World > U.S. > Washington > The Seattle and Tacoma Area

Café Presse

<p>The owners of the much-loved Le Pichet café in the Pike Place Market opened this ultracool Capitol Hill offshoot in 2007. The dining room, with its soaring, beamed ceiling and antiquey blue-and-white wallpaper, draws an indie crowd—which clearly appreciates Presse's delicious and affordable French comfort food. At lunch, you can grab a gooey <em>croque monsieur</em>, a plate of <em>pommes frites</em>, and a pint of Stella, and while away the afternoon reading a foreign newspaper or art mag from the huge media rack near the door. Or book a dinner table at the back of the house for a slightly more sophisticated meal: Penn Cove clams sautéed with chorizo, white wine, parsley, and roasted pepper broth, along with a glass of white from the well-edited wine list.</p> <p><strong>Tip:</strong> If the scene at Presse feels a little too self-consciously hip, Le Pichet (corner of 1st Avenue and Stewart Street, Belltown) has a similar menu and a more traditional bistro setting.</p>