With a population just under 700,000, Seattle, located in the Northwest region of the United States, is a beautiful, thriving city surrounded by water, mountains and evergreen forests (which earned it the nickname ‘Emerald City). Did you know that it’s home to the headquarters of Microsoft and Amazon and the birthplace of grunge music and coffee powerhouses Starbucks and Tully’s?
Three quick facts about Seattle:
- The futuristic Space Needle, a major part of Seattle’s landscape was built for the 1962 World’s Fair.
- Seattle is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of North America.
- In July 2013, Seattle was named the fastest-growing major city in the United States.
the local: Greg, but he says “most people call me Nomnerd, to the point where I hardly ever answer to my real name anymore. LOL”
the location: Seattle, Washington, USA
how long have you lived in Seattle? I lived in Seattle for a total of about 3 and a half years. I lived in Seattle from 2009 – 2012, and just recently moved back in January 2016.
a quick intro about yourself
I was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii and also spent some time abroad in Osaka, Japan. I love to cook at home, but I also love traveling around the Pacific Northwest and exploring all the cuisine our region has to offer. When I’m not in Seattle, I can be found in Portland, Oregon roaming the streets and looking for my next bite.
you can follow Greg on:
– website: www.nomnerd.com
– twitter: @nomnerd
– instagram: @nomnerd
I love traveling around the Pacific Northwest and exploring all the cuisine our region has to offer.
WHERE TO EAT:
Tarsan I Jane
4012 Leary Way NW, Seattle, WA, 98107 | www.tarsanijane.com
One of the best new restaurants in Seattle. The food is delicious and beautiful. Chef Perfecto Rocher stays true to his roots in Spain and creates the most amazing dishes. Located in the Fremont district, the menu switches constantly, but expect an unique play on temperatures and textures. The Beet Gazpacho is amazing and the Calm Cove oysters with citron sauce and pine essence is to die for.
Tarsan I Jane Beet Gazpacho
Damn the Weather
116 1st Avenue, Seattle, WA, 98104 | damntheweather.com
This is my favorite spot in Seattle. Not only is the house Spaghetti and rest of the food killer here, but the drinks are some of the best in the city. Stop in for an afternoon cocktail or a nightcap (open until 2am). The atmosphere here is always motivating for me. Located in the busy Pioneer Square district, everyone is always hustling in and out at all points of the night, motivated to capitalize on wherever the Seattle night leads them. So pull up to the bar and enjoy some great food and drink.
Damn the Weather
Gracia
5313 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA, 98107 | www.graciaseattle.com
Located in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, Gracia is a great place to go for Mexican cuisine and cocktails. The atmosphere is low key, and it’s in a beautiful neighborhood surrounded by other tiny pubs and eateries to hop over to. When you get there, grab a cocktail and try the Huarachitos (duck carnitas, salsa roja, crema, lettuce).
Gracia Huarachitos
Manolin
3621 Stone Way N, Seattle, WA, 98103 | www.manolinseattle.com
This place is a can’t miss, because Manolin was named one of Bon Appetit’s Top 10 best new restaurants of 2015. Chef Alex Barkely uses Pacific Northwest ingredients and turns them into beautiful delicious bites. Try the Braised Pork Belly with Kumquat, Poblano, Pickles and the Smoked Salmon with turnip, mustard seed, sour cream.
Manolin Smoke Salmon + Salad
Thanks for helping us Eat Like a Local in Seattle, Greg!
Planning a trip or thinking about visiting Seattle? Check out Visit Seattle for some great information and guides! Or buy DK Books’ Top 10 Seattle from Amazon!
The Eat Like a Local series is a unique look at good places to eat in various town, cities and countries around the world. This isn’t your usual tour book guide list and it definitely isn’t paid for by any restaurants or tourism boards – this is just a local resident sharing their favourite food recommendations. You can check out all the places we’ve covered on and find out how YOU can get involved on this page.
Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. However, I am part of the Amazon affiliate program and the product links shared in this post are affiliate links – if you click on them and purchase something, I will receive a tiny commission fee (at no extra cost to you) which helps me keep this site running. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.
All photos in this post belong to Greg and are used here with his permission. Please do not copy or reproduce any part of this post (written content or images) without obtaining the proper permissions.
