Colorful strands of papel picado flutter above the new turquoise Alebrijes Oaxacan Kitchen food truck in White Center, as if flagging down bystanders to stop in for memelas, tlayudas, and masa-thickened mushroom soup.

Join us in raising a glass to some of the women chefs, winemakers, brewers, and business owners who make Seattle and Washington’s culinary and imbibe scene so dynamic.   

“This has to be a joke.” That’s the first thing that passed through Niles Peacock’s head as he stood reading the results of the 2022 International Pizza Challenge in Las Vegas…

Photo by Steve Parent Photography

Whether you like Valentine’s Day because you enjoy celebrating all the ways love exists in your life, or you want an excuse to eat delicious dessert with your girlfriends for Galentine’s, plenty of Seattle pastry shops and chocolatiers will keep you well fed.

Let’s start with a Seattle staple. I love Pike Place Market, and also love going with my son as often as possible to get a piroshky and then a doughnut from the Daily Dozen. It’s a small booth inside the market across from DeLaurenti Food and Wine. You’ll have to stand in line, but It won’t take long, and you’ll be shoveling hot fresh doughnuts made right in front of you into your mouth before you know it.

The sea-loving part of him first pursued a career in marine science. He tagged great white sharks in California, researched ways to improve the sustainability of oyster farms in Scotland, and explored the inner workings of a large shrimp farm in Central America. He soon discovered that his advocacy for the ocean could only go so far in his chosen field, though he never thought he’d launch a seafood snack company.

It’s common this time of year for year-end roundups touting the newest, “best, most exciting” restaurants, but looking ahead to 2024, I want to hone in on a different set of restaurants redefining what it means to eat local in Seattle. 

Though not a wine critic by any means, I’ve had my fair share of wine from all over the world, even geeking out over Vinho Verde for a time, but I had no clue what a pet-nat was. When a glass of sparkling white wine was placed before me, I liked that its bubbles were only mildly flirtatious, keeping me entertained by its delicate effervescence. My first sip reminded me of an apple just before it begins to ripen.