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I've spent a ton of time in both and strongly disagree. Pike Place Market has more options and better quality. P
Oh wow, i just took a look at Pike Place Market and was surprised it wasn't a cheugy millennial spot with IPAs and $24 grassfed-burgers and $8 Fusion Tacos LMAO.
But looks cool… Reading is really something great, so if Pike Place is better… it really must be something.
I've spent a ton of time in both and strongly disagree. Pike Place Market has more options and better quality. P
I'm willing to bet that you haven't with a comment like that. RTM is a literal smorgasbord of everything you can think of. There's really no comparison to Pike Place, which is much less food-oriented.
I haven't read through this whole thread but I work as a chef in fine dining so I thought I would add my perspective.
There was a time when places like NYC, Chicago, the Bay Area and LA dominated America's food scene. As those cities (minus Chicago) have become outrageously expensive the dynamic has changed. Cooks don't make very much money, and tend to want to work someplace they can afford. This has really benefited the cities that are large enough to have good food scenes but are also cheap enough that cooks can afford to live well - places like Philly, Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, and pretty much every mid sized Midwestern city (Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland, St Louis, etc.).
There was a discussion on reddit Kitchen Confidential recently which is mostly an industry subreddit about which cities have the best combination of good food scene, high wages and affordable living for cooks and the top answers were Chicago, Minneapolis, and Milwaukee. Cities that cooks want to live in are cities that will have good food.
I'm willing to bet that you haven't with a comment like that. RTM is a literal smorgasbord of everything you can think of. There's really no comparison to Pike Place, which is much less food-oriented.
How is it not food oriented? There are nearly 100 restaurants and food stalls in the Pike Place Market, and that's not counting the food shops and bars that serve food. I've been to RTM and I loved it, but it didn't have the quantity or quality that I've found in the Pike Place Market.
How is it not food oriented? There are nearly 100 restaurants and food stalls in the Pike Place Market, and that's not counting the food shops and bars that serve food. I've been to RTM and I loved it, but it didn't have the quantity or quality that I've found in the Pike Place Market.
Have to agree to disagree. Pike Place is a great destination, but it's very evident that the food sector is just a different model, and especially very few of the immediately prepared onsite/made-to-order variety. There's 77 eating establishments in Pike Place, and they're mostly interspersed cafes/sit down establishments.
Quality, quantity, and made-to-order variety absolutely abounds in RTM. There's 80 food stalls in all. You know you're in a food hall immediately when you're there:
Have to agree to disagree. Pike Place is a great destination, but it's very evident that the food sector is just a different model, and especially very few of the immediately prepared onsite/made-to-order variety. There's 77 eating establishments in Pike Place, and they're mostly interspersed cafes/sit down establishments.
Quality, quantity, and made-to-order variety absolutely abound in RTM. There's 80 food stalls in all. You know you're in a food hall immediately when you're there:
There's somewhere between 80 and 100 eating establishments in the Pike Place Market and adjacent alleys and corridors, and the majority of them are absolutely food stalls or quick bites. Yes, there are also a fair amount of restaurants and bars, but it's mostly food stalls or small stores that sell quick bites.
This is not a comprehensive list, but here is a sample of the food stall/grab and go/counter type places:
(And, again, this is excluding many restaurants and bars with food that are more oriented towards sit-down experiences, as well as fresh produce stands, etc.)
Chicken Valley
Lands of Origin
La Vaca Burrito Express
Mariscos Mexico
Mee Sum Pastry
Michou Deli
Ellenos Yogurt
Mr. D’s Greek Delicacies
Saffron Spice
Beechers Handmade Cheese
Uli's Sausage
The Cheese Box
Silver Springs Creamery
Umai Sushi & Teriyaki
DeLaurenti Food & Wine
Farvahar Cafe
Jack’s Fish & Chips
City Fish Co
Chukar Cherries
Pike Place Fish Market
Pike Fish Bar
Luke's Lobster Rolls
Emma Watson Oyster Bar
Jasmine Thai
Falafel King
Los Agaves
Maíz
Market Grill
Miss Cafe
Oriental Mart Lunch Counter
Pasta Casalinga
Pike’s Pit BBQ
Pike Place Chowder
Biscuit *****
Pizza and Pasta Bar
Seattle Dumpling Co.
Sisters European Café
Three Girls Lunch Counter
Wild Fish Poke
EDIT: I should say again that I absolutely love the RTM and I agree they are set up very differently. It comes down to subjective preference, but to argue that Pike Place doesn't have a ton of food stalls or made to order grab and go type stuff isn't accurate.
Last edited by Vincent_Adultman; 09-08-2023 at 02:46 PM..
I haven't read through this whole thread but I work as a chef in fine dining so I thought I would add my perspective.
There was a time when places like NYC, Chicago, the Bay Area and LA dominated America's food scene. As those cities (minus Chicago) have become outrageously expensive the dynamic has changed. Cooks don't make very much money, and tend to want to work someplace they can afford. This has really benefited the cities that are large enough to have good food scenes but are also cheap enough that cooks can afford to live well - places like Philly, Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, and pretty much every mid sized Midwestern city (Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland, St Louis, etc.).
There was a discussion on reddit Kitchen Confidential recently which is mostly an industry subreddit about which cities have the best combination of good food scene, high wages and affordable living for cooks and the top answers were Chicago, Minneapolis, and Milwaukee. Cities that cooks want to live in are cities that will have good food.
Thank you for sharing this.
Goes along with what I noticed the cities gradually embracing the gentrification, bringing more and more corporates (while building more “luxury condos” and skyscrapers….etc.) and boasting of the “1%” “HNWI” demographic yet wealth =/= quality =/= good taste. When the cities lose middle class or even working class you’re likely to lose what made the cities great and with characters at the first place. Creativity and innovation quite often (not always) come from struggling individuals who find the solutions from discomfort and the need to “break through”. Interesting and creative people aren’t always the 1%, it’s hard for local small business to compete with international conglomerates.
I still prefer cities with a tad edge and grit for this reason alone.
Worst foodie city: Raleigh, NC. I like Raleigh for many things, food is one area expectation just doesn’t live up
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