Macrina Bakery: Coffee & Brioche Egg Sandwiches
SoDo’s Macrina Bakery may be most famous for its pastries and cakes, but its brioche egg sandwich with Hempler’s ham, Beecher’s cheese and Dijon-apple butter is nothing to scoff at; in fact, it is to be devoured. 1943 1st Ave. S.; macrinabakery.com.
Jet City: Chardonnay & Aviation
Charles Smith’s ambitious winery and tasting venue in Georgetown, Jet City, sits at the runway end of Boeing Field (where both Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates park their private planes). Even on a Saturday morning, this former Dr Pepper bottling plant is buzzing with young professionals sampling wine, in a room that feels, in a good way, like a TWA airport lounge from the 1960s. Make sure to try the Sixto wines, a joint project from Smith and winemaking director Brennon Leighton; they’re some of the best Chardonnays produced in the US right now. 1136 S. Albro Pl.; charlessmithwines.com.
Fonda La Catrina: Mole & Margaritas
Georgetown has had a thriving restaurant-and-bar scene for a few years now. Among the best stops is Fonda La Catrina, which is just right for lunch: The margaritas are excellent, and chef Enrique Trejo Herce’s mole poblano hits the classic earthy-smoky-chocolaty notes perfectly. 5905 Airport Way S.; fondalacatrina.com.
Kerloo Cellars: Rhône-Style Reds & Upcycled Art
When Kerloo Cellars opened two years ago, it was an outlier in this small SoDo industrial park. Now, almost every space is devoted to wine. At Kerloo, an art installation of barrel staves along one long wall and light fixtures made from old barrel hoops (“The guys next door were going to throw them away!” says Kerloo owner Ryan Crane) are in sync with Crane’s low-tech, sustainable winemaking practices. Wines, like a beautifully peppery 2014 Mourvèdre from the Boushey Vineyard, lean toward the gamey, spicy side. 3911 1st Ave. S.; kerloocellars.com.
Elsom Cellars: Malbec & Mountaineers
A five-minute drive from Kerloo to yet another industrial park brings you to Elsom Cellars. Jody Elsom, a Malbec fanatic, shares the rambling space with two adventure-travel outfits. That means occasionally walking around a corner with a glass of her smoky 2010 Malbec in hand and finding yourself surrounded by mountaineering gear, but the vibe is so casual no one minds. On weekend nights crowds fill the patio area for events like Wine & Wieners, a quarterly party for wiener-dog owners. 2960 4th Ave. S.; elsomcellars.com.
Scout: Trout & Roussanne
Have dinner at Josh Henderson’s restaurant, Scout, at the Thompson Seattle hotel. Henderson and executive chef Derek Simcik highlight Pacific Northwest ingredients—fish from local boats, foraged mushrooms from the Cascades, beef from eastern Washington—in a rustic-luxe setting (plaid banquettes, plenty of wood). I settled in with a rich 2013 Latta Wines Roussanne, perfect with crisp-skinned Oregon trout served with artichokes and ultrafresh local clams. 110 Stewart St.; thompsonhotels.com.
Storyville: Coffee & Cinnamon Rolls
Before heading out, take a quick walk from the Thompson to Storyville Coffee Company, in Pike Place Market, for sublime cappuccino and decadent cinnamon rolls. 94 Pike St., #34; storyville.com.
Mark Ryan Winery: Nirvana & Cabernet
Woodinville doesn’t have the gritty edge of SoDo and Georgetown (it feels more like a leafy suburb), but it definitely has tasting rooms—more than 100, all within a three-mile radius. Start with Mark Ryan McNeilly’s Mark Ryan Winery (below) and his powerful red wines, like the 2014 Dead Horse, a Cabernet- based blend. The tasting room nods to Seattle’s music scene (rock posters cover the walls, with Nirvana front and center) and McNeilly’s eclectic passions (e.g., the vintage Indian motorcycle parked at the back). As he says, “Tasting rooms have to be more fun here because they have to compensate for not having any vineyards right outside.” 14475 Woodinville-Redmond Rd. NE; markryanwinery.com.
The Hollywood Tavern: Burgers & Tots
The Hollywood Tavern, a former gas station, became a restaurant back in 1947, but the transformation from burger shack to really good burger shack happened in 2013. The spicy ancho chile tots now on the menu (with braised pork and melted cheese) are as good as they sound. Have them at lunch with a glass of Patterson Cellars Due Anni red off the smart, concise list, or bring a bottle. (There’s a modest $15 corkage fee.) 14508 Woodinville-Redmond Rd. NE; thehollywoodtavern.com.
àMaurice: Syrah & Hummingbirds
A short drive away is àMaurice’s tasting room, where Anna Schafer pours her Walla Walla estate wines. The airy, clean-lined space is substantially smaller than McNeilly’s, but Schafer’s wines are no less impressive. Try the light-on-its-feet 2013 Fred Estate Syrah (the name refers to a hummingbird Schafer dubbed Fred that used to visit her vineyards) and the fine, tobacco-scented 2013 The Artist red blend. 14463 Woodinville-Redmond Rd. NE; amaurice.com.
Savage Grace: Chardonnay & Old World Style
Woodinville’s warehouse district used to house granite countertop suppliers and welding services; now it’s overrun by tasting rooms and micro-wineries. One of the best is Savage Grace, where winemaker Michael Savage works within a restrained, Old World style to create wines that are subtly expressive in a way that’s unusual for Washington. That’s particularly true for his fragrant 2014 Celilo Vineyard Chardonnay and his herbal, cherry-scented 2014 Côt (the Loire Valley’s term for Malbec). 19501 144th Ave. NE, Ste. #F-1100; savagegracewines.com.
Stoup Brewing: Beer & Street-Food Snacks
After two days of tasting wine, it’s time for a beer. Head back into Seattle and up to the Ballard neighborhood to Stoup Brewing. The place features snacks from a different food truck every day (parked right outside) to accompany a wide craft-beer selection (must try: the Galaxy Hop Burst IPA). You could even fill up a growler and bring it back to your hotel room. But that would be absurd. Right? 1108 NW 52nd St.; stroupbrewing.com.
