This is the Only Best of Seattle Guide You’ll Ever Need
Art Stone loves food, art, and Pike Place Market. He is also the entrepreneur behind Seattle-based Honest Biscuits, a restaurant that uses all locally-sourced ingredients to make delicious biscuits in the tradition of his grandmother from North Carolina. His recommendations for what to see and do in Seattle cover everything from the well-known tourist attractions to the hole-in-the-wall, hidden gems and there’s something for people of all ages.
Read on to learn all you need to know about Art Stone’s recommendations for where to go and what to eat when you head to Seattle!
The new Taste of Seattle Batch gift set features Honest Biscuits Mix alongside other small-batch, locally made, artisan goods from the Seattle area, including KuKuRuZa Gourmet Popcorn, Seattle Coffee Works, and CB's Nuts.
Where do you take out of towners?
Obviously, I take everyone to the Honest Biscuits store in Pike Place Market. Besides the delicious food, there is an amazing view of the Elliot Bay and West Seattle. From there I take them around Pike Place Market, the oldest public market in continuous use in the country. You could spend an entire day in this nine acre smorgasbord of small businesses of every variety.
What’s one place to eat that no one outside of Seattle knows about, but everyone inside your city loves?
Un Bien, a caribbean sandwich shop from the family of the original owner of Paseo. Order the Carribean Roast. It will be one of the best sandwiches of your entire life.
What food or drink would be worth waiting in line for?
I hate standing in line, but would and have for Canon or Un Bien.
Where is the best place to get a cocktail in Seattle?
Canon is one of the best cocktail bars in the world and has been recognized as such.
[Read more about our makers’ inside scoop on their hometowns.]
Where do you go to celebrate a special occasion in your city?
Canlis if a rich person is paying, but since that never happens, I tend to just go for whatever interesting restaurant has opened up that I have not made it to and then hit up a couple of bars. Unicorn on Capitol Hill is a must. It is my all time favorite carnival themed bar. My second favorite is Narwhal downstairs.
What is your favorite hidden gem tourist attraction or activity to recommend to your out-of-town guests?
Not really hidden, but most people do not think of it. I always send people to the Central Library. It is an absurdly fun building designed by Rem Koolhaas. I tell people to take an elevator to the top floor (#11) and make your way down. It is a spiral of books and other media with multiple stairs and escalators.
What is your favorite place to take kids in your city?
Seattle Center. It has an amazing outdoor playground, as well as the Seattle Children’s Museum, Seattle Children’s Theater, Pacific Science Center, The Space Needle, and MoPop (plus a few other things more for adults)
Best place to karaoke?
Rockbox in Capitol Hill
Where is the best art or art event in town?
The main art walk is Pioneer Square on first Thursdays. It has a great mix of commercial and offbeat galleries in a great neighborhood (the oldest in town) with plenty of cool bars and restaurants. But, almost every neighborhood in town has their own art walk with their own personality. The annual Seattle Art Fair is a really cool chance to see what is going on internationally.
Where is the best place to go to get a good view of Seattle?
I call this a city of views, because there are so many hills overlooking various bodies of water, but Kerry Park is said to be the closest to Frasier Crane’s view. Great look of the city from up on a hill. Pike Place Market has the best people watching. Take a Ferry to Bainbridge Island or go to Gasworks Park for great views of the skyline.
What is your favorite park in Seattle or within an hour’s drive?
So many good parks in the area, but Discovery Park offers a bit of wild within the city limits.
What is missing from your city? What do you wish it had?
I think most people would say the Sonics or an NBA team. While I agree with that, we do not have a great Peruvian restaurant, and I love Peruvian food.
[Read more about our makers in the Meet the Maker series.]
Are you ready to take a virtual trip to Seattle? Check out Art Stone’s Honest Biscuits Mix in the new Taste of Seattle Gift Batch and browse our site to see all the new Seattle goods we have recently added to the Batch lineup. If you need high-volume Seattle gifts for your business or event, give us a call!