Recently, we had the pleasure of traveling to Seattle to pour at the Around the World in 80 Sips event. Seattle is an absolutely beautiful city that reminds us a lot of San Francisco. It’s hilly, near the water and the food and wine scene is stunning—one of the hottest in the country. Seattle chefs and winemakers are understandably proud of the local bounty of the Northwest and it shows in their menus, cocktails and of course, wines. Here’s a list of some stunning places to eat, drink and be merry.

Bar Sajor

This is not only one of Seattle’s most exciting restaurants, but it’s credited with revitalizing the original downtown Seattle, Pioneer Square. Chef Matt Dillon works out of a kitchen without a range, cooking everything on a wood-fired grill. His cooking is simple, using impeccable local ingredients, including those from his own farm. We loved the briny fragrance from big jars of homemade pickled veggies lining the counter. Don’t miss the pickle plate! Interesting and exotic wine list as well. Visit Bar Sajor. 

Caffe Umbria

After lunch, stop by Caffe Umbria for a pick-me-up espresso with a complimentary chocolate square on the side. With roots going back to the 1940’s in Perugia, Italy, you can taste their passion for blending and roasting high-quality coffee. 

The London Plane

This eclectic Pioneer Square location, also created by Dillon, is the hipster version of a general store. The café/florist/wine shop features carefully-curated items sourced from local farms. Check out their wine bar and explore some of Washington State’s more hard-to-find wines. Visit The London Plane. 

Lark

The brainchild of chef John Sundstrom, this is one of the restaurants leading the way in artisan-focused cooking with fresh, local ingredients. The menu features small plates of charcuterie, veggies, grains, fish and meats prepared with a high attention to detail. The farro risotto and sautéed green chickpeas and leeks were stand-outs, as was the special that night, fried local razor clams. We’re fans of the small plate way of dining so we get to try lots of different things! Visit Lark. 

Von Trapp’s 

Just a few doors down from Lark is a spot known for it’s beer, brats and bocce balls – Von Trapp’s. With tons of space and seating, it’s a great place to both watch the game and play a game of bocce or two. It’s only natural to want to enjoy a liter and some traditional German fare in this classic biergarten interior 

Pike Place Market

A trip to Seattle would not be complete without a visit to the world-famous Pike Place Market. Not sure which was more gorgeous, the flowers or the fish (or the guys throwing the fish!).  Lots of little places to grab coffee, a bite of seafood or try one of about a gazillion different styles of housemade Piroshky at the famous Seattle Piroshky Bakery. Don’t worry—line moves fast!

Unicorn

If you’re in the mood for a fun happy hour cocktail, stop by Unicorn in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Bartenders here are recreating favorite childhood sweets like Firecracker popsicles and Jolly Ranchers into surprisingly fantastic adult drinks. The interior decor alone is worth the stop, but we also recommend ordering carnival-inspired treats like corn dogs and elephant ears. 

View all of our photos from Seattle here and a special Tastemade episode from the 80 Sips event.