Seattle, West Edge neighborhood. Need suggestions on where to buy stuff, services, parks, etc.

April 26, 2009 6:44 PM

[Seattle filter] We just moved to the West Edge neighborhood in Seattle, near Pike Street Market. Need suggestions on where to buy stuff, services, parks, etc. We've been in Seattle for two days and we love it.

1. Need place to stock up on groceries, cleaning supplies, paper products. Neighborhood prices are way too high. Where can we drive to get lower prices on these things? Not Costco. We don't have space for a pallet of toilet tissue. Looking for a big supermarket with good prices. I'm OK with driving a distance, if the selection and prices are good.

2. Cheapest place for gasoline (brand name only)

3. Parks. My poor old dog is missing the green grass of the suburbs. Is there a nice quiet grassy park nearby -- with easy parking? (No dog parks. My dog doesn't like other dogs.)

4. Pike Market! Fabulous! What are the best stalls for produce, fish, meat? Best quality and prices?

5. Is there an excellent chiropractor in the neighborhood?

6. Yoga classes? I see lots of choices. Any recommendations?

posted by valannc to shopping (23 answers total)

I'll assume you can get a map...

1) There's a Trader Joe's on Madison and 17th. Parking is tight during normal hours, but early morning weekends is probably not so bad.

2) Cheapest gas downtown is the ARCO on James/12th.

Enjoy learning the city!
posted by Gorgik at 7:05 PM on April 26, 2009

Also, Uwajimaya in the ID (5th/Dearborn) has free parking if you spend something like $10. It's a huge Asian grocery, and will have lots of staples. I don't know how their toilet paper compares in price to other places, though.
posted by Gorgik at 7:08 PM on April 26, 2009

For #1 go to the Fred Meyer in Ballard. They have everything, it's huge, the prices are good.
posted by Maisie Jay at 7:21 PM on April 26, 2009

Head north along the waterfront and you'll get to Myrtle Edwards park. Not sure about the parking, but it will be better than downtown.

That's probably the closest large park, unless the grounds of the Seattle Center meet your definition. If you don't mind a longer drive, Seattle has lots of fantastic parks (too many to list here!), but they're not downtown.


FYI, I'm a Seattle native and I had never heard of "West Edge" until your post. Apparently, I'm not alone. I would call this area "Belltown" even though it's south of Belltown-proper, or "Downtown", or simply "near the Pike Place market"
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 7:46 PM on April 26, 2009

No cheap food anywhere near Belltown/Downtown, sorry. But you guys have a car, so you could go to QFC or Safeway in Lower Queen Anne (closest big supermarkets other than the Metropolitan Market, which is considered expensive).

Pike Place filter: go to Don and Joe's for meat, make friends with the butchers: it's worth it. Also, they have special order pretty much everything; just ask.

Get your veggies from Sosio's; again, make friends with the people who work there. They keep some of the really good stuff in the back (need very ripe tomatoes to make your pizza sauce? Just ask).

Specialty produce: DeLaurenti. Craving some great porchetta? No problem. Need water buffalo mozarella for that caprese salad? DeLaurenti, if the Metropolitan Market is too far. Also, be sure to talk to people there, especially those responsible for purchasing stuff. Like chocolate. They can often get you what you need even when it's not available right away. Or for free.

Chiropractors! OMG, yes. Peter Carr on Olive and 6th, 206-343-3325. He did wonders for me after I got hit by an SUV on my bike for, like, the third time. A couple of my friends swear by his services too. Dr. Carr and his staff are amazing. I swear I am not a paid shill.

Re: parks. Any park with a dog off leash area will have a ton of other dogs there. You could walk your dog, on a leash, in Myrtle Edwards park (beautiful!) or Denny Park. Or just look at a map of Seattle and make a note of all the parks.

What else do you need? Good Indian food? A hairdresser? A day spa? Bookstore, toy store, an amazing place to frame your art? Let me know.

Can't help with gas; we gave up our car a long time ago.
posted by halogen at 7:49 PM on April 26, 2009

Oh, there's also Freeway park next to the convention center. But it's weird.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 7:50 PM on April 26, 2009

Also, I don't think there is such a thing as "West Edge Neighborhood".
posted by halogen at 7:53 PM on April 26, 2009

For meat in the market: Don and Joe's, Fero's, or try Uli's for sausage.

There was a song written about the forced-upon naming of the area.
posted by milkrate at 7:59 PM on April 26, 2009

3. Capitol Hill is close, you could go to Cal Anderson park, or Volunteer park, which is a bit farther up the hill, and to the north, though the new sculpture park might be closer, and serve your needs better.

I'll disagree with qxntpqbbbqxl (I had to cut and paste that) and say that Seattle doesn't have any fantastic, or great (as in large) parks. Not in the sense of Golden Gate park, Central park, or Boston Common. Sand Point is a drive away, but has an off-leash area that you'd probably really like.

6. Capitol hill has several yoga places. 8 Limbs up on Capitol Hill is nice, but I've only been there a few times.
posted by fnerg at 8:13 PM on April 26, 2009

Are you a health/organic type person? PCC in Fremont is a fantastic grocery store. Also, there's a Trader Joes up in Queen Anne and another one on Madison, and a Whole Foods on Westlake at about Denny.
posted by ctmf at 8:38 PM on April 26, 2009

Uwajimaya's is not that cheap, but you can pick up stuff there you won't find elsewhere. PFI across the street from Uwajimaya's is fantastic though.

There are more than enough good places in and around Seattle to find good eats, but one of my favorites in Matt's in the Market.
posted by P.o.B. at 8:50 PM on April 26, 2009

Welcome to town!

Supercheap place to get paper products, etc, etc.: Grocery Outlet. Closest one to you is on Martin Luther King way and Union. This is a chain that specializes on off-brands, closeouts, etc. If you want just a plain ol' grocery store probably the closest are the QFC on Mercer near Aurora, and a Safeway on 15th and ?John on Capitol Hill. Uwajimaya is also an awesome all-purpose grocery store.

Check out Volunteer Park or Seward Park for your dog. Please honor the civic leash laws, from those of us who hate to be jumped on or to see dogs chase ducks out of their nests at the water's edge...

Enjoy the city. It's great!
posted by Sublimity at 8:54 PM on April 26, 2009

I'll disagree with qxntpqbbbqxl (I had to cut and paste that) and say that Seattle doesn't have any fantastic, or great (as in large) parks. Not in the sense of Golden Gate park, Central park, or Boston Common.

But what about Discovery Park? It's 534 acres — I know it's not as big as Central Park, but I think it's pretty good-sized. When we lived in Seattle, that's where we took our dog (who doesn't like other dogs, either) on long walks (leashed). You do have to drive to get there from downtown, but it's not a bad drive.

As far as yoga, I loved The Yoga Tree in Fremont.
posted by lovermont at 9:00 PM on April 26, 2009

I guess different people want different things from parks. It's true that Seattle doesn't have a mega-park like Central Park or Golden Gate, but you can find most of the things you would go to those parks for scattered around in the various city parks. Plus spectacular mountain views and little swaths of old growth forest.

And yeah, Discovery park is fairly big, as are the Arboretum, Magnusun, and Carkeek.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 9:17 PM on April 26, 2009

The Arboretum is an excellent park, though I suppose it technically isn't a park.

Seattle does have plenty of small (quarter-block or so) parks scattered around, which might be enough to cheer your dog up when you don't feel like going to one of the bigger parks.

The "West Edge" moniker is a relatively recent introduction presumably by a local business group. I've never heard an actual person use it, either. Everyone I know calls that area the downtown waterfront, or the Alaskan Way viaduct area, or the south end of Belltown, or the Pike Place Market area. Anything with "West" in the name is going to make me think West Seattle— on the other side of the Duwamish. Or maybe Westlake.

Anyway, welcome to Seattle!
posted by hattifattener at 9:32 PM on April 26, 2009

Heh. I referred to my neighborhood as "West Edge" because that's how it's labelled on my free city map. We live near 1st Ave, south of Pike St. What is the real name of my neighborhood?

Thanks to all for these many suggestions! You all have saved me lots of time and made life easier.

My dog is always on a leash when outside. He doesn't bother people nor scare ducks. He is having trouble adjusting to urban life. He misses the quiet and grass of the NJ suburbs. Someone suggested we drive to Queen Anne and walk him around the streets there.
I'll check out Myrtle Adams Park to see if they have easy parking.

@halogen: Yes, I'd like to know about Indian food, day spa, bookstore, an amazing place to frame your art, and anything else. Many thanks for all your suggestions!
posted by valannc at 9:48 PM on April 26, 2009

I want to add something about Uwajimaya. You should think about doing ALL your shopping there. The produce is excellent. The Japanese and other Asia foodstuffs are of course about the best selection there is. But the most important is that for meat and fish, this place is absurdly excellent. THe fish stores at Pike Market do not hold a candle to Mutual Fish (way the hell far away from Pike St.) and to Uwajimaya. I have priced and compared quality with several fish places. If you don't go to Mutual, then buy fish at Uwajimaya. They have real fish mongers working there. The prices are INSANEly reasonable and their stuff is superior quaility. Look at the different kinds of frozen fish items next to the left of the frest fish case. My wife and I buy the frozen mackerel fillets in a package (2 fillets for about $7). And we broil those babies and they are very fresh and tasty. Really... don't waste time shopping at the "Market". It's just a decadent tourist trap, and has nothing like the real local producers that it had 30 yrs. ago.
All you have to do is get in the bus tunnel for the free bus trip there. And yes, free parking for a $7 minimum.
posted by yazi at 9:49 PM on April 26, 2009

Another note about Uwajimaya: fresh, cheap oysters! If you want to deal with shucking them, you can get a bunch for way cheap, and have a mollusc meal of mammoth proportions.

RE: Parks, the thing about Central Park, Golden Gate, etc. is that they're central. Seattle has some pretty parks scattered about it's periphery that take some driving to get to. (Oh yeah, check out Seward park too. It's right on Lake Washington. Gasworks Park in Wallingford is very nice too.) Cal Anderson park is as close as you get to a place you can just walk to. More specifically, it's close to where you might be anyway. Discovery, Sand Point, the Arboretum are all in places that you're not necessarily going to be in unless you're specifically visiting that park. Actually, by my own definition, Gasworks is really Seattle's best, most accessible park.

If Seattle were Sim City, I'd pick up Pioneer Square, flatten a part of Belltown, drop it there, and put a park where Pioneer Square used to be. Either that, or move I-5 completely underground, and expand Freeway park to cover a bunch more area.
posted by fnerg at 11:10 PM on April 26, 2009

Although I'm not going to disagree with fnerg or yazi about some of the selection at Uwajimaya (like the fish, or Kobe Beef!) but I would like to make a couple of clarifications. For a few years I lived a couple blocks from Uwajimaya. It was the grocery store I walked to and picked up food from weekly. I have/had upwards of six friends live in the apartments above the store, and shop there almost nightly. I would recommend anybody to go and check out and see what they have, but if your diet is varied and traditionally western then the prices overall are not cheaper. If you want to select between a whole aisle full of tea or saki; go there. If you want some snacks such as Botan Rice Candy, Honey Sesame Seed Crackers, and Mochi Ice Cream; go there. If you want some eggs, milk, and cereal; go to QFC.

Add me into the group of people who've never heard of West Edge. The lines for some of Seattle neighborhoods have always been a little blurry and I don't think that area qualifies as Belltown. Then again I would say at least three quarters of living space in that area is less than twenty years old. So people (businessmen) looking to give it a neighborhood name doesn't surprise me.

Bookstores: Elliot Bay Bookstore in Pioneer Square is great. Twice Sold Tales on Capitol Hill is also good. Beware of cats.
posted by P.o.B. at 12:12 AM on April 27, 2009

Also, I don't think there is such a thing as "West Edge Neighborhood".

I live in this neighborhood and love it, despite the stupid moniker.

"West Edge" is the name given to the area between the Pike/Pine corridor and Pioneer Square by a consultant hired by the downtown merchant assocaition to "brand" this slice of downtown. It's been called this for less than a decade. It's a horrible name that can be only fully appreciated in the context of the tagline: "West Edge: It's Not Dull!"

I second Don & Joe's and Sosio's and would also plug Pure Food Fish.

However if I'm in the market on a weekend or when it's super busy I try to do my shopping in the Sanitary Market Building 'cause it's faster and fewer tourists bump into me. There I favor Frank's Produce, Fero's Meats (the Halal chickens are especially good and not available and Don & Joes) and Jack's Fish (which, btw, is a great place to have some fish and chips or oysters).

Also in the market, don't miss the Mexican Grocery, Market Spice, and the Pike & Western Wine Shop (for wine, see also: Cost Plus just past the north end of the market). For a cocktail, descend halfway down the Pike Street Stair Climb and visit Zig Zag

Uwajimaya has great produce and fish but you'll get reamed on staples like paper towels. From where you live you could go east on Madison to the Safeway at about 23rd and Madison. You might also checkout the Promenade Red Apple at 23rd and Jackson--it will be less spendy than the Safeway. The previously mentioned Arco on 12th as well as the Arco on 23rd at Cherry are the cheapest places for gas.

In terms of parks, if you're going to hop in a car then by all means check out Seward Park at the south end of Lake Washington--there is a great loop trail. I'd also recommend heading over to West Seattle and visiting the stunning Lincoln Park in West Seattle.

You may not know that in addition to the WA State Ferry service, in the Spring/Summer there are a pair of water taxis that can take you across from the waterfront to to either Vashon Island or Alki Beach.

mmmm . . . "West Edge" meetup? ;-)
posted by donovan at 10:38 AM on April 27, 2009

Wow, I was wondering what "West Edge" was too. What will they think of next?

You live downtown near the Market. That's what your neighborhood is called. :)

You're not in Belltown, you're not in Pioneer Square, you're not in the Regrade - all of those are real neighborhood names for sections of downtown. If you say "downtown near the Market" everyone will know what you mean.

There is also Gas Works Park, in terms of parks that are close to downtown. Discovery Park is awesome. Golden Gardens in Ballard is one of my favorites, too. Lincoln Park in West Seattle is also a favorite.

Downtown Grocery stores are not going to be cheap - in any city. Find a QFC. My favorites are the one on Pike and Broadway, or the one just off of 15th in Interbay. Those were my favorites because I thought the stores were always well-stocked and clean, and parking was easy.

I worked downtown for a long time and when I first started, thought, "Oh, I will shop at the market every day for my fresh food and produce!" yeah, not so much. Plus in the summer you have to go at the crack of dawn or you are fighting those strolling tourists carrying the dried flower bouquets. Also, I always preferred to buy my fish where it was not thrown about.

If you want a chiropractor referral go to Bastyr's student clinic. Even if you don't keep going to Bastyr, their ability to refer you to alternative health practicioners who know their stuff is unparalleled.
posted by micawber at 10:46 AM on April 27, 2009

You should check the prices as the relatively new Kress Supermarket (1427 3rd Ave). The prices for milk and such were better than they were at some of the other older downtown markets. I'd check Bartells Drugs too. Also check Bed Bath and Beyond, at some point in the last couple of years they added paper products, cleaning supplies, bathroom consumables, etc to their inventory of more durable goods.

For larger supermarkets, you'd probably have an easy time getting to Lower Queen Anne, and Broadway via bus.
posted by Good Brain at 2:31 PM on April 27, 2009

I'll check out Myrtle Adams Park to see if they have easy parking.

No need to drive!

You can just walk down one of the sets of stairs off of 1st Ave (Pike St, or by the Four Seasons, or the Harbor Steps) and walk a couple blocks until you hit the waterfront. Turn right and have a lovely stroll along the water to the awesome Olympic Sculpture Park and on to Myrtle Edwards!

Just don't try this the weekend of August 15-16.
posted by donovan at 4:47 PM on April 27, 2009