Image: Jordan Kay
Everyone knows what Capitol Hill is like—all those bars, parks, and shops, perched above downtown and teeming with life. But some of the best aspects of this buzzing corner of the city take a little work to find.
Bed with Breakfast
Restaurant Harry’s Fine Foods has long hidden on an otherwise residential block of Capitol Hill, its greenhouse-like patio almost as big as the dining room. Last year, owners took the house they bought next door and created Harry’s Guest House, whose two suites reflect the same eclectic design. In a neighborhood without many hotels, it’s a low-key but impressive spot to send out-of-town guests.
Simple Pleasures
Though the booths have a diner aesthetic and the menu is mostly sandwiches, Post Pike Bar and Café resembles a neighborhood drinking hole, one where long hangouts are expected—it’s open as late as midnight but never feels scene-y. Small enough that it doesn’t take many customers to feel social, it also hosts a free bingo night on Tuesdays.
Foot Soldiers
In a disposable world, Broadway Shoe Repair feels like a throwback. Its sole—heh—purpose is to repair footwear to extend its life. Staff will be honest about what can and can’t be done to heels from Louboutin and sale-rack selections alike, with quick turnaround times even during the busiest seasons.
Image: Feed It Creative
Rich Tipples
The Doctor’s Office made Seattle Met’s list of the best bars in town, but high-end cocktails aren’t the only thing hiding behind its dark door. The top of one shelf includes bottles from Howard Hughes’s own stash, purchased via auction after the eccentric tycoon’s death. It’s even for sale by the shot, though its provenance is more impressive than the actual flavor, according to bartenders. Plus, on a slow night the staff might show off the bar’s complex ice-making system.
Upstairs and Unexpected
The speakeasy trend may have come and gone, but the joy of finding an out-of-the-way bar persists. Paper Fan Cocktail Bar, opened last year above Biang Biang Noodles, delivers some of that satisfying surprise. The decor evokes a Chinese hot spot and is stocked with Asian liquors, and the paper fan light fixtures make for a good photo backdrop.
Image: Jane Sherman
High Gaze
Capitol Hill’s newest public artwork is best seen by craning one’s neck on 15th Avenue before leaves return to the trees. Shepard Fairey—he of the famous Obama portrait—painted Eyes Open on the Capitol Hilltop apartment building that replaced the neighborhood’s longtime car mechanic. It’s bittersweet that the best views of the painting will probably be from future luxury buildings, but pedestrians still get a glimpse.
Published in the Secret Seattle issue of Seattle Met.
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