Amy Vaughn
Photo: Sal Celis
Photo: Mobilius In Mobili

Fremont & Wallingford

Charming cafés, friendly boutiques, and lively music venues give these neighborhoods perennial flair.

By Corinne Whiting
Crowds of people gather around long wood tables inside a building and on a patio. Courtesy Fremont Brewing
Red, yellow, and green food piled on a white plate on a wooden table. Courtesy RockCreek

Seattle’s distinctive personalities shine brightly in Fremont and neighboring Wallingford, an artsy, bohemian zone that also happens to be the self-proclaimed “Center of the Universe.” On the northern edge of the Lake Washington Ship Canal, follow your nose along the Burke-Gilman Trail, a picturesque corridor for joggers, skaters, and cyclists, until you reach Theo Chocolate (3400 Phinney Ave N). This sweet destination lures in passers-by for chocolate factory tours and to browse the gift shop teeming with bars in unusual flavors like cinnamon-horchata and grapefruit-ginger. For alluring gifts, pop into woman-owned Sfingiday (513 N 36th St), a beautifully curated shop that proudly supports more than 100 small-production artisans who’ve create paintings, handcrafted jewelry, ceramic gifts, and eco-friendly household goods. Fremont Brewing (1050 N 34th St) has an all-weather patio to entice beer lovers—and their families and dogs—in any season. Music-minded folks pass the evenings at venues like Nectar Lounge (412 N 36th St), High Dive (513 N 36th St), and Fremont Abbey (4272 Fremont Ave N), an intimate space for celebrating local tunes, visual art, spoken word, storytelling, and contemporary dance.

As you work your way up colorful Fremont Avenue, you’ll pass the warehouse HQ for the neighborhood’s eagerly anticipated annual Solstice Parade. At the top of the hill, seek out Uneeda Burger (4302 Fremont Ave N), a casual hangout where locally sourced beef and veggie patties, hand-dipped shakes, and regional beers await. On weekends, savor a bacon-and-oyster Benedict during a leisurely brunch in the airy dining room of RockCreek Seafood & Spirits (4300 Fremont Ave N), or stock up on picnic provisions from Marketime Foods (4416 Fremont Ave N), in operation since 1955. Enjoy your alfresco meal at the Woodland Park Rose Garden (750 N 50th St) or lakeside at Gas Works Park (2101 N Northlake Way). As you move east into Wallingford, craft a coffee crawl at inviting Stone Way Cafe (3510 Stone Way N) and hip Sea Wolf (3621 Stone Way N). When you reach 45th Street, dive into a memorable meal at Almanqal Mediterranean Grill (1712 N 45th St)—the hummus is sensational, as is the mixed grill platter of kofta and kebabs. Other favorite Wallingford restaurants include the cheerfully affordable 45th Stop N Shop Poke Bar (2323 N 45th St) and the elegant Tuscany-meets-Pacific Northwest trattoria, Cantinetta (3650 Wallingford Ave N), known for hand-made pastas like pappardelle alla Bolognese and risotto Milanese with spot prawns and lemon.

Fremont & Wallingford Partners

Tavolata – Stone Way Fremont

Tavolata – Stone Way

  • Address 3627 Stone Way N, Seattle, WA 98103
  • Phone (206) 456-2666
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Fremont Brewing Company Fremont

Fremont Brewing Company

  • Address 1050 N 34th St, Seattle, WA 98103
  • Phone (206) 420-2407
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Woodland Park Zoo Greenlake/Wallingford

Woodland Park Zoo

  • Address 5500 Phinney Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103
  • Phone (206) 548-2500
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Earshot Jazz Festival Fremont

Earshot Jazz Festival

  • Address Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute, 104 17th Ave S., Seattle, WA 98144
  • Phone (206) 547-6763
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