Description
From lush rainforest to arid inland orchards, the state of Washington occupies an enviable perch, whether you’re in search of fresh seafood or the best seasonal produce on the market. Here, a good don’t-miss menu must include crisp apples, artisan cheeses, succulent salmon, a Washington wine or microbrew and a steaming cup of rich coffee, sure in short to satiate all travelers.
Seattle, Washington state’s cosmopolitan hub, is home to the largest coffee company in the world as well as a long list of other noteworthy roasts. Enjoy an aromatic cup of joe just up from famed Pike Place Market, where fishmongers loudly hawk the likes of Washington wild salmon and salt breezes blend atmospherically with the fresh baked bagels, gyros, crepes, and crumpets on offer along adjoining streets. Thus refueled, seek out lunch locally before enjoying mid-day drinks at one of the many brew pubs dotting the waterfront area south to Qwest Field or deciding between fresh fish and Puget Sound farmed Pacific oysters for dinner.
Venture beyond the greater Seattle area and find across the state an equally rewarding bounty of regionally worthwhile eats, from sweet Rainier cherries to the crisp apples and pears which flourish in fecund Central Washington. Farmers Markets abound from the Pacific east to Spokane, shelves laden with anything an inspired chef might want for the evening’s fete, from fiddleheads to figs via Walla Walla sweet onions and asparagus in season. Love at first sight for locavores obviously, but even hard to please wine lovers will have no trouble pairing off between boutique wineries and more established vineyards. Plan to lead with one of the state’s specialty cheeses, like Cougar Cheese from Pullman or artisan cheese, Beechers, available in Pike Place Market.