User:(WT-en) Dguillaime/Sandbox

North Seattle is the portion of Seattle north of the Lake Washington Ship Canal.

By car
Due to the terrain, the major thoroughfares are all north-south, including the heavyweights of Aurora Avenue (SR-99), Interstate 5, and Lake City Way (SR-522). Few east-west streets cross the entire area, but the

By bus
All neighborhoods have at least one direct route to downtown, though connections between neighborhoods can be limited. Almost every arterial street has a route or two of its own. University District has a major transfer point at Campus Parkway and University Ave., connecting with the 71/72/73 express routes to downtown. The Northgate Transit Center, immediately south of Northgate Mall, links the Route 41 express bus to downtown with numerous local routes, as well as multiple large park-and-ride lots.

Parks

 * Golden Gardens Park
 * Woodland Park Zoo

Events

 * Greenwood Classic Car Show - Every year in June. Draws more people than you would expect.
 * Greenwood/Phinney Art Walk - held annually in May, showcases hundreds of local artists
 * Art Up Greenwood-Phinney - is another monthly art walk, held on 2nd Fridays
 * Lake City has a really great street fair in late August for Pioneer Days, complete with street vendors, food, music and a parade with local kids and performers on up to the SeaFair Pirates. It has a great small-town feel while the streets are lined with all sorts of families and crazies from the neighborhood.  The kid's parade usually starts at 6, then the main parade starts at 7.  Fun for all.  Not for those who need irony to be entertained, or for those who can't stand a city crowd.

Buy

 * Phinney Avenue has an remarkable number of antique stores, and the whole street has a low-key 1950's atmosphere. Its northbound continuation, Greenwood Avenue, has a number of small shops between 70th and 90th Streets.
 * The elaborate facade ("the only local and comprehensive emporium for all your space travel needs") actually conceals a creative writing center for children and teenagers. The amusingly kitschy or geeky sci-fi themed goods sold by the storefront help support their operations. Rocket parking on roof.

Eat

 * Restaurante Michoacan‎ 8311 15th Ave NW - Best Mexican in Crown Hill...
 * Red Mill Burgers, 312 N 67th St., (206)783-6362. Good old-fashioned burgers, fries, and shakes.
 * Greenwood Mandarin, 7307 Greenwood Ave N. (Phinney Ridge), 206-783-6426. Small local chinese restaurant, with decent fare.  Lunch prices are often below $5.00, and tend to be less heavy with the salt than many other Chinese restaurants in the area.
 * Santorini Pizza & Pasta,, 11001 35th Avenue NE (Wedgwood), 206.440.8499. Neighborhood Italian (with some Greek tones) restaurant known for good food and house wine.  A favorite with many locals, the cooks have a tendency to use ample amounts of cheese.  Extremely large dessert portions, particularly the Baklava.


 * Wedgwood Broiler, located along 35th avenue, The Wedgwood Broiler offers two distinct microcosms. The bar/lounge includes a healthy mix of patrons of varying ages and trivia nights while the main restaurant area is a considerably more grim affair with geriatric customers lurking in a gloomy, windowless room. Nevermind the aesthetics though. The food here is excellent, including a French dip with some of the best au jus ever created, and a chicken caesar salad with no shortage of chicken. Robust flavors and filling, heavy dishes mean that the non-active should steer clear!
 * Grateful Bread is a bakery and cafe that offers handmade bread and pastries, as well as espresso and panini sandwiches. It is predominantly a family spot, especially during the period right before and after school. It is locally owned and has a very casual atmosphere.

Drink

 * Prost!, 7311 Greenwood Ave N., (206)706-5430. Great little Bavarian-style German pub loaded with great German beer and all beers served in their appropriate glassware.

Sleep

 * There are plenty of sketchy, usually hourly-rate motels on Aurora Ave. Stay at your own risk.

See
Sands Showgirls 7523 15th Ave NW - Abandon hope, all ye who enter here.

Buy

 * Petco 8728 Holman Rd NW - Buy a ferret!

Eat

 * Acorn Eatery and Bar 9041 Holman Rd NW
 * Dick's Drive-In 9208 Holman Rd NW - 4 other locations around Seattle

Drink

 * Goofy's 8519 15th Ave NW - Cheap Drinks, three pool tables, free popcorn. Free shows on Saturday nights.
 * Crown Hill Pub 8511 15th Ave NW
 * T-Bird Tavern 7515 15th Ave NW - Staging point for any excursion to the Sands
 * Waterwheel Lounge 7034 15th Ave NW - Seattle's own little slice of Spokane

Eat
If there is one reason to come to this area of Seattle, it is the Persian bakery, Minoo. Boasting a wide array of fried honey pastries and some nut-based cookies, other Middle Eastern eateries could only envy their quality and selection.

There are also, in the grand Seattle tradition, two Thai places right across the street from each other on Lake City Way: Chang's Thai and Thai One On (the latter being the better), as well as Toyoda Sushi and, a little west of downtown Lake City, the Enat Ethiopian restaurant.

Further south on Lake City Way, new development is taking place where Lake City meets the considerably nicer Maple Leaf.

For authentic Mexican food a world removed from the cliched, Americanized fodder served by chains, there is Mr. Villa near the intersection with 15th Ave. The tacos al carbon, homemade tortillas, and green salsa are not to be missed.

On 15th less than a block away is Anita's Indian Bistro which was voted 2nd best Indian food in Seattle, with rich and flavorful curries also available as sides for dipping naan.

Dick's Drive-In - Best food in Lake City (4 other around Seattle)

The Sugar Shack, a newly opened bakery near the intersection of Lake City Way and 15th, supplies an ever changing selection of cholesterol-boosting treats sure to please the palate and necessitate some cardiovascular exercise.

Eat

 * Yen-Wor Garden 8580 Greenwood Ave N. Good Food, Bad Kareoke.
 * Pho Tic-Tac 208 N 85th St. Decent Pho at a good price.
 * Gordito's 213 N 85th St. Baby-size burritos, meaning they're the size of an actual baby. The sign claims they're healthy.
 * Olive You 8516 Greenwood Ave N. Mediterranean food for the few people in Greenwood who pretend to be sophisticated.
 * Mr. Gyros 8411 Greenwood Ave N. Try the combo plate.
 * OK Corral 8733 Greenwood Ave N. Best BBQ/Soul Food in the area. Get "The Hookup": BBQ Ribs, Chicken, Hot Links, and Catfish served with beans and rice and Hushpuppies.
 * Romio's Pizza & Pasta 8523 Greenwood Ave. Great Pizza, lots of families.
 * Pig N' Whistle 8412 Greenwood Ave. Wannabe gastropub. Disappointing and overpriced.
 * King Falafel Grill 8102 Greenwood Ave. Outstanding Middle Eastern food at a great price. Best gyro in town.

Drink

 * Bleacher's 8118 Greenwood Ave N. Standard Sports Bar, stiff drinks.
 * The Ould Triangle 9736 Greenwood Ave N. Good Irish Pub, has a back patio where you can smoke.
 * Naked City Brewery & Taphouse 8564 Greenwood Ave. Lots of great taps and some light meals.
 * Gainsbourg 8550 Greenwood Ave. Great food, music, and cocktails at an unexpectedly hip lounge.
 * The Baranof 8549 Greenwood Ave. Classic dive. A Greenwood Institution. Go for the karaoke.
 * The Crosswalk 8556 Greenwood Ave. Divier than the Baranof, with bigger drinks.
 * The Rickshaw322 N 105th St. Best karaoke in town, and a mai tai that will lay you out.