7 Best Sandwiches in Pike Place Market

If you don't know this, Pike Place Market has more delicious restaurants per square foot than anywhere else in the city. We have eaten most of the food at the market and feel we have curated a beautiful list of the best sandwich fare offered.

Prepare to salivate.

DeLaurenti's Grinder

DeLaurenti's is one of our absolute favorite places to visit in the market. They have groceries, they have wine, they have cheese, and to our delight, they also have a BOMB Italian Grinder. This sandwich is piled with Italian meats, provolone, tomato, lettuce, and mayo. The bread sprays crumbs as you bite down into the crunchy, carby amazing-ness. Grab an Italian soda and a spot at their bar by the window and chow down while you people watch! 

Three Girl's Bakery's Meatloaf Sandwich

Three Girl's Bakery is an institution at Pike Place Market. They opened up shop in 1912 and were the first business licensed to women in the City of Seattle. And man, did these three know how to make a mean meatloaf sandwich. Even if you don't like meatloaf, you'll like this meatloaf by the time you're done chowing down. Ask for the rosemary bread and you'll die in sandwich heaven. 

Dot's Meatball Sandwich 

Dot's is new to the market, but not to Seattle. This butcher and deli shop has been earning its stripes for years and they seem to have perfected a lot of things in the meat department. Our favorite though? The meatball sandwich. When they handed it to us the first time we ordered rays of sunshine spilled out of the middle and the sound of angels singing could be heard. Then we bit into it and blacked out for a minute because this sandwich is so. Freaking. Good. 

Pike's Pit BBQ's Pulled Pork

Pike's Pit BBQ caught our attention about a year ago with a free sample. Food + free = we can be friends. After one tiny taste of the BBQ pork we went in for the real deal. If we are being honest we wouldn't have been able to resist even without a sample because the smell of cooking meat will draw you in from a mile away (unless you don't eat meat, and in that case this list probably isn't for you).

The ordering here is going to either embarrass you or thrill you because you get to say weird things. For example Kristina's order goes a little something like this: "Chopped Pork Sandwich with Medium BBQ sauce. Say Cheese (add cheese), Slaw It Please (add cole slaw) and Wickle It (add pickles)."

Honest Biscuit's Fried Chicken Sandwich

This little shop is a tiny bit hidden (although they are getting a new and exciting location in the MarketFront Expansion), but it's worth the hunt. Honest Biscuit makes all their biscuits fresh daily and don't get us wrong, they are delicious plain, but the real money is in the fried chicken sandwich. We recommend adding pimento cheese. (Our life motto: always add cheese). Pull up an orange chair and enjoy!

Beecher's Grilled Cheese

Oh, Beecher's. You are such an wonderful place. You cover everything on your menu in cheese, you always have free samples, and we get to watch you make cheese while we eat. Truly great. So, if you love cheese as much as we do we recommend stopping here and getting yourself the grilled cheese sandwich. We've tried a few others and the classic is simply the best. Cheese and carbs, who knew? (We did, we knew. That is a recipe for success 100% of the time.)

Lowell's Hot Dungeness Crab Melt

You can't have a list about food in Pike Place Market without some seafood thrown in. Lowell's wins in this category with their Hot Dungeness Crab Melt. They pile dungeness crab on rosemary bread and top it with a buncha mozzerella cheese. (Are you seeing a trend here with cheese? Don't make a sandwich without cheese. Ever.) The secret sauce is their Bacon-Tomato Jam though. This stuff is crack and anything on the menu with it is worth trying! Make sure to sit on the 2nd floor and get your food with beautiful views of Puget Sound. 

Salish Lodge and Spa: A Relaxing and Rejuvenating Weekend Getaway

We all love to get out of the city every once in a while. Luckily in our area it's fairly easy to do. We are surrounded by remote, beautiful landscapes full of small, quaint towns. Snoqualmie is no secret; it's a great place to visit and slow down for a weekend, but what I think a lot of people don't know is it shouldn't be treated as a day trip. Oh, no. Because nestled above Snoqualmie Falls is Salish Lodge and Spa and it's an attraction in itself. Book a night and experience the history and beauty of the area. We promise you won't regret the decision. 

Here's why. 

Every room comes with the guarantee of relaxation. 

If you look up relaxation in the dictionary, it will basically say, "Why are you reading this dictionary, go to Salish and you'll know what relaxation means." It won't... but seriously, just wait you are going to be so relaxed. 

Almost every room at the lodge comes with a view of the Snoqualmie River. Every room has a jetted bathtub and goose down feather bedding. Every room has a fireplace that burns real wood. This gives off an amazingggg smell of firewood. Oh, and the rooms also come with either a balcony or a window seat, which means fresh air and waterfall sounds. See? Told ya. 

The staff are wonderful and they truly love the place they work. 

No one wants to get to their relaxing hotel getaway and have a "too cool for school" hipster staring back at them. Leave that in Seattle and arrive at a place that is happy. Salish is full of people who are proud to work in a place of esteem and history. Smiles and good humor are in abundance, which makes visiting that much more enjoyable. 

The restaurants on the premise are full of delicious food and beverages.

Salish has two amazing restaurants. The main restaurant, The Dining Room, serves up PNW fare in a stylish dining room. The best seats in the house overlook the falls, giving you the opportunity to eat your country breakfast or pan seared pacific cod while enjoying a great view. The bar in Salish, dubbed The Attic for its top of the line views from the peaks of the lodge, is great for more low-key dining. Grab a flatbread and the famous honey hopped ale for a casual night... wait for it... enjoying the view. 

The spa seems to be a place you could go to and then die happy.

Getting the "spa level" package when you stay at Salish will take your experience to a whole new level. Their therapeutic soaking pools and full suite of spa services will leave you zen AF. 

The soaking pools at Salish are calling your nameeee. Photo cred: Salish Lodge and Spa

They are committed to the environment. 

In 2011, Salish decided to commit part of their property to start an apiary for honeybees. They've now tripled their hives and these bees pollinate 80% of their flowering crops and provide the lodge with their (now famous) honey. They also have an 800 sq. ft garden that provides the on site restaurants with organic, locally-raised produce. #HealthyLiving

Even the breakfast comes with a bit of history.

Salish has been around since 1916, which means it has a teeny bit of history attached to it. Back then it was just a small eight cabin lodge offering a place to stay and a big breakfast for travelers about to head through the mountains. Now it's a beautiful, award winning hotel that is a popular destination for travelers near and far. Be sure to appreciate the native art that decorates your room and the wood-burning fireplaces.

Salish Lodge back in the day! 

Salish's best tradition happens in The Dining Room -- The Country Breakfast. Prepare your stomach and you'll walk away a happy camper. It's a four course breakfast that will take you at least an hour and half to finish, but it comes with a history of nourishing hungry travelers and the last course gets you a healthy serving of the local honey. Definitely well-worth the price tag. 

Who doesn't love a good waterfall? 

When you stay at Salish you literally sit right on top of one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Washington State. At 268 feet, Snoqualmie Falls is truly a sight to see. The park that is built around it offers great views and a nice history lesson. Don't forget to watch out for the Peregrine Falcons that nest nearby. And also the selfie sticks, those things come out of nowhere. 

The gift shop is on POINT.

We do our christmas shopping here because it is full of all the best goodies. This isn't a place you go to buy a tacky t-shirt and an orca stuffed animal. It's the real deal. Think luxurious bath bombs, beautiful ornaments, and the best honey products made with love from the Salish honeybees. You'll want to budget to leave behind some of your weekend spending money here. 

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Check out our post "5 Things to Check Out in Snoqualmie, WA" for ideas if you have time to kill.

Have you stayed at Salish Lodge? We would love to hear your favorite memories and tips in the comments! 

Meet the Maker: Lauren Wilson, Sweet Lo's Ice Cream

We think one of the best parts of living in Seattle is that it really is a no-frills kinda place. People are genuine, down-to-earth, and enjoy the little things more here. For our newest “Meet the Maker,” we got to know someone who completely embodies that kind of lifestyle (and lucky for us), she is an incredible baker and pours that authenticity and joy into creating simple and delicious ice cream for all! 

Sweet Lo’s Ice Cream is a young company operating out of a commercial kitchen in SoDo. Lauren Wilson and her partner, Cassidy Watt, create everything by hand with extra love. The company mission is to create a homemade, pure, and fresh product to allow people to taste ice cream the way it is truly meant to be – simple and delicious. After getting the chance to visit the kitchen and make some ice cream with Lauren, we are sold. This is the best ice cream in Seattle. 

So without further adieu, let us introduce you to Lauren Wilson of Sweet Lo’s Ice Cream. 

Where did your love of food come from? 

I grew up in the kitchen, baking and cooking. My dad worked the graveyard shift at the post office. I remember he would come home at 3AM and bake. He would wake my sister and I up to help him hold the pie crusts. I doubt our tiny hands were really much help. I think he just wanted the company and to pass his love of baking onto us.  

When did you first start making ice cream?

In 2013, I moved to Vermont and got a job at a small farm-to-table restaurant out there. They had a small ice cream maker, and I asked the owner if I could use it. She agreed, and I made my first batch of homemade ice cream with a recipe from one of her many cookbooks. 

That first flavor was Butter Pecan. The second I tasted homemade ice cream I wondered, “Why aren’t we all eating this??” I wanted everyone to experience what I felt in that moment. It’s such a pure, clean thing. You don’t need additives or stabilizers, you just need a few ingredients and you get this amazing, pure taste. I moved back to Seattle shortly after that, started Sweet Lo’s, and never looked back. 

What’s the process to make ice cream? How long does it take from start to finish?

The process is fairly simple. I blend the ingredients for the ice cream and then add them to the pasturizer that allows me to make 7.5 gallons at a time. From the pasteurizer, I put the mix into the ice cream maker where it becomes the ice cream you eat. After this I add any additional ingredients like Oreos, chocolate pieces, marshmallows, etc. Last, it has to sit overnight in the freezer and it’s good to go.  So, from start to finish a batch takes about 2 days. 

What makes your ice cream different?

I think making custom ice cream and the fact that everything is 100% homemade, super small batch, and made with love. It’s a simple recipe that tastes amazing. 

What’s your favorite ice cream flavor to create? Do you have a favorite way to eat it?

Well, our most popular flavor is our Lemon Bar, but I’m a classics girl so my favorite has to be Cookies and Cream or Rocky Road. We also do a really good strawberry shortcake. 

Have you ever experimented with a flavor that didn’t work out?

Oh, ya. I made a flavor once with red wine and it was ehhhhh. I think the wine and the cream curdled into something terrifying. Won’t be doing that again, although it might work as a sorbet.

Tell us about your ice cream subscription! What a neat idea. Where else can you find your ice cream?

We are now wholesaling seven flavors at stores around Seattle, but I wanted to stay true to where I started, which is the custom orders so I am rolling out a subscription service. The idea is that people can sign up and get three unique flavors every first Saturday of the month. This keeps us making fun, unique flavors for our customers.  

What’s next for Sweet Lo’s?

Eventually we want a brick and mortar store. I want to be the best, and I want people to think of Sweet Lo’s when they think Seattle Ice Cream.  

Lastly, we always love to hear food expert’s answer to this question: What are your favorite spots for food/dessert around Seattle?

Simply Dessert in Fremont for cake. They make legit homemade cake and you get it by the slice. And Fainting Goat for gelato in Wallingford. 

Beyond dessert we love to eat out in general. Café Turko has amazing food AND dessert. Uneeda Burger, Mammoth Sandwiches, St. Johns in Capitol Hill.  

Thanks, Lauren! We had such a great time making homemade ice cream with you. If you are interested in making your own ice cream at home, we found this article on Kitchenistic, which reviews The Best Ice Cream Makers In 2020 helpful.

On the Road: Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe is a small but extremely cute town with a lot of character and killer food. Aside from the food, it's probably most known for the plaza, which is a great (albeit expensive) place to get SW gifts and jewelry. Needless to say, there is also a ton to do in the surrounding city. We recommend renting a car and exploring as much as you can. Here are our recommendations:

Stay

Santa Fe Motel and Inn. This motel is extremely affordable and within walking distance from the plaza. The rooms are spacious and have many cute details all over the property; from the dried peppers in the above photo to little SW tiles hanging in the rooms. The breakfast is free and plentiful and served in a little SW decorated space with a burning fireplace to keep you warm on cool desert mornings.

Eat & Drink

New Mexico is home to quite a few vineyards. We recommend checking out the cute and quaint Estrella del Norte winery. We love their dessert mole wine. It's spicy and pairs perfectly with a little chocolate on the side.

Jambo Café, an African restaurant by head chef Ahmed Obo, is such a town highlight! Ahmed is so kind and humble and happy when people stop by and visit with him. We recommend ordering the combination plate (which includes chicken curry, goat stew, and coconut lentils) so you can try a bit of everything, which is all savory and delicious! 

Café Pasqual's is located by plaza shopping, so you can stop in while you are browsing the stores. It's the best place to get your SW food fix! You can't go wrong with anything on the menu although our insider advice would be to get the chicken breast sandwich.

The Shed is an extremely popular spot to visit while in Santa Fe. They serve some of the best red chili and margaritas in the city and the space is extremely cute with outdoor seating. It can be extremely busy so be prepared for a wait if you are arriving at a popular time. If you can't get in, try La Choza, its sister restaurant, which is equally good and less known by the tourists.

Do

Ojo Caliente Hot Springs is about 50 miles north of Santa Fe. You can stay here at it's hotel, but you can also just visit for the day. They have eleven different pools (with four different minerals!) all of varying temperatures and they even have a mud pool, where you cover yourself in mud, let it bake on you in the sun and then soak in a mud pool. It's wonderful and relaxing.

Bandelier National Monument is where you can see dwellings from the ancestral pueblo people dating back 11,000 years and a variety of their Petroglyphs (cave drawings). It is truly incredible and can easily be seen following a short hike.

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks. This hike is fairly easy (it gets a little steep towards the end, but it's mostly flat) and takes your through unique slot canyons with views of the interesting cone-shaped rock formations. It's a must. We recommend going early to avoid the heat and crowds.

Giant Robot at Meow Wolf

Meow Wolf. It is hard to explain this place. It's part art installations and part mystery solving and the whole thing is just a trip. Go into this experience with an open mind and plenty of time to explore. The show changes from time to time, but regardless of what is currently there, it's worth a visit.

Take the Turquoise Trail south from Santa Fe to the cute town of Madrid. There is a small strip of road lined with the cutest art shops and restaurants. Check out Sugarman's Little Chocolate Shop for some amazing chocolate bark.

A petroglyph just outside of Santa Fe