This story is presented as part of The Stranger’s 2018 Visitor’s Guide.
Dick’s Drive-In
Capitol Hill, Lower Queen Anne, Wallingford
With a moniker that inspires countless titters in middle schoolers and has been name-checked by Sir Mix-A-Lot in “Posse on Broadway,” the old-school Seattle fixture might not make the best burgers you’ve ever had, but that hardly matters to the scores of fans drawn like moths to a flame by the nostalgic glow of its orange neon sign. Get the Dick’s Deluxe (a special-sauce-laden piece of heaven), their perfect peppermint stick hot fudge sundae, and/or a hand-dipped chocolate shake for dunking their salty, squishy fries.
Beecher’s Handmade Cheese
Pike Place Market
You may have seen Beecher’s Flagship cheese in stores around the country, or perhaps you’ve been to their cafe in New York City, but Kurt Beecher Dammeier’s storefront in Pike Place Market is where it all started. The main attraction at the famous fromagerie is peering in the windows and gawking at the cheese-making process in real time, but they also make superlative grilled cheese sandwiches and mac and cheese. Also of note are their curds, habit-forming nuggets of cheese made as a byproduct from their Flagship cheese.
