Chinatown-International District

Explore

This vibrant district—made up of Japantown, Chinatown, Filipinotown, and Little Saigon—celebrates a rich tapestry of Asian cultures and traditions. The Wing Luke Museum brings compelling stories to life through dynamic rotating exhibits and immersive walking tours. The Panama Hotel and Tea House provides a poignant glimpse into Japanese American history, with its preserved bathhouse and cozy tea café. Take a ceramics class and shop for goods at Reclaim Clay Collective, in the Tsue Chong fortune cookie factory, while Freehold Theatre Lab/Studio offers workshops on acting and the theater arts. For a playful throwback, enjoy unlimited play on more than 50 vintage machines at the Seattle Pinball Museum.

Eat and Drink

The colorful blocks of this diverse district offer fresh and flavorful bites, like poke bowls and sushi burritos at fast-casual Pokérrito Ya, and buttery buns stuffed with tender lobster, crab, and shrimp at International Lobster Rolls. Gan Bei Eatery and Bar has a playful menu of Asian-inspired share plates and creative cocktails, and casual Fort St. George turns out Japanese plates with Western influences—like a spaghetti-style noodle dish with cod roe, and savory curry rice with bacon and eggs. Jade Garden draws fans for its bustling dim sum service, where carts brimming with dumplings and buns weave through a lively dining room, and lively E-Jae Pak Mor specializes in Chinese-Thai street food, like steamed tofu wraps and pad thai with fried pork belly. James Beard–nominated Pho’ Bă´c Sup Shop turns out deeply satisfying Vietnamese broths—plus playful cocktails that nod to Saigon street culture. Dragonfly Kitchen sells ready-to-cook Vietnamese waffle mixes in pandan, durian, and socola flavors—you can buy them at popular Phin Vietnamese Coffee café and market.

Shop

The neighborhood’s signature retailer, Uwajimaya is an amazing supermarket with a cornucopia of foods imported from all over Asia and an upstairs gift and book shop, Kinokuniya. Sairen carries an eclectic mix of goods from independent local Asian American and Pacific Islander designers and sustainable brands, while Zakka-Ya showcases a wide range of stunningly crafted artwork—colorful wares include Blue Mizuhiki earrings and Sanrio characters hand towels. Shop for impeccably curated vintage furniture and home goods at In the Comfort of, and Pokémon figurines and trading cards at Tabletop Village.