The lower stories of Empire Roasters and Records are special enough—sip a cayenne mocha from the first floor café, rifle through crates of vinyl on the second. But up top, on the rooftop balcony, is where you really want to be, in a modern space filled with natural light that includes a lounging area and a free arcade. The whole building is reminiscent of a college library with different vibes assigned to each floor. 

As the Indian joint’s third Seattle outpost, Spice Waala’s Columbia City location is familiar to many, the street food served at a handful of open-air picnic tables. The insider go-to: monthly rotating soft-serve flavors like coconut cardamom, mango, and masala chai swirls. New flavors debut on social media each month. 

Helmets hang in the yellow-framed window of Bike Works, and wheels dangle from the rafters like chandeliers. The nonprofit bike shop gets used bikes back on the road, to both keep frames out of the landfill and equip locals with affordable rides. Adult workshops achieve the same goals, educating cyclists on maintenance and care in a full seven-week bike repair courses and one-day flash workshops on fixing flats, adjusting brakes, and troubleshooting gear shifting. 

The Beacon is a little jewel box of a cinema, specializing in deep cuts and cult classics and playing to the film aficionados with free popcorn refills and themed series ripe for discussion (“Films About Assassinating Your Political Leaders,” anyone?). But the biggest surprises are the recurring “blindfolded” screenings, a Beacon special: a cinema grab bag where the film is announced only after patrons have snagged their seats.

Lucky for us, Columbia City business Persephone can’t quite narrow in on a single identity. The cute salmon-colored storefront is part specialty grocer, part bar, part café. Sometimes it even cosplays as a mini farmers market, toting crates of local vegetables to the sidewalk. Persephone is also the best place to browse a wide collection of amaro, perhaps Seattle’s signature liquor. Persephone opens for lunch—and espresso—hours before the lights come on at sister restaurant La Medusa.

The third Saturday of every month marks the neighborhood’s Columbia City Night Market. Held outdoors, rain or shine, the soiree fuses live performances with food trucks, local artisan vendors, and a beer garden. Any given month could feature fire performers, groovy improv jams, or full-fledged local bands on the loading dock stage. 

Pocket brewery Flying Lion Brewing embraces Seattle’s particular relationship with sunlight. Scheduled in tandem with summer and winter solstices, the annual Light Beer Fest and Dark Beer Fest toast the respective seasons. Several dozen on-theme light or dark brews, including beer, cider, and hop water, make up the drinking portion of each weekend; neighborhood bakeries team up to provide carbs in the form of doughnuts and pretzels.