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Restaurant Roundup: Shilshole Seafood Boil and Underground Eats

Here’s what was served up recently in the Emerald City

Four bags filled with assorted seafood, corn, and sliced lime are displayed on a table—a true Shilshole Seafood Boil highlight for any Underground Eats adventure.
Photo courtesy of Happy Crab Boiling Seafood Restaurant

As a food writer, it doesn’t behoove oneself to lead readers down a blind alley. Thankfully, that’s exactly what Jasmine Vieau did on the way to Sap Sap, a Laotian deli and cafe that lives up to its name by being “yummy yummy.” Guests to this White Center hidden gem, tucked inconspicuously behind a Mexican restaurant, will enjoy the imported beer, garlic fried chicken, mango sticky rice, and larb (the minced meat salad that’s the national dish of the Southeast Asian country).

If you’re still hungry, this news will certainly be up your alley.

Take a lick of this

Calling all Salt & Straw stans in Seattle, there’s a new location coming to Queen Anne on Friday, Aug. 29. The first 50 guests (doors open at 11 a.m.) will receive a special gift (spoiler, it’s a branded tote bag and cold brew from Caffe Vita next door). The team is also collaborating with How to Cook a Wolf and its chef Ethan Stowell to offer a special affogato and ice cream sandwich at the Italian restaurant in the lead up.

Xiao long bao by the bay

Seafood in sight of stunning Shilshole Bay? That’s certainly a savory concept—and Happy Crab is, well, happy to oblige. The Cajun boiling seafood spot infuses “the spirit of the South” with owner Lily Wu’s Asian culinary roots, right on the water in the former Anthony’s HomePort location. The menu pulls from the Auburn Happy Crab location—expect to see crayfish and calamari —while also offering noodles and dumplings. The 300-seat restaurant is set to open later this month, with stunning patio views across the Sound to the Olympic Mountains.

New places to eat beneath your feet

Saigon Drip Alley, known for its bánh mì take on a French dip, is branching out from its Pioneer Square home with a second location downtown in the underground pedestrian concourse between Rainier Square and Union Square. Customers will be able to order using two self-serve kiosks and since space is minimal, will have to look for seating elsewhere. Its original late-2025 opening date has been pushed back a few months. In other exciting news for the space, an unnamed restaurant from James Beard-winning chef Brady Williams is also said to be joining the Skinner Hall Concourse.

Raise a glass to women’s sports

Pitch the Baby is Seattle’s second sports bar dedicated to showing women’s sports. Located in Capitol Hill, the watering hole has sprinted out of the soft launch phase and is full go, offering drinks and eats from chef Monica Dimas (previously of Little Neon Taco and Tortas Condesa fame). Customers can expect to watch the Reign and Storm, as well as international events like the World Cup or Olympics.

Go chew it on the mountain

Whether you’re famished after a hike or really didn’t pack enough on your camping trip, there are plenty of spots to grab good grub around Mount Rainier. No one can turn their nose up to Snorting Elk and its hearty pub fare—pizza, burgers, and nachos, oh my. Nor should you miss the Himalayan cuisine at Wild Berry that’s perfectly suited to alpine adventures. Mill Haus Cider can quench your thirst with flavors like huckleberry and apricot alongside smoked pork sliders or street tacos. It also hosts live music on the weekends.

Will Travel For Cheese

Will Travel For Cheese

Some people take road trips for nature, while others optimize their route to get a taste of small-town living. If your interests are more culinarily inclined, consider trying this loop around Western Washington—it will take you to some of the state’s top cheese producers, mongers, and enthusiasts.

Here in Washington—a state with many distinct climates, terroirs, and biomes as well as diverse agricultural blessings—we celebrate our apple, wine, beer, stone fruit, and seafood industries to the hilt. Some may be surprised to learn that dairy and cattle are the state’s second-largest agricultural commodities, making Washington a real paradise for cheese lovers, with…

Restaurant Roundup: Coffee, Costumes, and Secret Burgers 

Restaurant Roundup: Coffee, Costumes, and Secret Burgers 

Here’s what was served up recently in the Emerald City.

Little sips. That is our destined-to-fail mantra for the upcoming Seattle Coffee Festival (Oct. 24-25), an event so enticing we’re already mentally preparing for the tidal wave of caffeine coming our way. The two-day event, now in its second year, takes place at Magnuson Park Hangar 30, showcasing a buzzing lineup of Seattle and regional…

Opening Night: Coffee TAB Brings Coffee Back to 23rd and Jackson

Opening Night: Coffee TAB Brings Coffee Back to 23rd and Jackson

The nonprofit’s third cafe turns the long-vacant former Starbucks space into a new community gathering place.

For a Starbucks, the coffee shop on the corner of 23rd Avenue and Jackson Street in the Central District has spawned a lot of discourse. When it opened in 1997, it was the product of a lot of behind-the-scenes efforts by neighborhood boosters and civic leaders who were hunting for more investment in the historically…

Restaurant Roundup: Hey Bagel Heads West and Squash Dessert Cravings

Restaurant Roundup: Hey Bagel Heads West and Squash Dessert Cravings

Here’s what was served up recently in the Emerald City.

It’s your birthday? Congratulations on another trip around the sun. Don’t worry, we won’t ambush you with singing waitstaff, but there are plenty of ways Seattle restaurants can make your special day even more memorable, from intimate settings for private celebrations to that dish you won’t stop thinking about for the next 365 days (like…