Throughout the month of May, we asked you to fill out a Google Form to tell us about the places you love in the U District. We promised at the end of the month we’d compile your answers in a guide. Here’s what you had to say:
🍨Favorite dessert place
Sweet Alchemy
Honorable mentions: Full Tilt, Byrek & Baguette, Snowy Village, Donut Factory, Sugar & Spoon
☕️Favorite coffee place
Cafe Solstice
Honorable mentions: Cafe Allegro, Ugly Mug, Herkimer, Seven Coffee
🍺Favorite place to grab a drink
Flowers and Big Time Brewery
Honorable mentions: The Mountaineering Club, Schultzy’s, Earl’s on the Ave, The Monkey Pub (Editor’s note: This is the first place she did karaoke and she chose Smokey Robinson’s “The Tracks of My Tears” — it brought the whole mood down), Floating Bridge (now closed), Blue Moon Tavern
🍜Favorite noodle place
Xi’an Noodles
Honorable mentions: Thai Tom, U:Don, Than Brothers
🍽 Favorite restaurant
Thai Tom
Honorable mentions: Chili’s, Agua Verde, Cedar’s
🍕Favorite pizza place
Supreme (Temporarily closed)
Honorable mentions: A Pizza-Mart, Big Time Brewery, Pizza Pi, Pagliacci (now closed)
🖼Best hidden gem
Jacob Lawrence Gallery
Honorable mentions: Magus Books, Henry Art Gallery, Ravenna Park
📣 Extra shoutouts
The owners of Cafe Solstice. Somehow they've been able to keep the doors open during the pandemic. They bake their offerings in house and have delicious cookies. — Lincoln J.
Daniel, owner of Tea Republik. Gotta love a tea shop that doesn't focus on boba! It's cozy and lovely, he has an extensive tea list, and his mixed drinks are delicious. — Kevin R.
Scarecrow Video! At a time when streaming services give you the illusion of infinite choice, while really pushing you towards a limited number of options, Scarecrow actually has every movie and TV show you can think of. Love the way the shelves are organized, love the movies they play on the TV above the register, just love that they exist. So, so grateful for Scarecrow! — Ari H.
Helen, the former matriarch of The Continental Greek restaurant. She spent years as the warmth of the Ave. — Katy S.
Magus Books has a huge selection of used books at great prices and amazing staff! Sometimes they get so many copies of a classic book that you can find one on the discount racks. Plus the recommendations are always great and a diverse selection. Their buyers also find good books for every genre, check out the art and rare books! — Paige M.
The Woolly Mammoth! Locally and family-owned since 1970. Amazing stories. Kurt Cobain visited a couple times. Kian Pornour knows all the stories! — Felicia C.
Samir's Mediterranean Grill. Samir serves the tastiest Lebanese food anywhere, plus he's the nicest guy. He'll tell you stories of how and where he learned to cook and why he loves it so much. You will feel like you've been invited into his house for dinner! — Christine T.
Four Corners Art & Frame. A magical small but mighty woman-owned shop that’s been going strong over 35 years. All are welcome and there’s something beautiful for every price range! — J.J. W.
Not a person or business, but just a shout-out that the U District is a very accessible neighborhood. As a person with a disability (low vision) who can't drive, I lived there for 20 years and it's just a really easy place to live if you don't have a car as it has so many amenities, a lot of wonderful restaurants and cafes, has accessible transit routes and lots of crosswalks for safe walking. It's also a movie fan's dream as it has several cinemas (Grand Illusion, Varsity, AMC) and Scarecrow video. It's a very compact and accessible neighborhood that also has many connections to all parts of Seattle. I don't know how the pandemic will change the U District, but it has been an example of a vibrant, diverse, and accessible neighborhood in Seattle. — Tracy
Thanks to everyone who shared their answers! We put this guide on our website so you can access it easier. Did you like this guide? Want to see another one for our next neighborhood spotlight? Let us know.
