Pike and Pine: Seattle's lively new urban exploration zone - streets in Seattle, Washington

Sunset, April, 1996 by Steven R. Lorton

Eclectic shopping and international dining

Two parallel streets form a quirky economic development zone between Seattle's sleek downtown and Broadway, the trendy crown of Capitol Hill. Along these stretches of Pike and Pine streets, old brick buildings line the streets, and the low rents charged for these buildings have made it possible for a new generation of entrepreneurs to gain a foothold. Young, talented businesspeople and chefs with big ideas but small budgets have moved in and set up restaurants, shops, and galleries that offer an eclectic blend of art, food, and merchandise.

For diners and shoppers, this is the best time to discover Pike and Pine - before the most successful businesses grow up and move on, before hole-in-the-wall restaurants with delicious food become chic and pricey. Already bulldozers and cranes are at work building a new shopping center, Harvard Market, at the corner of Pike and Broadway. To explore the Pike and Pine Corridor (the moniker by which it's coming to be known), allow half a day. Most shops are open 10 to 6 Mondays through Saturdays; most restaurants serve lunch and dinner.

Here's a guide to shopping and dining spots on both streets. A good place to start is at the corner of Pike and Boren Avenue, just east of the Washington State Trade and Convention Center. Stroll uphill on Pike to Broadway, then cross over to Pine and walk downhill. (Note: at Melrose Avenue, Pike and Pine become E. Pike and E. Pine, and street numbers go from the 1000s to the 300s.) The scene is lively and friendly. You'll see lots of purple, green, and orange hair, and skateboards are more common than cabs.

SHOPS FOR EVERY TASTE

Antiquarium (1.124 Pike). This spacious antiques shop stocks everything from old pine chests and rockers to chrome and plastic laminate dining tables, along with china, costume jewelry, lamps, and quilts.

Portage Bay Goods (1121 Pike). Tasteful country-style objects, candlesticks, and hand-knit Irish wool sweaters share this space with hand-painted pottery and Turkish rugs.

Three of a Kind (303 E. Pike). This shop specializes in antique and second-hand furniture from the mid-19th century to the 1950s.

B and W Antiques (311 E. Pike). In the delightful clutter of American kitsch are the sort of coffee table curiosities that make you recall that your mom had one of them.

The Play's The Thing (514 E. Pike). Scripts of plays, from George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion to Moliere's The Imaginary Invalid, are for sale here.

Price-Ragen Co. (517 E. Pike). This wonderland of horticulture sells plants, terra-cotta pots, and garden accessories.

Vintage Voola (705 E. Pike). If you lived through the 1950s or '60s, you'll think you've stepped back in time at this recycled-clothing store.

Martin-Zambito Fine Art (721 E. Pike). This gallery specializes in paintings by 19th- and 20th-century American and Northwest artists.

Righteous Rags (504 E. Pine). This store, packed with clothing that most of us outgrew years ago, is haute couture to Seattle's Generation X.

Dancing Shiva (501 E. Pine). Most of this rich assortment of fabrics, art, and clothing is imported from Nepal and India.

Thrasher/Orth (500 E. Pine). Paintings and ceramics in this gallery represent a wide sampling of local talent. Owner Tina Orth is a Pine Street pioneer who has been here since 1978.

Mwoyo Arts (421 E. Pine). Wood and stone sculpture, baskets, jewelry, and other arts are imported from artists' cooperatives in Zimbabwe.

Le Frock (317 E. Pine). This is one of Seattle's best vintage clothing stores, where you can shop for a black velvet evening cape or a Giorgio Armani suit.

Shamek's (1201 Pine). Since 1895 this shop has been selling buttons, from expensive rhinestone clusters to handsome rounds of bone.

EATERIES ALONG PIKE AND PINE

Six Arms (300 E. Pike; 206/223-1698). Look up as you enter this big, boisterous microbrewery, to the vast and motley collection of chandeliers illuminating the lofty ceiling. Burgers, a black bean burrito, a tuna steak sandwich, and Caesar salad lead the list of lunch and dinner choices.

Ayutthaya (727 E. Pike; 324-8833). One of the biggest and busiest of the city's new crop of Thai restaurants, it serves unusually tasty tom-kah-gai soup, made with chicken, mushrooms, coconut milk, lemon grass, and spices.

Kamalco (414 E. Pine; 323-7565). The Aboul-Hosn family, which emigrated from Lebanon in 1975, offer spit-roasted chickens along with baba kanoug (made from mashed eggplant), hummus (mashed garbanzos), and an out-of-this-world sauce made with fresh garlic cloves and pureed potatoes. The menu also lists cabbage rolls and lamb.

Museum Cafe (321 E. Pine; 621-8580). Antique gasoline pumps and old petroleum signs decorate the dining room. The seafood chowder is made with lots of fresh cream and herbs. The meat loaf is moist and full of ground beef and vegetables. Cafe owners Jeff and Susan Pedersen also operate the General Petroleum Museum (1526 Bellevue Avenue), which displays oil-related memorabilia and is open to the public when the owners are in.