Gluten Free Guide to Seattle

On December 2, 2018 By wherekatieisIn North America, Travel, Uncategorized, United States

After visiting Seattle recently, I absolutely fell in love with the scenery of the Pacific Northwest and all that there is to do, and even more importantly, eat in this city! And if you’re a gluten free foodie like I am, you will be in heaven with all of the amazing options for you in Seattle. Even if you don’t have a food allergy, the places I’ve listed below are amazing places to eat and most have many non-gluten free options too. Read on for all the best places to eat here, and make sure you check out my Seattle City Guide if you haven’t already, for all of my tips on where to stay and what to do while you’re here!

snapseed-79 — Enjoying foodie paradise at Pike Place Market.

Biscuit Bitch
- One of my favorite places to indulge for breakfast or brunch in Seattle is definitely Biscuit Bitch. There are a few different locations throughout the city, including one at Pike Place Market, with both regular and gluten free biscuits that are out of this world! Make sure you try the Hot Mess Bitch, a delicious combination of a biscuit topped with grits, gravy, scrambled eggs, cheese, and sausage, all of which can be made gluten free (!!!).
Cinnamon Works
- Another place I frequented more than once during my week in Seattle is Cinnamon Works, a bakery stand right in Pike Place Market. Get here bright and early, or about 8am, for their fresh-out-of-the-oven cinnamon rolls, which were by far the best gluten free ones I’d ever had. They also have plenty of other gluten free bakery options that are fantastic, including monster cookies bigger than your head. And whether you’re vegan or just want a regular, gluten-filled cookie or cinnamon roll, they’ve got you covered for those too.

The best gluten free cinnamon roll ever and an incredible view too!

Lowell’s
- A Seattle institution, Lowell’s is a casual restaurant with fresh seafood for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and plenty of gluten free options. For breakfast or brunch, try the smoked salmon egg scramble and for lunch or dinner, the grilled fish tacos on corn tortillas are a great choice.
Duke’s Seafood & Chowder
- With seven different Seattle locations, Duke’s Seafood & Chowder is another option for fantastic, fresh seafood. They have an entire gluten free menu with a huge range of options, including several different seafood chowders that are gluten free, something that is not easy to find.
Pike Place Chowder
- While there are only two chowders on the menu that are gluten free, I still wanted to try Pike Place Chowder as it is so well-known for its chowder. I tried both the Manhattan style clam chowder and the vegan lime and coconut chowder and can highly recommend them both, but would love to see even more gluten free options here in the future!
Razzi’s Pizzeria
- Switching gears here a bit, Razzi’s Pizzeria is definitely your best bet in Seattle for delicous gluten free pizza, pasta, calzones, and even fresh garlic bread or cheesy bread. This place is basically your gluten free heaven for all the delicious carbs you could ask for! And if you’re vegan or even vegan and gluten free, don’t you worry because they’ve got you covered with separate menus and an abundance of options for everyone.

snapseed-75 — Such great gluten free chicken pesto pizza from Razzi’s.

Capitol Cider
- I can’t possibly list gluten free Seattle options without including Capitol Cider, a 100% gluten free restaurant in Pioneer Square. Being able to order anything off the menu is such a treat for me, and I went all out with an order of fish and chips plus fried cheese curds, two things that I’d never had gluten free before (!!). I highly recommend checking out Capitol Cider for brunch or dinner, and be sure to make a reservation, especially on the weekends, as this place gets quite busy.
Sweetgrass Food Co.
- For a delicious, healthy option, check out Sweetgrass Food Co. for yummy grain bowls and salad bowls, with many gluten free options, plus smoothies and fresh juices as well.
I Love My GFF
- While I didn’t have a chance to check out this weekday lunch cart for myself, it has rave reviews for its organic quinoa bowls and gluten free cookies too. This is definitely on my list for places to check out on my next visit to Seattle!
Niche Gluten Free Bakery
- If you’re looking for a casual breakfast or lunch, Niche Bakery is a 100% gluten free bakery with plenty of great options for you. Everything from bagels, to waffles, to paninis are available and made fresh here.
Shug’s Soda Fountain
- Shug’s Soda Fountain was another favorite of mine in Seattle, with things like traditional ice cream sundaes and shakes, as well as boozy options like champagne floats and prosecco floats that are seriously amazing. Most of the ice cream flavors are gluten free too.

snapseed-65 — How cute is Shug’s soda fountain? I loved the prosecco floats here!

Elleno’s Greek Yogurt
- Last but certainly not least, Elleno’s Greek Yogurt is fresh yogurt made in small batches, with plenty of fruit and toppings to add to it. They have several locations throughout Seattle, including one at Pike Place Market.

As you can see, Seattle is an absolute paradise for delicious gluten free food options, with so many places to enjoy allergy-friendly eats, with everything from fresh seafood, clam chowders, fresh baked treats, and much more! Have you been to Seattle before, or are you planning on visiting? Make sure you check out my Seattle City Guide too, for many more tips on where to stay here, what to do, and much more.

xo,

Katie

Seattle City Guide

On November 23, 2018November 24, 2018 By wherekatieisIn North America, Uncategorized, United States

After recently spending a wonderful week in Seattle, I wanted to share with y’all a city guide complete with everything from where to stay, what to do, and what to eat here. Seattle is a lovely, fast-growing city in the Pacific Northwest that has everything from quirky neighborhoods to explore, to well-known sites like Pike Place Market and the Space Needle. While the city is certainly known for its rain, its beautiful scenery, close proximity to several national parks, and many things to do more than make up for that if you ask me. Read on for my guide to Seattle to help you plan your trip to this fantastic city, and make sure you check out my travel guides to Nashville and Asheville as well, if you haven’t already!

All the views from the top of the Space Needle.

Getting Here:

Seattle is home to Sea-Tac, a major international airport, so flying in here is a breeze, and options like Lyft or Uber can take you from the airport to wherever you’re staying. For a more budget option of getting to and from the airport, the Link light rail costs $3.25/person and takes about 40 minutes to go from Sea-Tac to the Westlake downtown station.
If you plan on visiting one of the nearby national parks like Mt. Rainier or Olympic National Park, renting a car at the airport make that convenient to do for a day trip. Just be aware of the time of year that you’re planning to visit, as some roads in the parks are closed during the winter months and Mt. Rainier even requires chains on your car tires if you enter the park during winter!

snapseed-69 — Sunset at Pike Place Market.

Where to Stay:

If you plan on doing a lot of sight-seeing in the city, I recommend staying right downtown as it is highly walkable to most places that you’ll want to go. I loved my stay at the Paramount Hotel (not sponsored, just really enjoyed it here!) and it’s location is absolute perfection. The Hyatt Place in downtown Seattle is another option that is typically a bit more affordable as well.
And if you’re a budget traveler looking for a hostel to stay in, The Green Tortoise comes highly-rated and is just steps away from Pike Place Market.

snapseed-70 — Taking in the views at Chihuly Garden and Glass.

What to Do:

There is honestly so much to do in Seattle that the hardest part is just prioritizing what to do on your visit here! I’m not usually one for city passes, but since I planned on visiting the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass, the Museum of Pop Culture, plus maybe the Seattle Aquarium as well, it made sense to spring for the $89 Seattle City Pass, which can be used over a period of nine days.
Visiting the Space Needle is an absolute must, and with your City Pass ticket, you actually get two visits within 24 hours so that you can check out the incredible views during the daytime and again at night. We did our nighttime visit on our first day in Seattle after visiting Chihuly Garden and Glass, which absolutely blew me away with the amazing displays of Dale Chihuly’s blown glass sculptures. I can’t recommend either of these activities highly enough!
Pike Place Market is an iconic market formed in 1907, with everything from fresh fish, to produce, to crafts and fresh flowers, tons of restaurants, and bakeries. You can easily spend an afternoon just walking through the market and the different streets that make up Pike Place Market, and even after visiting day after day, I found new pockets and new shops to explore each time. You also can’t miss the famous Gum Wall while you’re exploring Pike Place!

Whether you think it’s awesome or disgusting, the Gum Wall is a must-see.

Pioneer Square is a fun neighborhood near downtown to explore that has everything from art galleries, great restaurants and coffee shops, including the Starbucks Reserve Roastery, a tasting room with food, drinks, and more, to the Smith Tower Observatory, which is another place to check out the beautiful Seattle skyline.
The neighborhood Fremont is an artsy area that’s also fun to explore, with cute shops and restaurants, a walking trail, a Sunday farmer’s market, and the famous Fremont troll under the bridge.
I can’t leave out some of the incredible and unique architecture in this city, like the Seattle Public Library, located downtown, and The Spheres, an innovative space built by Amazon that are home to over 40,000 plants, with the ground floor open to the public and the upper levels by appointment only.

How pretty is the Seattle Public Library? I’m obsessed!

Where to Eat:

There is so much great food in Seattle that I hardly know where to start! There are some incredible dining options at Pike Place Market, with everything from casual food stands to sit-down restaurants. You can’t miss the bakery stand Cinnamon Works that has the best gluten free cinnamon rolls and monster cookies I’ve ever tasted, and of course has delicious regular options and even vegan options as well.

The best cinnamon roll from Cinnamon Works with a great morning view.

Eating at Pike Place Chowder is a must while in Seattle, and they’ve honestly won too many awards for their chowder to count. I love that they only serve sustainable seafood as well. Be prepared for a line, especially on the weekends, but know that it’s worth the wait.
Lowell’s is another Seattle institution with amazing fresh seafood and nice views of the waterfront. I highly recommend stopping in for brunch and getting the Dungeness Crab omelet, something they’re well-known for, or the smoked salmon scramble with cream cream and capers. So good!
Shug’s soda fountain was one of my favorite places that we just stumbled upon on our visit, also located at Pike Place Market. It’s an old-fashioned style soda fountain with everything from traditional ice cream shakes and malts, to fun alcoholic versions like prosecco floats. This is definitely worth checking out for a sweet treat!

A yummy prosecco float from Shug’s soda fountain.

I think my absolute favorite place that I ate in Seattle is Biscuit Bitch, with several locations throughout the city, including one near Pike Place Market. Their biscuits are out of this world, including their gluten free ones (!!), and the Hot Mess Bitch, a combo of biscuits, gravy, grits, eggs, cheese, and sausage is something you just have to try.
If you’re looking for a healthier option after all of this indulging, Sweetgrass Food Co. is just the place for you. Their grain bowls and salad bowls manage to be incredible tasting while also being good for you and made from local, sustainable foods.

A great sunset on my last night in Seattle.

Well there you have it, my best tips and suggestions to help you plan a fantastic trip to Seattle! Have you been to this city before, or if you haven’t, is it somewhere you’d like to visit? I definitely recommend adding it to your travel bucket list, if it’s not there already! Make sure you let me know in the comments what you think of this post and if there’s anything you’d add!

xo,
Katie

A Weekend Guide to Nashville

On September 16, 2018 By wherekatieisIn North America, Travel, United States

Nashville, Tennessee, otherwise known as Music City. Whether it’s your first time here or you’ve been a few times before, there is so much to do in this fun city that there’s always something or somewhere new to explore! After visiting several times in the past couple of years, I have some favorite places to share with y’all, some of which that are more well-known, and some that are more off the beaten track. Hope you enjoy!

Going to a honky tonk bar is a must while in Nashville.

Getting here:

If you’re not within driving distance of Nashville or prefer to fly, the growing Nashville International Airport (BNA) makes traveling here easy. I do love that since we live in the Louisville, KY area now, Nashville is only a quick 2.5 hour drive!

The skyline from Pedestrian Bridge in downtown Nashville.

Where to stay:

Nashville has lots of different neighborhoods that are fun to explore, but especially if it’s your first time here, I recommend staying near Broadway or Music Row so that you can walk as many places as possible. Most recently, I stayed at this Airbnb that was very convenient for walking to The Gulch and to the cute Edgehill neighborhood. This one also looks to be a great location that’s even closer to Broadway!
If staying in a hotel is more your speed, the Omni Nashville Hotel has a great spa and rooftop pool, and the Kimpton Aerston Hotel is in an amazing location, right on Broadway. If you’re more of a budget traveler, either this or this hostel look like great options for you!
The cute Polaroid wall at the Airbnb I stayed in on Music Row.

What to do:

There is so much to do in Nashville that I hardly know where to start! In downtown Nashville, some must-visit sites are the Pedestrian Bridge for a fantastic view of the skyline, and just walking along Broadway itself to people-watch and stop in some honky tonk bars for the incredible live music.
My favorite park in Nashville is Centennial Park (not to be confused with the also-lovely Bicentennial Park!) that features a replica of the Parthenon and walking trails around a pond that are perfect for enjoying on a nice day.
Germantown is an adorable, walkable neighborhood that I love to explore, with lots of cute boutiques and restaurants, as well as the Nashville Farmer’s Market that is open year-round. The 12 South neighborhood is also not to be missed, with tons of great shopping and restaurants, and some great street art, like the famous ‘I Believe in Nashville’ sign and Reese Witherspoon’s Draper James store.
If you’re looking to experience a bit of history while in Nashville, taking a tour of the 19th century Belle Mead Plantation is the perfect way to do just that. They offer a variety of tours, including a fun segway tour!
At the adorable Draper James store in 12 South.

Where to eat:

Gosh, I could do a whole post on where to eat here alone (and I probably will, at some point!) but here are some highlights. For brunch, Edgehill Cafe is a bit more off-the-beaten track (meaning less waiting!) and has delicious omelets, waffles, and much more. They are also very allergy-friendly, which is perfect for me with my gluten allergy.
I also love The Flipside in 12 South, a retro-type diner that does a great weekend brunch which includes their full lunch and dinner menu too. I can personally vouch for how great the Pollo Ranchero and the Popeye is, but it’s hard to go wrong with anything here!
Five Daughter’s Bakery, with locations in 12 South and East Nashville, has out of this world donuts, including paleo donuts (that are gluten-free!) and vegan donuts too. Christie Cookie Co. also has incredible cookies to satisfy your sweet tooth, with a location in Germantown and one in 12 South.
I love sushi, and PM Nashville in the Belmont area does not disappoint, especially with their unique sushi burritos! Germantown Cafe (in, you guessed it, Germantown!) is also a great choice for lunch or dinner with classic southern fare that’s as well-priced as it is delicious.
It’s hard to resist these amazing donuts from Five Daughters Bakery

Have you been to Nashville before, or is it on your travel list? I hope this guide helps you have an amazing time while visiting Music City! Keep an eye out for more posts to come, with even more detailed guides to things like the bars and restaurants here in Nashville, as well as a post on all of the coolest street art in Nashville! And if you haven’t checked out my weekend getaway guide to Asheville, NC yet, find that here.

Some cool street art in 12 South, one of my favorite areas in Nashville.

Weekend Getaway: Asheville Edition

On August 29, 2018 By wherekatieisIn North America, Travel, United States3 Comments

I’ve been wanting to start a new series where I talk about different places that are great for short weekend getaways (or even longer if you have the time), and I can’t think of a better city to start with than Asheville! If you haven’t been to this charming, artsy city in the mountains of North Carolina yet, you definitely need to check it out. And even if you’ve been quite a few times like I have, there is always something new to explore or a new restaurant to try, because let’s be real, the amazing foodie scene is one of my favorite things about Asheville!

snapseed-38 — Just look how happy Asheville (and good friends) make me!