Tales of the Hungry Traveler

New England Clam Chowder and Dungeness Crab Roll

Name: Pike Place Chowder

Location: Seattle,WA

Meal: Dungeness Crab Roll, New England Chowder, and a Pepsi

Type: Casual Seafood

Pike Place Chowder probably isn’t the best meal in Seattle, it is however one of the best seafood meals I’ve ever had (don’t tell my mom, she’s from Maryland).  Located in the historic Pike Place Market, Pike Place Chowder serves food that has consistently beaten out well known restaurants from New England. If a market store from Seattle can travel across country and still win you know they make a good chowder. One interesting side effect of eating chowder in Seattle is that everyone simply orders chowder, no one tries out a Boston accent to order “chowda”.

Of the two menu items I ate there wasn’t a secondary dish, they were both great. The chowder is creamy without a greasy mouth feel, well seasoned but not overpowering, and has strong enough a seafood taste without it tasting like they wrung out a clam. Pike Place also serves an amazing crab roll, dungeness in this case. Every great sandwich starts with a great piece of bread, Pike Place has a chewy, crusty baguette I’d be love to find locally. The crab is a less chunky then I’m used too on the East coast but they mix it well with mayonnaise, celery, and  some seasoning.

As far as my food travels go, this was one of my more expensive meals coming in at almost $20 but it was well worth it. I expect to pay more for good seafood, I was not disappointed by Pike Place Chowder. Exploring Pike Place Market can take an entire day, at the very least a Saturday morning, to do it properly. You would be well served to make your way to down towards the water and then head down Post Alley, you’ll be rewarded with some exceptional seafood. If your fellow travelers are hesitant to try to the clam chowder (I once was) first implore them to reconsider but if they won’t fear not, there is a good pizza place right next store.

Pike Place Market