Seattle Mag
Happiest Happy-hour Bartenders
These five local mixologists are keeping it real at happy hour with humor, warmth—and a mean drink.
Bryn LumsdenRob Roy, BelltownWith a calm manner that isn’t shaken (even if a group of 15 shows up suddenly), and a literary charm that extends to everyone and anyone sitting at the bar, Lumsden is unflappably friendly even while making a passel of the snazziest and firmest fizzes in town. He’s as classic a bartender…
Best Cocktail-Centric Happy Hours
Where to go in Seattle for the best happy hour cocktails, and what you should order.
Sun Liquor DistilleryCapitol HillSun Liquor Distillery is an essential happy-hour stop. From 5 to 7 p.m., you can gaze lovingly at the shining still that sits in a room behind the bar while sipping a seasonal cocktail special, such as the Martine (gin, dry vermouth, angostura bitters and a lemon twist; $7), made with Hedgetrimmer…
The True Meaning of “Happy Hour”
Cocktail expert A.J. Rathbun explores the history—and beauty—of happy hours.
Today, the term “happy hour” is ingrained in communal cocktail thought, but its origins are unclear. Although a few facts are available, it’s fairly difficult to pin down the definitive history of how those two words first came together. In the 1920s, the phrase “happy hour” was used by the Navy for a period of…
Best Food Trucks 2012
Seattle magazine's favorite mobile eateries.
Best Sweet/DessertThe silken ice creams from Parfait (parfait-icecream.com) are made from scratch (unlike many other ice creams in town, which are made from an ice cream base) and come in sensational flavors like Meyer lemon, mellow and yellow; and mint stracciatella, with bits of dark chocolate and fresh spearmint-infused cream. Two flavors for $4; in…
Readers’ Choice: 2012 Best Restaurants
The best places in Seattle for eating, drinking and more, as determined by Seattle magazine readers.
SEARCH RESTAURANTSin Seattle by neighborhood, cuisine type or price. Our restaurant directory connects you with—not every single restaurant in Seattle—but those that our experts confidently recommend. Click links for more information and directions. Best new restaurant that opened in 2011RN74 Best neighborhood restaurantLittle Water Cantina Best Eastside restaurantCafe Juanita Best splurge restaurantCanlis Best cheap-eats placeDick’s…
10 Best New Washington Wines of 2012
New releases are bringing fresh energy—and tasty offerings—to the Washington wine scene.
Reynvaan Family Vineyards 2009 Unnamed SyrahWalla Walla Valley, $55This Walla Walla winery has enjoyed a lot of buzz about its first two vintage releases, partially because of the cachet of their consultant, Christophe Baron of Cayuse. Mike and Gale Reynvaan began planting vineyards in Walla Walla Valley in 2005, finally releasing wines from the 2007…
5 New Locally-Made Beers
Our beer expert names the top locally-made brews standing out for him this season.
The local trend toward Belgian-style beers shows no sign of slowing; however, local beer drinkers are not willing to entirely abandon their big, hoppy Northwestern-style favorites just yet. India pale ale, Imperial IPA and pale ale remain the beers of choice around here, but there is no denying that Belgian-style beers are building a fan…
The Lasting Impact of Seattle’s World’s Fair Architects
Design at the 1962 World's Fair brought its architects acclaim well beyond the Seattle Center ground
Most Seattleites walk or drive past the Space Needle and the other major buildings at Seattle Center without giving much thought to who designed them. But these structures, including KeyArena and the Pacific Science Center, are the lasting architectural legacy of the Century 21 Exposition, better known as the Seattle World’s Fair. In 1962, some…
5 Best New Washington Spirits
Our favorite new discoveries of spirits and liqueurs available at local stores and tasting rooms.
Washington state’s spirited landscape is changing rapidly, as both new and well-established distilleries introduce a wide array of intriguing imbibables. This increased selection goes beyond staples such as vodka, gin and whiskey into a tasty range of fruit and herbal liqueurs as well as interesting international favorites, such as aquavit and shochu. Find these picks—including…
The History Behind Seattle’s Food Obsession
The 1962 World’s Fair left behind much more than space-age architecture.
The Seattle “Century 21” World’s Fair of ’62 was about science, but what folks remembered was the food. The populist hit? Belgian waffles, first introduced to America at Century 21. Seattle loves its breakfast comfort foods (remember Dutch babies? Fisher scones?) and the thick, airy waffles, piled with strawberries and whipped cream, became a top…
World’s Fair 50th-Anniversary Celebration Activities
Six months of commemorative festivities begin on April 21. Here are our picks.
On April 21, 1962, visitors from close by and around the world streamed through the gates of the Seattle World’s Fair to witness a future they’d never before imagined. It seemed that soon we’d all live in Plywood Homes of Living Light, commute by monorail and dine at revolving restaurants in various Space Needles piercing…
Less Court, More Food at Center House’s The Armory
Seattle Center joins the 21st century in time for the 50th anniversary of the World’s Fair.
The phrase “food court” doesn’t exactly inspire visions of culinary promise and satisfaction. Over the last few months, Seattle Center has embarked on a mission to eventually disassociate the food offerings at the Seattle Center hub, the Center House, from the image of a few bland McChoices drowned in florescent lighting. The Center House emerged…