To Market to Market- Where Food Lovers Shop for Dinner in Seattle

While many come to visit the first Starbucks or the gum wall, the market has so much more to offer. Food (fresh and prepared), wine (including a tasting room for Washington wineries), $5 bouquets, a newsstand, a rummage hall, a cabaret, a theater, a gallery and a shoe museum.

This tiny marketplace is my stop for pomegranate molasses, kofta curry and earrings from India.

Since 1969 this market butcher has had cases flush with most every meat product you might need and is happy to offer cooking advice.

Extensive produce offerings and extremely helpful staff (especially Al) the standouts here are the melons and peaches. They will also special order hard to find items like salsify.

No-nonsense cheese counter in the heart of the market. Fine selection, fare prices.

Fennel pollen, piment d'esplette and dukkah are some of my favorite products at this market institution. Most of the staff have culinary backgrounds so they carry exceptional housemade spice blends and can offer great guidance should you have questions.

Pike & Western has friendly, knowledgeable staff an interesting selection of wines at every price point and free tastings each Friday 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. The proprietor also operates a sister shop ,Soul Wines, in South Lake Union.

This old school butcher and fishmonger offers a great quality product and very helpful service.

This splendid little Japanese grocery offers 50% off it's sushi and bento boxes daily after 5 p.m and suprisingly good sake offerings.

Beautiful chops, tasty house-cured hams and friendly efficient service make me glad A&J is in my hood.

Best values include flowers, hummus, pomegranate seeds, limes, pizza dough, nuts, steel-cut oats and an assortment of wines.

This seafood shop in Fishermen's Terminal deals in fresh and frozen seafood. Grab a whole crab and get crackin.

HT has well priced Asian, Mediterranean and Latin American food products including snacks galore.The produce, seafood and meat selections are wide but if organic/sustainable is your thing these departments are not a wise choice for you.

First-rate seafood offered up by helpful staff. Keep an eye out for smelt, geoduck and sardines.

Lam's has over 10,000 items including seafood, meat, produce, tofu, canned goods and a fare number of deli offerings. Free parking is a plus in this bustling area of town.

One stop shopping for sustainable meat and seafood. The bulk spice and produce departments also shine at this member cooperative. Extensive cooking class offerings are a great value at just $45.

They know their grapes at this well-established shop. Sign up for the newsletter to stay informed about their free Saturday tastings. They also have a Queen Anne location.

The best thing about this cheery cafe is the large selection of house-made baked goods including some killer baguettes.

Where to go when you need to get 'linked up', sit for a bite or grab some beautiful house-made sausages or chorizo to go.

This large full service Japanese grocery (deli too) also has a nice selection of housewares, kimonos and paper goods.

Vendors change with the season but there is always a great selection of fresh and prepared food products from fish to flowers.

It's easy to get your omega-3s here since the cases are stocked full with beautiful, fresh seafood including salmon, clams and crab.

Get here now. Armando Batali (father of Mario) offers up quality charcuterie and sandwiches to eat in or takeaway. Ask about their private luncheons.

Family run Mediterranean specialty food stuffs and wine line the walls of this clever little shop.Friendly, helpful service and killer hummus keep me coming back.

Proving bigger isn't always better this tiny shop has probably the best selection in town of artisian made cheeses from around the world.

Perfect place to buy noshes for parties or to fill your own shelves with Italian & Mediterranean meats, cheeses, olives, oils & spices.

Not a bad market in this collective but the U-district (the oldest and best in the city), Lake City Way and Columbia City markets stand out. Fresh & prepared foods available at all of the markets.

Surprisingly good prices on sustainably raised meats including sometimes hard to find rabbit and game hens. Excellent house-made charcuterie.

Cheese, chaucuterie, pasta and sweet bites are a valid reason to visit this purveyor of all things Italian but don't overlook the wine & bitters selection upstairs.

Free wine tastings on Fri & Sat afternoons.

Their wide selection of beer, wine & spirits are complimented by an impressive array of tastings and educational events. Free onsite parking.

Yes they sell groceries but the wine tastings, barbeques and happy hours which feature pho to oysters are what set them apart from the pack.

Good floral, wine, liquor, cheese and seafood departments. Also check out their housemade soups and guacamole.

Good selection of mexican food products and pinatas but the casual restaurant in the back of the shop is a hidden gem.

Sleek environs offer fresh, affordable shellfish including oysters, crab, geoduck and clams.Grab 'em to go ask or ask Kevin to recommend an award winning Oyster Wine and savor a dozen or two onsite.

In the market for some free-range veal, pickled zucchini or ramp vinaigrette? Then visit this formerly online only specialty food retailer gone bricks & mortar.