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Best Pocket Neighborhoods: Whittier Heights
This article originally appeared in the April 2017 issue of Seattle magazine.
Anyone looking to live near a few of Seattle’s most popular food havens would be happy locating near the one-block commercial strip a block north of Ballard High School. Locals can start the day picking up flaky croissants from Rosellini’s bakery (formerly Honoré Artisan Bakery) and end at Delancey, known for its perfectly charred wood-fired pizza. Delancey’s sibling, the bar Essex, offers wine, beer, hand-crafted cocktails, a rotating selection of cocktails on tap (the blood orange margarita is a must) and a place to cool your heels while waiting for a coveted seat next door. The block becomes even more animated on Friday and Saturday nights when Karaoke Kurt sets up shop at Mexican restaurant and bar Tarasco. Early birds or lunch seekers will enjoy The Fat Hen’s hearty breakfasts, sandwiches and salads.
Photo by Angelou Ciccu
The Fat Hen attracts an early-morning crowd
Tucked behind Delancey is The Pantry, a space that hosts wildly popular cooking classes. (Insider tip: Get a jump on sign-ups by subscribing to its email announcements of upcoming classes.)
Since inducing neighborhood-wide panic last summer with the announcement that she was purchasing beloved Honoré and changing its name to Rosellini’s, Ballard resident Suzanne Rosellini has won the crowd over by continuing to offer Honoré’s flaky croissants, turnovers and kouign amann while also introducing cookies, tarts and cakes that she’s perfected as the owner of Rosellini Sweets for the past eight years. Businesses also include Soma Yoga and Dance studio and a natural health business.
A six-block walk east on NW 70th to Ninth Avenue NW takes you through a neighborhood of families living in modest Craftsman-style homes, dotted by the occasional newer multiplex. Nearby, tiny Kirke Park offers a P-Patch garden and play area as well as the ruins of the church that once inhabited the site.
Photo by Angela Ciccu
An older home common to the neighborhood
Snapshot: Whittier Heights
Location: Ballard, along NW 70th Street between Alonzo Avenue NW and 14th Avenue NW
Average home price: $677,700
Appreciation: 16.3 percent
Walk score: 82/100
School and score: Whittier Elementary (10/10), Whitman Middle School (9/10), Ballard High School (10/10)
Public transportation: Metro’s RapidRide D Line to downtown Seattle runs on 15th Avenue NW, just two blocks north.
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