Pike Place Market Reviews (Seattle, Washington)

definite tourist attraction...but still fun

Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

November 5, 2012

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As I was heading down towards the market, it started to rain, in what someone said was a typical Seattle weather. I headed inside out of the rain, and the place was packed with tourists. There are all sorts of shops here from fish, to fruit and ...Read more

From journal No settling in Seattle

Tourist trap that smells like dead fish

by kbyfield

Stoughton, Wisconsin

April 28, 2010

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Much like the Green Tortise, I do not uinderstand the appeal. Watching someone toss a dead fish someone else is what passes for excitement here? WOOHOO!! The market area itself had some interesting shops and some obvious tourist magnets. ...Read more

From journal Pacific Northwest - June 2009

The Soul of Seattle

by stvchin

Tustin, California

November 15, 2009

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Best of IgoUgo They say that everybody that visits Seattle must visit Pike Place Market. Started in 1907 as a place for farmers to sell their produce without middlemen to drive up prices, Pike Place Market has become one of the premier tourist destinations in ...Read more They say that everybody that visits Seattle must visit Pike Place Market. Started in 1907 as a place for farmers to sell their produce without middlemen to drive up prices, Pike Place Market has become one of the premier tourist destinations in Seattle. It’s not just a place to shop for cheap bulk produce anymore, but a place to experience, dine, and experience what Seattle is really like.

Pike Place Market is centered around Pike Street, and 1st Avenue. I suggest parking a few blocks back, since parking is very hard to come by the closer to the Market you go. The traffic is also horrendous once you’re directly in front of the Market on Pike Street. The blocks aren’t that long, and a very easy walk to the Market.

A big fat, happy looking bronze pig statue greets you at the corner of Pike Street, as it turns right alongside the market. I’m unsure of the meaning, but I think it’s akin to the bull on Wall Street mixed in with the meaning of happy gluttony, as there’s plenty to eat at the Pike Street Market. We took a wrong turn down a ramp to Post Alley, which turns out to be "Bubblegum Alley." It’s a bizarre, yet colorful work of art formed by thousands upon thousands of people sticking their bubble gum to one of the walls of the Market.

Back on the main track, we wandered into Pike Place Market itself. There are many small food stalls, produce stalls, flower stalls, and other curious marketers you’d expect to find in a farmer’s market. One stall I immediately keyed upon was the Daily Dozen Donut Company, which had a long line in front of it. You can buy freshly made miniature donuts by the dozen (hence the name) which are tossed in powdered sugar, sugar and cinnamon, or nut sprinkles. I chose the cinnamon and sugar. There’s a small little automated donut machine with a hopper which dispenses donut batter in little ring shaped forms into a tub of hot fry oil. The donuts drift towards an automatic flipping device as they cook, and eventually onto a conveyor belt which lifts them out of the hot oil. The staff grabs your dozen donuts and mixes them with your choice of topping and shakes them in a paper bag, which is yours to keep. A bag of a dozen small donuts cost only $5. They’re very delicious.

We went to Pike Place Fish Market, which features the famous fish toss. The Fish Market is immediately behind the fat pig statue. When somebody buys a fish, the workers will throw the fish from one of the displays outside the stall into the stall, where they keep the scale. Once weighed, the fish is thrown back for wrapping. The fish toss happened quite quickly, so I wasn’t able to get a chance to snap a photo of the fish in midair. A few stalls later is another fishmonger who does a similar toss, but with lobsters and crabs.

The rest of the market consists of many other shops, food stands, restaurants, artistic ventures such as glass blowers and jewelry stands. One notable place was the Pappardelle’s Pasta stall, which had dozens upon dozens of different kinds of dried pasta, including chocolate spaghetti noodles. We tried a sample of the dried pasta, and while it wasn’t very good, we could only wonder what it would taste like if it were cooked properly.

While the buildings on the opposite side of Pike Street are not technically part of Pike Place Market, they’re considered part of the experience. Across the street is a Beecher’s Handmade Cheese, where you can watch them make cheese from huge vats of milk curds, and buy the cheese in their market or have it grilled up in a panini sandwich. I ordered a ham and cheese panini, and believe me, the fresh cheese makes a great difference. Near it is Starbucks number ONE. The very first Starbucks is a pilgrimage for some, as evidenced by the full house inside. I noticed that there was a Pike Place blend, the barrista said it’s sold only at this Starbucks.

All in all, the Pike Place Market is a great place, with plenty of people exuding great energy. There are plenty of things to keep you occupied. Pike Place Market is a sensual experience, with plenty of colors and textures to keep you visually stimulated from all the food, produce, flowers, and art. Wonderful aromas of food, fresh donuts, flowers, great dining, and bustling sounds of people around the Market. I’ve read that the Pike Place Market is called the "soul of Seattle," and it certainly does fulfill it’s role as such. Close

From journal Almost Sleepless in Seattle

Heart of Seattle

by callen60

Ozarks, Missouri

January 23, 2009

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Best of IgoUgo I’ve heard about Pike Place Market from friends and family members for years, all raving about their visits to this market at the foot of Pike Street. I like markets, but I admit to fair amount of suspicion, thinking that everyone was professing to ...Read more I’ve heard about Pike Place Market from friends and family members for years, all raving about their visits to this market at the foot of Pike Street. I like markets, but I admit to fair amount of suspicion, thinking that everyone was professing to enjoy what they were supposed to enjoy.

I sincerely apologize for my skepticism. I’d forgotten what fun it is to be in a big city market, and I don’t think I’ve ever been in one as big as this. Pike Place Market celebrated its centennial two years ago, and now covers nine acres here in central Seattle, attracting over 9 million visitors a year. It has wonderful populist roots, beginning when a city councilman moved to establish a place where farmers could deal directly with shoppers, and eliminate the middlemen that were gouging consumers and giving farmers a raw deal. Despite initial active opposition from those who were about to lose their control (and thus their own economic livelihood), it took off immediately.

It’s hard to imagine that its existence was in jeopardy in the sixties and seventies, when developers floated plans to demolish Pike Place and replace it with a multi-use complex. Now, it’s a thriving affair, with multiple pieces (nicely laid out at the market’s website). The classic neon sign sits atop the Main Arcade at the foot of Pike Street, over the uppermost of at least three floors that house farmers, fishmongers, and other food vendors as well as a healthy selection of restaurants. This is where you’ll see (and perhaps be threatened by) the famous flying fish.

North of this along Pike Place is the North Arcade, home to the crafts and day vendors. There’s an impressive collection of items for sale, from handmade jewelry to photography to original silk-screened t-shirts to candles. On the east side of Pike Place are the Corner and Post Alley Markets, plus shops on Market and Virginia. This is where we found Beecher’s Homemade Cheese, and is also the location of the first Starbucks (site of many a pilgrimage, evidently). As an older building, it has a slightly different feel from the other 15,000 establishments, but offers the same suite of items with a single exception: you can purchase the special Pike Street Roast only at this location.

There are other buildings a little further east and a little further south. I never made it to those, or to any of the subterranean levels in the main arcade. What I did see had more than enough to satisfy nearly all of the senses: the bright colors of the produce were a nice contrast with the typically grey Seattle day. Sounds included the tunes of the buskers, on piano, ukelele, guitar and assorted other instruments; salespitches of the vendors, ranging from the polite to the insistent to the over-the-top showmen. Restaurants, bakeries and coffee shops held little knots of regulars, workers on break, and lunchtime crowds. It would have been easy to spend a half day or more here. Close

From journal Quick Cup of Coffee in Seattle

Pike Place Market

by onesundaymorning

Los Angeles, California

December 22, 2008

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Best of IgoUgo Pike Place Market isn't just a place to shop; it is an experience. It's color, unique booths, and the characters that work there each day have made the market the so called "Soul of Seattle." If it wasn't for the rising price of onions in 1906 the ...Read more Pike Place Market isn't just a place to shop; it is an experience. It's color, unique booths, and the characters that work there each day have made the market the so called "Soul of Seattle." If it wasn't for the rising price of onions in 1906 the market might not exist today. That is until a city councilman decided that there needed to be a place where the farmers could sell directly to the consumer to help keep down skyrocketing prices. And so the market was born with eight farmers being greeted on that fateful day in August by 10,000 people, and the crowds haven't died down since. Today the markets cover over nine acres of land overlooking the beautiful Elliott Bay.
Navigating the market is really an all day pursuit. My mistake was to try to do it in an hour. Luckily my hostel was right next to the market and I got to visit the market every day. First the market isn't just one building, across the street is the Post Alley where the original Starbucks is located. It is also several stories and includes a couple of buildings that are attached to one another. Entering the market from the harbor took me into several shops selling random things, posters, and tourist junk. Although I avoided the most of this area there were several great book shops worth the time for anyone who has the patience to browse through them.
The best stuff that I found by far was on the top level (street level). Entering from Pike Street I always tried to arrive as early as possible on the weekdays since the weekend was so packed that moving wasn't possible. The streets bustled with activity as farmers drove down the small road between the Market and the Post Alley, and pedestrians hurried by. Outside is,"Rachel", a 550 pound, bronzed pig that has been the market's mascot since the mid 1970's. Behind Rachel is one of the most popular and famous attractions of the market, the Pike Place Fish Market. Here fish are spread out sale and a customer picks out the fish they want instead of passing the fish by hand they toss the fish. The chants of the fishmongers can be heard from several stalls away as they prepare to make the fish fly from one side of the stall to the other. Even on the less busy day the antics of the guys who work here are a sight to see. Bored fishmongers will pick an unsuspecting passerby, usually a women, to be their victim throwing a fake fish at her or standing directly behind her with a fish at the back of her head waiting for her to turn around. The guys behind the stand also get in the action with a monk fish they have that is attached to a string. They wait for someone to go up to it and then it "talks" when they pull the string.
Past the fish market is rows of produce and flower stands. Mixed in between are various stands offer fruit, food, and other concoctions. One stand offered me a sample of their chocolate spaghetti while another gave me a task to chili flavored honey (not so good).
My favorite area to visit was the area full vendors selling their crafts at the end of the market (past Starbucks near the totem poles). Most artists were selling various blown glass pieces, but others had some more creative things. The best was beer and liquor bottle that were melted flat. My boyfriend question what it was and I explained that it was a fun decoration. I was wrong, very wrong. The artist took the bottle away from me and harshly informed us it was a cheese platter. This kept us laughing all month.
The market also is a great place for food. There are a ton of amazing pastry places (try the Le Painer, the The Three Girls Bakery, or the Cinnamon Works). Every place was amazing, but my hands down favorite was the Daily Dozen Doughnuts located around the corner from the Pike Place Fish Market. If you are entering the market from Pike Street look for the newspaper stand on the corner and enter there. The Daily Dozen Doughnuts are only a few stalls down. Restaurants are also abundant here. here is everything from Alibi Room, Copacabana, and Beecher's Handmade Cheese to the Emerald Kettle, Market Grill, and the Pan Africa. Lowell's Restaurant and Bar kept me coming back for more. I ate there for both breakfast and dinner and was never disappointed.
Every time I visited the market I always found something new. It's worth at least a full day and a half to explore or a wonderful way to start out each day in Seattle.

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From journal We Built This City on Caffeine

Pike Place Market

by sizemoretravel

Jacksonville, Florida

February 21, 2008

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Best of IgoUgo Pike Place Market is one of the most exciting places to visit in Seattle. You can buy fresh flowers, fruits and vegtables, and most importantly, fresh fish. History of the MarketPike's Place market is located on nine acres in downtown Seattle. ...Read more

From journal Alaskan Cruise from Seattle

Pike Place Public Market

by gsysimon

Singapore, Singapore

March 24, 2007

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Best of IgoUgo Pike Place Market is one of best markets in the world. Whether you are getting groceries or buying antiques, gift or other accessories, Pike Place market will not disappoint you.Street performers entertain the crowd while they shop. Vendors too join ...Read more Pike Place Market is one of best markets in the world. Whether you are getting groceries or buying antiques, gift or other accessories, Pike Place market will not disappoint you.

Street performers entertain the crowd while they shop. Vendors too join in the fray by playing different music. It's so special, you could hear jazz in one corner than you could hear Mexican in the next.

Economy Market Building: Start it off at this 3-storey building where you can find Pike Place Fish. Witness some fish throwing skills. Stores include florist, antiques, specialty spice, and wine shops. Restaurants and take-outs serving French and Italian deli are also housed. Must-try: The Daily Dozen Donuts provide a quick tasty local snack. Also the Delauranti Specialty Food and Wine provide a great variety of Italian favorites.

North Arcade: Flowers, fruits, gifts, hair accessories, chocolate, and many more. The vendors line up the stores which make shopping easy.

Main Arcade & DownUnder: 6 levels with over 60 shops selling antiques, collectibles not to be missed. Guys would surely like the Big Boys Toys which sell collectible items like Star Wars & Star Trek movie props, samurai swords and roulette tables! Lots of specialty food shop with restaurant and take-out here makes it difficult where to lunch!

It’s a place not to be missed echoed by the millions of visitors to the market every year.

Tips: If driving, come before 9.30am (parking is only $6 for 12 hours) else some Pike Place Market merchants offer discount validation stamps that will give you a discount of parking in the Public Market Parking Garage. Just ask as you shop!

Website:
www.pikeplacemarket.org
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From journal A Memorable Seattle Trip

Pike Place Market

by elusivone

Carrollton, Texas

December 20, 2006

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Best of IgoUgo Overall, the Pike Place Market is awesome. However, as I approached it from the waterfront, it took me quite some time to figure out how to get to "it." I wandered around an indoor-only portion of tacky shops that said it was the "Pike Place Market" ...Read more

From journal Sights of Seattle

Pike Place Market

by fallschirmhosen

New York, New York

October 11, 2006

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Best of IgoUgo A visit to Seattle is not complete without a visit to the Pike Place Market. Though it is a fully functioning market where locals buy their fruits and vegetables and seafood, that fact seems to be overlooking by the stores and gimmicks specifically ...Read more

From journal Visiting Seattle Without Going Up the Space Needle

Pike Place Market

by teebee29

San Antonio, Texas

March 1, 2006

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The epitome of the great Northwest. A trip to Seattle cannot be complete without a trip to this famed market. There is a wonderful bakery that can't be missed. Also, be sure to visit the first-ever Starbucks. Or if you're like me and you like your ...Read more

From journal Seattle—Minus the Rain!

IgoUgo

Pike Place Market

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