Seeking: Seattle's third places, part 1
North + Central Seattle
We’re changing up the format a little bit this week! Because we’re going to talk about a topic that has been top of mind for a while now: Seattle’s third places and where to find them.
It’s well-timed with this excellent article by Vox. If you’re not familiar with the term, third places are “settings a person frequents beyond their home (the first place) and work (the second place).”
I would also categorize them as places that are:
Free or relatively inexpensive
Community-oriented
Comfortable to hang out in for extended periods of time
The whole article is worth a read, but I think the biggest takeaway for us is this: find a place you enjoy frequenting based on your interests and show up there regularly.
It’s hard to show up somewhere regularly if it’s not near your home, so I’ve organized the third places I’ve found by neighborhood, starting with North + Central Seattle (South Seattle and beyond will be in part 2 next week). But this is very much an incomplete list!
I’ve scoured Reddit posts, blogs, Google reviews, and my own experience to put together this list. But, it’s by no means exhaustive and would greatly benefit from community input. The term third place means something different to everyone and can range from where you do your hobby to your neighborhood cafe.
The locations I’ve gathered below are more general and offer a space where you can do a variety of activities, but I’d love to create more guides around topics like the most community-oriented pottery studios or the cafes that put on the best events.
Third places are defined by personal experience, so I want to know what your third places are. For example, there are four coffee shops within walking distance of my house, but only one of them feels like a true third place to me! I want to know what those are for you 🙃
Since there’s so much here, this will be another living document that I’ll add to and update you on in our weekly letters. If you get value out of this, please do share it with a friend or your community! In all my research, I never came across a comprehensive list like this — so I’d love for this to reach as many people as possible.
This post is long, but you’ll find our usual events round-up and ICYMI news at the end so don’t forget to keep scrolling or expand if it gets cut off in your email!
Seattle’s Third Places by Neighborhood
Interests Key: 🍻 = drinks | 🍽 = food | 🌲 = outdoors | ☕️ = cafe | 💻 = coworking | 📖 = reading | ✍️ = writing | 🎟 = events | ️⚽️ = sports | 🕹 = games | 🎵 = music | 💃 = dancing
North Seattle
Greenwood
Couth Buzzard Books |🍻 🍽 ☕️ 📖 🎟 🕹 🎵 | A bookstore, cafe, and community hub that offers a busy events calendar full of live music, language meetups, open mics, and more. If I lived north, this would be my third place.
Maple Leaf
Project 9 Brewing | 🍻 🍽 ☕️ 💻 📖 🎟 🕹 | This might be a brewery, but it also serves coffee in the morning, hosts a weekly run club + trivia night, and has an upstairs arcade with ample indoor + outdoor seating.
Maple Leaf Reservoir Park + Pickleball Court | 🌲 🎟 ⚽️ | This park has a route around the perimeter for walking or running, multiple sports fields, and covered picnic areas. There are also two pickleball courts which can get busy depending on the time of day.
The Reservoir Bar & Grill | 🍻 🍽 🎟 🕹 | Across the street from the park is this local watering hole that has pool tables and shuffleboard inside and an outdoor patio in the back. Wouldn’t eat here, but good for basic drinks.
Ballard
Mox Boarding House | 🍻 🍽 ☕️ 🎟 🕹 | A game store + restaurant combo that hosts a variety of tabletop game events and has a community Discord. You can check out games for free and play them while enjoying food + drinks.
Cafe Bambino | ☕️ 📖 | A local favorite, this cafe serves Berardo’s fire-roasted Italian espresso (and claims to be the only place in the US that does so). Has a really cute covered outdoor patio with heat lamps that can be enjoyed any season.
Green Lake / Roosevelt
Retreat | 🍻 🍽 ☕️ 📖 🎟 | This all-day cafe gets busy, but if you can find a spot to sit it’s great for grabbing a coffee pre or post-lake walk, meeting a friend, coworking, or just being around people. There’s also free two-hour underground parking (!).
Green Lake Park | 🌲 🎟 ⚽️ | The lake is one of our great third places with activities available to everyone. You’ll rarely be alone on the walking loop.
Green Lake Pickleball Courts | 🌲 ⚽️ | If you know how to play pickleball but struggle to find others to play with, the Green Lake courts are always busy. It’s rotation-style, so paddles are stacked in a queue in groups of 4. You can join an existing stack if they haven’t yet reached 4, or start a new one (the website explains the stacking system in more detail). The crowd is friendly but competitive, so I wouldn’t recommend this for absolute beginners.
Distant Worlds Coffeehouse | 🍽 ☕️ 💻 📖 ✍️ 🕹 🎟 | A spacious coffeehouse with multiple types of seating that also allows you to reserve larger tables for meetups with a very affordable sales minimum ($30 for 2 hours).
Triple R Brewing | 🍻 💻 📖 🕹 | A hidden, unassuming gem with two levels, an assortment of board games, shuffleboard, darts, foosball, and pinball. They allow outside food — I’d recommend El Camion across the street.
University District
Cafe Allegro | 🍽 ☕️ 💻 📖 ✍️ | This is Seattle’s oldest espresso bar and has been a hub for students and locals alike since 1975. It’s a little grungy, but that’s what you’re there for. They have plenty of both indoor and outdoor seating.
Cafe Solstice | 🍽 ☕️ 💻 📖 ✍️ | If you want to feel like a student, this is the place to go. It’s a large, lively space with lots of seating and power outlets.
U Heights Center | 🎟 | This is a really cool nonprofit community space that hosts neighborhood events and provides free food and resources for anyone who needs it. You could volunteer here or attend one of their weekly Thursdays at 10.
Fremont
Add-A-Ball | 🍻 🎟 🕹 | An arcade bar that can be enjoyed whether you drink or not. Always full of regulars and hosts tournaments + live comedy shows.
Cafe con Todo + Salsa con Todo | 🍽 ☕️ 💻 📖 🎟 💃 | There aren’t many places that operate as a cafe by day and a salsa club at night! I’ve only been during the day when the vibe is laidback and tropical, but I’d love to take a salsa class here someday.
The Ice Box Arcade | 🍻 🎟 🕹 🎵 | Another local arcade that is bigger, has an outdoor space and offers more organized event programming. Seems to skew more pinball-heavy vs. other arcade games.
Fremont Coffee Company | 🍽 ☕️ 💻 📖 ✍️ | My go-to hangout spot when I’m in Fremont. The outdoor patio is great when the weather is warm, but I love settling into one of the cozy rooms on any other day.
Stone Way Cafe | 🍻 🍽 ☕️ 💻 📖 🎟 🎵 | Stone Way is BACK. I used to spend a lot of time in the old location and remember actually meeting cool people there pre-pandemic. They will be back to hosting live events soon once they get up to speed.
The Botanicale | 🍻 🎟 🎵 | This is a plant shop + tasting room that regularly hosts events like kitten snuggling and Sofar Sounds concerts. The owners seem very kind and community-oriented.
Charlie’s Queer Books | 📖 🎟 | A new bookstore that is cultivating community through book clubs, author talks, mixers, and all kinds of classes. They also have the cutest reading attic above the shop.
Wallingford
Friday Afternoon Tea | ☕️ 📖 🎟 🕹 | A “nerdy” tea shop that creates custom blends inspired by fandoms and tabletop games, they also host weekly craft & chats, board game meetups, and language cafes.
Central Seattle
Queen Anne
Blue Highway Games | 🎟 🕹 | A game store where you can play games for free or attend one of their weekly events which includes options for families and the 21+ crowd (I’ve got my eye on the monthly puzzle exchange).
Queen Anne Book Company | 📖 🎟 | This bookstore doesn’t have as robust of an event calendar as others, but they have a monthly book club and an excellent patio (with a coffee shop right next door).
Uptown
KEXP | ☕️ 💻 📖 ✍️ 🎟 🎵 | The cool thing about KEXP is that you don’t need to buy a coffee at the attached Caffe Vita to enjoy the space. They designed it to serve as a true third place, and it does its job! The music is always on point, there’s a variety of comfortable seating options, and there’s free wifi. The event calendar is also worth checking out.
Seattle Center | 🍽 🌲 ☕️ 📖 🎟 🎵 | There’s always something interesting happening at Seattle Center. But it’s worth walking around or finding a spot to lay out a blanket even when there isn’t an event happening.
Eastlake
Eastlake Zoo Tavern | 🍻 🕹 | When I had a bigger friend group (😭), this was one of my favorite places to gather. It’s dive-y, surprisingly large, and has a variety of bar games to keep you entertained (pool, shuffleboard, ping pong, pinball, etc). One note - it’s cash only! And there’s a pizza spot next door which you can bring over.
Capitol Hill
Basecamp Cafe @ Gearhouse | 🍻 🍽 🌲 ☕️ 💻 📖 ✍️ 🎟 | If you’re looking to build community with outdoorsy people, this is the spot! Their event calendar is stacked with weekly events for all levels of adventuring and they have a robust gear rental program. But even if you never want to set foot on a trail, it’s still a cool spot to hang out, grab a beer, or get some work done (it’s also right by the light rail).
Stoup Brewing | 🍻 🍽 🎟 💻 📖 | A massive brewery that always has like 3-5 events happening at one time and still has plenty of space for a casual drop-by. Bring a game, a book, or a pizza and hang out for a few hours with a beer or a variety of NA options. They welcome outside food, but they also have rotating food trucks and a permanent Plenty of Clouds truck in their outdoor courtyard (which also has additional seating).
Caffe Vita | ☕️ 🍽 💻 📖 | I don’t even live in Capitol Hill and I come here pretty regularly to cowork. It’s always a cool, creative crowd and there’s plenty of seating. They also close at 7, which is later than the typical coffee shop.
Hugo House | 🍻 ✍️ 🎟 | A nonprofit literary organization that offers both in-person and virtual writing but also hosts free weekly open hours three days a week for drop-in writing. This one is going on my calendar!
Cal Anderson Park | 🌲 🎟 ⚽️ | Always an interesting place to spend time, I recently learned that there is a pickup dodgeball group that meets on Friday and Sunday nights, rain or shine. The park is hiring an Activation Manager so we might start to see more organized programming here soon.
Raygun Lounge | 🍻 🍽 🕹 | A dive bar arcade with very reasonably priced drinks + food, regular events, and lots of seating to play the tabletop games they have stocked.
Ada’s Technical Books | 🍻 🍽 ☕️ 💻 📖 🎟 | A day-to-night cafe + bookstore that serves a variety of purposes. I’ve met friends here for coffee, attended events at the Lab, and have coworking at The Office next on my list.
Elliott Bay Book Company + Little Oddfellows | 🍽 ☕️ 💻 📖 | A classic Cap Hill combo for a reason. The events and book groups are also worth getting involved in.
Wunderground Cafe | 🍽 ☕️ 💻 📖 | With delicious mushroom-inspired drinks + food and close proximity to the park, this feels like another hub on the hill.
Phoenix Comics and Games | 🎟 🕹 | This is a space that is welcoming to all but also hosts events for specific identity groups like the furry, queer, and poly gamer community.
Downtown
Folio | 💻 📖 ✍️ 🎟 🎵 | A nonprofit membership library IN Pike Place Market that offers a lending library, author talks, concerts, free quiet reading + write-in events, and access passes to cowork or read at the library for just $5/day (an annual membership is $150).
Central Library | 💻 📖 ✍️ 🎟 🎵 | The big daddy of all Seattle libraries. There are multiple floors to wander around and a large auditorium that regularly hosts talks and performances from the artists in residence.
Central District
Métier Brewing Company | 🍻 🍽 🎟 🎵 | This Black-owned brewery has created a very intentional space to bring people together. They have ample indoor and outdoor seating, host regular live music events, and serve Japanese-style street food from Umami Kushi (one of my favorites!).
Estelita’s Library | 📖 🎟 | A social justice-focused community library and bookstore that invites everyone to use their library space as a community center. They also have a Heylo group where you can learn about events and volunteer opportunities.
Wa Na Wari | 🍽 🎟 🎵 | A Black cultural space that hosts regular events, talks, and exhibits for the community as well as free food for anyone who needs it.
Chinatown–International District
Bush Garden | 🍻 🍽 🎟 🎵 | This legendary karaoke spot hasn’t reopened quite yet (it will happen sometime this year), but it’s been a beloved local hangout since it opened in 1953. I went a handful of times before it closed and always felt like I was in a movie.
Kung Fu Club of Seattle | ⚽️ | In my research, this Kung Fu Club came up multiple times as somewhere people felt welcomed and found community. It was founded in 1963 by Master Leong who still practices and teaches at 86 years old (!). The Club holds kung fu classes 6 days/week, tai chi classes 3 days/week, sparring practice, lion and dragon dancing & more.
Fort St. George | 🍻 🍽 | There’s something special about this funky second-story restaurant + bar serving Japanese comfort food in the ID. You can people-watch from up above or sit at the bar and strike up a conversation with someone.
If you feel so inclined, pick a place from this list or discover your own to spend an hour at and report back with your experience. Part 2 coming next week!
📆 This weekend’s events
Portugal. The Man with Bomba Estereo | Friday, 5/24 | Carnation | $55.50
Coworking Accountability Session & Lunch Social | Friday, 5/24 | Madison Park | Free
Hangar 30 Flea & Vintage Show | Saturday, 5/25 | Magnuson | $5-15
Sorrento Style Afternoon Tea | Saturday, 5/25 | Capitol Hill | $50
Kinda Bookish Zine Festival | Saturday, 5/25 | Capitol Hill | Free
Tour De Pints | Saturday, 5/25 | Greenwood | Free
Mighty-O Tour de Donut | Saturday, 5/25 | Ballard | $45
Spring Market at Wing Luke | Saturday, 5/25 | C-ID | Free
Avril Lavigne: The Greatest Hits Tour | Saturday, 5/25 | Auburn | $72+
BANDITS - A Burlesque Smoke Show! | Saturday, 5/25 | Capitol Hill | $15-40
West End Girls: West Seattle's Drag Extravaganza | Saturday, 5/25 | West Seattle | $18
Earshot Jazz Presents: Samara Joy | Saturday, 5/25 | Downtown | $20-90
Massive Monkees Day | Sunday, 5/26 | U District | $25
BIRD SHOW | Sunday, 5/26 | North Beacon Hill | $5-20
Embodied Altars: Indigenized Open-Level Contemporary Dance Class | Monday, 5/27 | Discovery Park | $10-20 sliding scale
Multi-day:
Big Ass Boombox | 5/24 - 5/25 | Ballard | Free
Northwest Folklife Festival | 5/24 - 5/27 | Uptown | Free
Hood Canal Fjord Fest | 5/25 - 5/26 | Uptown | $10
Illenium | 5/25 - 5/26 | The Gorge | $133.50+
What’s next:
9/20 | Jungle will be stopping by Remlinger Farms this fall. I saw them last year at WAMU and it was a great show! Would be even better outside.
🚨 ICYMI
New restaurant openings:
Half Shell from Tom Douglas is now open in Pike Place (the HH looks great, $2 oysters + $8 glasses of wine)
Oyster Cellar, another bivalve spot, is now open downtown (they also have $2 oysters during their HH and a dozen oysters + a bottle of wine for $50),
Ramie, sister restaurant of the very good Ba Sa on Bainbridge opened yesterday in Capitol Hill.
Stone Way Cafe is back! An events calendar is coming soon.
The Kite Cafe is the newest business to operate out of the Golden Gardens Bathhouse and will be serving healthy meals, drinks, and snacks.
🧰️ Seattle Toolkit
A few of my favorite resources to stay tuned in to what’s happening around the city:
Everout - Events & things to do
SEAToday - Daily Seattle newsletter
The Nudge Seattle - Text-based event planner
The Intentionalist - Discover + support local small businesses
Suggest adding Stoup to the list for Capitol Hill! It's the former Optimism Brewing spot, and now serves coffee too. Most weekends it's half people playing board games, half various groups celebrating birthdays, etc. Great spot to chill and work during the day as well.
Oh, I'm very excited to dive into this list!
Stoked to see Friday Afternoon Tea listed; Friday and I were bffs in high school and I'm just so dang proud of her!
I wish Lake City had better third place options I could add to this list. Kaffeeklatch feels like it should be on the list, but it unfortunately misses the mark for me (their baristas are just so dang slow). Rachel's Bagels & Burritos just opened a location in Brother Barrel and I can see them earning a spot here (Brother Barrel is open in the evenings only and Rachel's is in the spot in the mornings/early afternoon).