends. And, if you time it right, you'll see salmon swimming in the fish ladder and/or young herons being taught how to fly.
Parks & Nature
A true Seattle treasure with miles of walking/hiking paths and a Northwest-style beach. Great views.
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I-Discovry Park
3801 Discovery Park BlvdA true Seattle treasure with miles of walking/hiking paths and a Northwest-style beach. Great views.
Great for people-watching! Green Lake is a very popular park with a small lake where you can swim, rent paddle boats and more. You can also bike, skate, run, or walk around the lake on a 2.8 mile paved path.
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Green Lake
Great for people-watching! Green Lake is a very popular park with a small lake where you can swim, rent paddle boats and more. You can also bike, skate, run, or walk around the lake on a 2.8 mile paved path.
Offering great views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains, Golden Gardens is best at sunset. It's also a good choice for a walk/run from the apartment, since there's a dedicated bike/walking path for most of the way--and a challenging flight of stairs up the hill for your return trip.
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Golden Gardens Park
8498 Seaview Pl NWOffering great views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains, Golden Gardens is best at sunset. It's also a good choice for a walk/run from the apartment, since there's a dedicated bike/walking path for most of the way--and a challenging flight of stairs up the hill for your return trip.
Entertainment & Activities
Our local cinema, it's a multiplex located in a historic theater building. Shows first run movies. First show of the day is usually bargain-priced.
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Majestic Bay Theatres
2044 NW Market StOur local cinema, it's a multiplex located in a historic theater building. Shows first run movies. First show of the day is usually bargain-priced.