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City Cast Seattle

Liam Billingham

A couple months back, I drove by the Pagliacci on Stone Way and couldn’t help but notice how… cool it looked. I know next to nothing about architecture, but the building looked vaguely brutalist to me, so naturally I 

I kept thinking about how the design, though, and I wanted to hear more about how all the Pagliacci’s came to look like they did. A little research led me to Richard Floisand of 

, who work with Pagliacci on the design and build of their locations. Richard and I met up at Pagliacci Silsul in Ballard to talk.

. It sold Native American objects and had two totem poles that have their own history. The shop closed in World War 2, eventually became several different 

Pagliacci wanted to keep elements of the original so they consulted with 

 to understand the history of the building. To quote Richard, “when it feels like it's part of your neighborhood and it's always been there, you're going to be inclined to just embrace it more.”

Pagliacci kept the structure’s original logs, which were a replica of a 

 and are native to an archipelago called Haida Gwaii off of British Columbia. The shingles speak to the fact that Ballard was one of the 

largest shingle making locations in the West

, and the shape is in the style of a Nordic house.

. They are going to go back into the Earth, as is 

one traditional way totem heads and poles are disposed of

One last quote from Richard: “You're trying to tell a story about new and old..What's a good story? Hiding the past and pretending it wasn't there or actually saying, hey, this is really kind of interesting.”

To watch Liam's full video on Instagram, just click the image below.

All the thoughtful details that went into designing local pizza chain Pagliacci’s restaurants

The True Story Behind Pagliacci’s Cool Architecture

The Story Behind Pagliacci’s Architecture

Where To Eat

Seattle seems to be in the midst of a bagel renaissance, and it may seem daunting to figure out where exactly to get the bagel you’re looking for. So we got some tips from Seattle food lover 

, who runs the bagel newsletter Its A Shanda, to find out where to get the bagel we want.

Winner of the Bagel Fest West and headed to Bagel Fest in New York City, 

 is one of our favorites and won our blind taste test back a few months ago. Also, Sean called it the best in his intricate and immaculate rankings. Honorable mentions for 

, both of which also have delicious bagels.

Montreal-style bagels are smaller, thinner, denser, and baked in a wood fired oven. They are delicious. The sweetness comes from them being baked in honey sweetened water. If you want one, 

The OG bagel in America, they are usually fatter and larger than the bad (sorry) grocery store bagels, and delicious, no city would be complete without them. According to Sean, 

 is the only real Seattle bagel that is NY style.

A rye bagel has caraway seeds and is a really good pairing with pastrami. Check out 

If you like sourdough bread (or become an expert in it like everyone during Covid), then 

If you happen to be on Whidbey Island and craving a breakfast sandwich, check out 

. Their breakfast sandwich is supposed to be tops. Likewise, 

Two experts tell us where to find the best bagels in Seattle

Craving a Bagel? Here’s Where To Go in Seattle

Sam J Leeds

Our team will take any excuse to talk about the best places to grab a delicious bite, so even though this guide was written with 4/20 in mind, we think it’s helpful whether you’re indulging in celebration or you just love a good snack. Here are some of our favorites around the city broken up into three categories.

: Biscuits are kind of a contentious topic here – we’re definitely not serving southern style options – but Belltown’s Biscuit Bitch is open late, serves a mean gravy-smother biscuit and their sandwiches are a great late night grab and go.

: On the other end of the spectrum, for you wake and bakers, Morsel’s stand-alone biscuits are a perfect start to the day and their Spanish Fly sandwich makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

: They have this bowl called C.C.C.K.F.C.F.B. which includes mashed potatoes, corn, cheese, gravy, and fried chicken. Doesn’t get much more munchie than that.

: Cheap-ish, quick, and the slice is the size of your head which is exactly how much pizza you’re gonna be craving.

Thanh Son Tofu and Bakery’s banh mi (1248 S King St)

’s: We have to start with a Seattle classic, for those of you who missed it, 

’s is open again. They’re not 24-hour anymore, but you can still get late night breakfast and for the daring (and rich) among us a 12-egg omelet.

: Where else can you get french toast, dim sum or hot pot at midnight?

 counts as late night, right? They’re open til 2am! And I’m always in the mood for a cheeseburger, fries, and a milkshake. Especially if I’m out that late.

: Another breakfast for dinner classic in a place where (if you’re feeling paranoid) no one will look at you twice

: Giant spaghetti bowl with an omelet on the side, anyone?

: I’m kind of always craving the pandan waffles from The Boat with their signature salted coconut whip. So! Good!

: Supermarket sushi aside, another classic, of course, is 

. Just make sure you have a napkin for all that melted chocolate.

: I don’t know what makes the tots at Twilight Exit so good, but they’re fried to perfection.

’s cherry dole whip soft served in a taiyaki cone is worth the journey to Georgetown.

: The doubutsu fries at Saint Bread are unreal.

: Ashley is a big evangelist for all things Mainstay Provisions. She recommends their pizza, soft serve, and brownies. They have everything.

: Another place that has everything! Spam musubi, fried chicken, ramen, sushi, the good KitKats, and so much more.

Our favorite local places to eat away your munchies

Seattle’s Best Spots for Munchies

Where To Get the Best Munchies in Seattle

Ashley Smith

Seattle is an extremely expensive city, both to live in and to visit. As locals we’re feeling the pinch of extra fees and higher prices, but we still want to be able to support local businesses and treat ourselves to a meal that we didn’t have to cook. 

 to help you (and us!) save some money the next time you want to eat out. Let us know what we missed or where we should try next.

 - Chicken teriyaki plate with rice and two sides is 19 bucks and they have multiple locations

 - Not gonna lie, I would spend way more than $17.75 for their Battered Chicken Red Curry. It’s unreal!

 - Order yourself the baby size burrito (AKA Burrito Grande) and eat the leftovers for days. “Baby size” means human infant and it’s a legit challenge to eat the whole thing one sitting

 - Their tofu Khao Soi and their braised beef Khao Soi are both only $15 and maybe the best thing you’ll eat all year? I’m obsessed

 - Fried rice, noodles, curry, congee, and so much more

 - Check out their lunch special, it’s only $12!

 - They offer sushi rolls, nigiri, udon, and appetizers all for less than $10! You could feast here for hours and not spend a fortune

 - As far as I can tell, everything on their menu falls under this category. And everyone is always raving about how good this place is

 - During happy hour all of their pastas are $10 and the portions are huge! It’s a helluva deal and I highly recommend the cavatelli with pork belly

 - Possibly the most affordable fried chicken in town and the best?

 - You can get a plate of nachos bigger than your head for $7 during their happy hour

 - Choose cod, catfish, oysters, prawns, or clams (they all come with fries) and are all less than 10 bucks. I really love that this place’s phone number ends in FISH, that’s iconic

 - Trying not to gate keep my neighborhood coffee shop which is not only delicious but it has a drive thru (!!) and both breakfast and lunch options. My large iced americano with maple bar syrup and a splash of oat milk is somehow less than $5! Other great coffee options include $2 drip from Easy Street’s Cafe and $3 drip from Top Pot

 - So many delicious pastries for a great price including the ube malasada for only $4.25 and mini croissants for less than $2 each. They also offer half a dozen deals!

 - I couldn’t confirm this myself (yet) but rumor has it they serve a $5 breakfast burrito

 - Everything on their menu is affordable, but some tacos are only $2.95!

 - Get a spam musubi for $4.75 anytime and they have a great happy menu, too

 - A lot of places offer $2 oysters during happy hour (like The Garrison and Walrus & Carpenter), but this spot serves oysters for that price all the time… at least for the month of February. And it’s right next to Pike Place Market so the view is worth the money alone

 - Classic for a reason and the prices feel like you’ve traveled back in time

 - Their food court offers a $1.50 hot dog and coke combo and a $2 slice of pizza! It’s forever the best deal in town… as long as you’re a member

 - Several menu items are now only $2 and $3 after 8pm including my favorite: the crisp pinto bean burrito

Food and drink deals around Seattle for $20 or less

Seattle’s Cheapest Places to Eat

The Best Cheap Eats in the City

Everyone is their own kind of coffee snob in Seattle. I’m the kind who will try absolutely anything, and who gets genuinely excited about receiving the perfect iced americano. Disclaimer that this could absolutely never be comprehensive enough for what Seattle has to offer, these are just my current favorites across the city — including everything from a seaweed latte to a cardamom tonic.

Just the best coffee, not sure why or how, but I have never been disappointed by anything I’ve ordered here from a Coconut Cold Brew to a Basic Witch (their version of a Pumpkin Spice Latte), it’s all delicious. And their merch is so cute!

Vietnamese coffee that’s not too sweet! Order the Nutty Cloud and thank me later.

A newer spot in Ballard with super unique flavors. For example, they have a seaweed latte on the menu!

This might be my favorite coffee shop in Seattle, period. They have that good pebble ice that’s hard to find and they serve cake slices all day. Everything is cute and delicious. It's just perfection.

Everything here is wonderful from the baked goods to the soft serve to their little wine market, but don’t worry, the coffee is also excellent.

I drink iced coffee year round and absolutely love an espresso tonic which isn’t always easy to find. This spot takes that drink to the next level, like ordering a fancy cocktail at a swanky bar. So good!

High quality roasts, the sweetest baristas, and their seasonal syrups have me in a chokehold. Orange blossom during the summer was my absolute favorite.

They’ve got horchata, a photo booth (!!!), and a drink they call “muy bien” with espresso and Mexican coke that has me hooked.

With locations at U-Village and Downtown, hopefully you’re never too far away from a cardamom tonic, which is my go to order here.

Find this iconic coffee shop next to the gum wall in the market. In fact, take your visitors here instead of the “original” Starbucks. And be sure to ask about their ghost!

The design here is next level, from the mugs to the signage, I want one of everything. Plus you can shop for records and get your film developed! A one stop shop.

Seattle's best coffee shops according to City Cast Seattle's executive producer Ashley Smith, including everything from a seaweed latte to a cardamom tonic. 

Where To Eat

The Story Behind Pagliacci’s Architecture

Craving a Bagel? Here’s Where To Go in Seattle

Where To Get the Best Munchies in Seattle

Latest articles

The Best Cheap Eats in the City

Some of the Best Coffee Shops in Seattle According to Us