The Emerald City is known for having fantastic food. From Seattle oyster spots to Seattle bagel spots, the range that this hub on Puget Sound has is vast. While the city is famous for its seafood, Scandinavian fare, coffee houses, and bakeries, locals know that the Italian scene, taquerias, and sandwich shops are just as good. So yes, try the fish and chips, warm up with a cup of chowder, and grab a marionberry scone while you’re at it. But don’t forget to try the neighborhood diner or pop into the gas station that sells the teriyaki the locals are eating. These under-the-radar spots are where you’ll likely find the best food.
Many of these Seattleite staples are hole-in-the-walls, meaning that they are chronically casual, generally inexpensive, small in both footprint and location number, and tend to go undetected amongst tourists. As a local myself, I eat at these spots so often that I forget that they’re deemed “hole-in-the-walls” — the food is too flavorful and fresh (and too consistently so) for more people not to know about. So, let’s correct that.
Read on for the must-visit hole-in-the-wall restaurants in Seattle, starting with my personal favorites. To fill in the gaps, I turned to fellow locals via Reddit threads, online review sites, social media, and regional publications.
Kathmandu MoMoCha
With a food truck and a modest brick-and-mortar, Kathmandu MoMoCha serves amazing dumplings, Wo, handmade noodles, and other Nepalese goodies. This Seattle hidden gem is the best place in the city for, as the name of this business suggests, momocha. They’re tender, juicy, and packed with a suspicious amount of flavor for little food pockets…