# Seattle/North

North Seattle is roughly the area between 85th Street and the border with Shoreline at 145th Street. It also includes a few neighborhoods south of 85th Street facing Lake Washington.
North Seattle is a loosely-defined area. People often use the label to include everything north of the Ship Canal that bisects the city (including Ballard, Fremont and the University District). This article uses the other common definition, which is everything north of 85th Street, the northern city limit until 1954. This later annexation is evident today by the area's distinctly suburban character.

## Understand

The neighborhoods in North Seattle include, from west to east:
* Crown Hill, just north of Ballard|Ballard
* Broadview, a residential neighborhood north of Carkeek Park
* Greenwood, at Greenwood Ave and 85th St
* Bitter Lake, just west of Aurora Ave
* Licton Springs, along Aurora Ave north of Green Lake
* Haller Lake, a residential neighborhood between Aurora Ave and I-5
* Maple Leaf, along 5th Ave NE near 90th St
* Northgate, at Northgate Way and I-5. It was the site of one of the first shopping malls in the US, ajd is still a major retail and transit hub.
* Pinehurst
* Victory Heights
* Lake City, along Lake City Way, host of some creepy dive bars, thrift/pawn stores, and used car dealerships, as well as new urban development.
* Wedgwood

## Get in
### By car

From Interstate 5, you can get off at Lake City Way NE, N 85th Street, N Northgate Way and NE 125th Street.
Aurora Ave N (State Route 99) passes through North Seattle. This is usually the fastest way from most parts west of I-5.
Other major north-south arterials are 15th Ave NW and Greenwood Ave N from Ballard, and 15th Ave NE and 25th Ave NE from University District.

### By public transit

47.70229-122.327291 Northgate Station, immediately south/southeast of Northgate Station, is the hub for local service.
* Link Line 1 from the U-District, Capitol Hill, Downtown and further south (including Seattle Tacoma International Airport). The train continues north towards Shoreline, Mountlake Terrace, and Lynnwood.
Useful King County Metro bus routes from Northgate Station:
* 40 to Downtown through Crown Hill, Ballard, Fremont
* 61 connects NW 85th St & 1st Ave NW in Greenwood to Lake City Way NE & NE 135th in Lake City. Route 61 will serve the stops Route 20 served between Lake City and Wallingford Ave N & N 85th St, then continue west on N 85th St towards Greenwood.
* 67 to University District through the Maple Leaf and Roosevelt neighborhoods, along Roosevelt Ave NE (SB)/12th Ave NE (NB). Connects to ST 522 in Roosevelt Station at 12th Ave NE and NE 65th St
* 75 to University District through Lake City, Sand Point, goes by Children's Hospital, and University Village along NE 125th St & Sand Point Way NE.
* 303 Aurora Village to South Lake Union and First Hill in Seattle. (Weekday peak hours only)
* 322 Kenmore Park & Ride to Lake Union via Northgate
* 345 Aurora Village, Shoreline South/148th St Station, Haller Lake, Northwest Hospital, North Seattle College, Northgate
* 346 Travels mainly on Meridian Ave N between the Shoreline South Station (N 148th) and Aurora Village via N 200th from Meridian
* 348 Richmond Beach, Shoreline, North City, Ridgecrest, Jackson Park (15th Ave NE & NE 145th St);
For other areas in North Seattle (not serving Northgate Transit Center) there are
* RapidRide Line E, an express service between Downtown and Shoreline that makes stops along Aurora Ave N
* 5 along Greenwood Ave N to Fremont and Downtown
* 26 from Wallingford and Fremont
* 73 from the University District;
* 372 from the University District to UW Bothell though Lake City, Forest Park and Kenmore.
* Sound Transit 522 runs from Roosevelt Station (12th Ave NE & NE 65th St) to Woodinville through Lake City, Kenmore, UW Bothell/Cascadia College and Bothell. The 522 bus does not serve the Northgate Station and it no longer goes into downtown Seattle.

## Get around
### By car

Like much of Seattle, going north-south is easy, going east-west is tricky. The east-west routes that are useful on both sides of I-5 are NE Northgate Way and NE 145th Street.
The Northeast and North road sectors are split by Interstate 5, while the Northwest and North road sectors are split by Greenwood Ave N.
Areas south of Northgate and near the rim of water bodies are hilly, so take some caution while driving, especially when it is raining.

### By bicycle

The Burke-Gilman Trail runs along the Ship Canal, to the University of Washington, University Village, Magnuson Park, and then along the western rim of Lake Washington. Despite the hilly surroundings, the track is flat as it used to be a railway line.
The Interurban Trail is the former commuter rail line to Everett. It enters Seattle at 145th St along Linden Ave, one block west of Aurora Ave N, and continues as a separate trail until 109th St. From there, Fremont Ave N continues south as a signed bicycle route to the Fremont neighborhood.

## See

* 47.7127-122.37831 Carkeek Park, 950 NW Carkeek Park Rd (enter from NW 110th St or 117th St), ☏ +1 206-684-0877. 6AM-10PM daily. The century-old trees and surprisingly steep terrain surrounding a small valley give the impression that you're far from the city. Excellent for a walk in the woods. Walkable beach below the train tracks. Free. (updated Jun 2023)
* 47.6905-122.31542 Maple Leaf Park, 1020 NE 82nd St, ☏ +1 206-615-0810. This area used to be a reservoir. It is now drained, replaced by a wide open green area locals used for playing, but the water tower is still standing. As it is the highest spot in North Seattle, you can catch a wonderful panorama of downtown Seattle, Mount Rainier, the Cascades, Lake Washington, and partially blocked Olympic Mountains. (updated Jun 2023)
* 47.6808-122.2483 Warren G. Magnuson Park, 7400 Sand Point Way NE. Seattle's second-largest park, formerly the Sand Point Naval Air Station. The wide-open spaces of the park support numerous athletic fields and picnic spots, with windsurfing and a boat launch along the Lake Washington shoreline. The buildings remaining from its military days are home to many community organizations and special events. (updated Jun 2023)

## Do

* 47.7286-122.31661 Jackson Park Golf Course, 1000 NE 135th St, ☏ +1 206-363-4747. A decent 18-hole championship and a 9-hole executive golf course plus a driving range. Championship course: $35 weekday, $45 weekend; Executive course: $8.50 9-hole, $14.00 18-hole (playing twice).
* 47.70621-122.345112 Underwater Sports, 10545 Aurora Ave N, ☏ +1 206-362-3310. M-F 9AM-7PM, Sa-Su 9AM-6PM. You can buy diving gear here but the unique thing about this place is that they offer open water scuba diving certification classes, as well as more basic swimming classes. Lessons conducted at their indoor pool and then out in the Puget Sound. (updated Jun 2023)
* 47.72287-122.340653 Granite Curling Club, 1440 N 128th St. An excellent facility dedicated to curling, the loud ice sport with stones and brooms. They host regular open houses to teach people how to play. (updated Jun 2023)

### Events

* 47.7193-122.29924 Lake City Summer Festival and Parade, along NE 125th Street from 25th Avenue NE to Lake City Way NE. August. Lake City has a great street fair in late summer, complete with street vendors, food, music and a parade with local kids and performers on up to the SeaFair Pirates. It has a small-town feel while the streets are lined with all sorts of families and crazies from the neighborhood. Fun for all.

## Buy
### Northgate

This neighborhood is the longstanding retail core of North Seattle. The mall itself has given way to redevelopment, but there's still several blocks of housewares, apparel, and other retail along NE Northgate Way, between I-5 and Roosevelt Way NE.
* 47.7059-122.32581 Northgate Station (formerly Northgate Mall), 401 NE Northgate Way, ☏ +1 206-362-4778. A mall that existed since the 1950s, that is now transitioning to a large mixed-used development. (updated Jun 2023)
* 47.70891-122.320922 Green Lake Jewelry Works, 550 NE Northgate Way, ☏ +1 206-527-1108. Custom made jewelry. Rings are especially pricey and takes weeks to make, but made to the utmost precision & worth every penny.

### Elsewhere

Other shopping options are primarily located around Lake City Way NE and NE 125th Street, and around Greenwood Ave and 85th St. Aurora Ave N serves most of the area's appliance and big-box stores.
* 47.72491-122.343463 Asian Family Market (formerly Asian Food Center), 13200 Aurora Ave N suite A. A large supermarket with an extensive selection of Chinese and other East Asian produce and ingredients. (updated Feb 2025)
* 47.69386-122.317314 Math 'n' Stuff, 8926 Roosevelt Way NE. A toy shop mainly for bookworms & brain teasers, and the artsy.

## Eat

Restaurants are scattered throughout the whole area, with larger clusters around Lake City, Greenwood, Wedgwood and along Aurora Ave N. Hole-in-the-wall teriyaki and neighborhood Thai places can be found at most major intersections.

### Budget

* 47.70114-122.344261 Burgermaster, 9820 Aurora Ave N, ☏ +1 206-522-2044. Su-Th 11AM-11PM, F Sa 11AM-midnight. Designed to be a drive-thru, but there's limited seating area inside. American style burgers & sandwiches that is not the fast food norm; it is a 60-year-old local family brand that has higher standards. Other items include milkshakes, fish & chips, salads, and snacks. $5-8 for burgers & sandwiches.
* 47.70898-122.333342 Family Donut, 2100 N Northgate Way (right off I-5 (next to Hotel Nexus and Saffron Grill)). M-F 5AM-7PM, Sa 6AM-5PM, Su 6AM-2PM. Very good family-run doughnut shop with excellent donuts and coffee. (updated Sep 2015)
* 47.70245-122.324623 Jewel Box Cafe, 321 NE Thornton Pl, ☏ +1 206-432-9341. Su-Th 6AM-11PM; F & Sa 6AM-midnight. A quaint & warm cafe under an apartment complex. Bubble tea, coffee & tea with special mixes, sandwiches, breakfast & its house special: crepes. Up to $5 for a 24-oz drink, up to $10 for meals.
* 47.72003-122.29454 Pho An, 12526 Lake City Way NE, ☏ +1 206-362-3439. Daily 11AM-9PM. A medium restaurant for a big appetite. Where else would you find pho with oxtail? Humongous & soothing portion of pho, and other accompaniments such as spring roll, fried tofu or banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich). $6-9 per bowl.
* 47.70808-122.332565 Taqueria de Pasadita, 2143 N Northgate Way (Behind the 76 gas station & Starbucks), ☏ +1 253 486-4371. Daily 10AM-10PM. A food cart that though may not look so crowded (most people have it to-go), but lures regulars for their cheap yet succulent piece of taco and assorted Mexican street grubs. Even they offer traditional drinks such as the champurado and horchata. Taco $1.50 per piece, mains from $6. (updated Feb 2017)

### Mid-range

* 47.71542-122.312816 Chaiyo Thai Cuisine, 11749 15th Ave NE, ☏ +1 206-361-8888. M-Th 11AM-9PM, F 11AM-10PM, Sa noon-10PM, Su noon-9PM. Thai dishes from all regions north to south.Try its spicy seafood fried rice and Pad See Ew. You can choose the level of spiciness for your dish. $6-$10.
* 47.71364-122.312157 Enat, 11546 15th Ave NE, ☏ +1 206362-4901. Daily 11AM-10PM. The area is home to an Ethiopian & Eritrean church and fellow restaurants. For the win, order the injera or the combos which consists of vegetables and/or meat on top of a big piece of bread, very filling for not 1, but 2 people.
* 47.69656-122.290848 Fiddler's Inn, 9219 35th Ave NE. A cabinlike ambiance, fantastic beer on tap, and an eclectic menu of food ranging from vegetarian burritos to some great pizza. (updated Feb 2025)
* 47.67969-122.290719 Grateful Bread Bakery & Cafe, 7001 35th Ave NE (at NE 70th St), ☏ +1 206-525-3166. M-F 7AM-7PM, Sa 7:30AM-6PM, Su 8AM-6PM. Grateful Bread is a bakery and cafe that offers handmade bread and pastries, as well as espresso and panini sandwiches. It is predominantly a family spot, especially during the period right before and after school. It is locally owned and has a very casual atmosphere.
* 47.69058-122.3232410 Kona Kitchen, 8501 5th Avenue NE, ☏ +1 206-517-5662. M-F 10AM-9PM, Sa Su 8AM-9PM. Hawaiian style diner. All day breakfast & Hawaiian lunch & dinner specials. Savour the mac & cheese, mochiko chicken, kalua pig, spam musubi, or for more meat, Da Kanak Attack (lunch only). Rice portion is small and comes in scoops. $8-15.
* 47.70862-122.2912911 Santorini Pizza & Pasta, 11001 35th Ave NE, ☏ +1 206-440-8499. M-Sa 4-10PM. Neighborhood Italian (with some Greek tones) restaurant known for good food and house wine. The cooks have a tendency to use ample amounts of cheese. Extremely large dessert portions, particularly the baklava.
* 47.68862-122.2904512 Wedgwood Broiler, 8230 35th Ave NE (between NE 82nd and 84th Sts), ☏ +1 206-523-1115. M-Sa 11:30AM-10PM, Su 11AM-10PM; bar/lounge open later. The Wedgwood Broiler offers two distinct microcosms. The bar/lounge includes a healthy mix of patrons of varying ages and trivia nights while the main restaurant area is a considerably more grim affair with geriatric customers lurking in a gloomy, windowless room. Nevermind the aesthetics though. The food here is excellent, including a French dip with some of the best au jus ever created, and a chicken caesar salad with no shortage of chicken. Robust flavors and filling, heavy dishes mean that the non-active should steer clear!

### Splurge

* 47.70888-122.332813 Saffron Grill, 2132 N Northgate Way, ☏ +1 206-417-0707. Su-Th 11AM-10PM, F Sa 11AM-10:30PM. A fine establishment providing Indian and Mediterranean food. Same owners and same basic menu Taste of India in the U-District. Happy hour food and drink deals from 2PM to 7PM.
* 47.72052-122.2948414 Toyoda Sushi, 12543 Lake City Way NE, ☏ +1 206-367-7972. W Th Su 5-8:30PM, F Sa 5-9PM. Off-the-wall family-run restaurant specializing in fresh sushi & sashimi. Sit at the bar to see its making and if you aren't picky, ask for whatever they want to make & they will serve you. Specials are spicy tuna bowl and chef's choice. Free appetizer & miso soup. Sushi $3-10; mains $15-25.

## Drink

True to Seattle form, Starbucks and drive thru coffee huts are everywhere. If you are looking for alcoholic refreshments, there are numerous neighborhood dive bars — just ask around. In general, the farther north you get, the fewer options you have.
* 47.71557-122.31281 Boud's Pinehurst Pub, 11753 15th Ave NE, ☏ +1 206-363-0542. Weekdays 10:30AM-2AM; Weekends 9AM-2AM. A dive bar with breakfast all day. Competitions every day such as Trivia Monday (except on football season), pool Tuesdays, beer pong Wednesdays. Daily drink specials. Happy hour 2-4PM & 9-11PM.
* 47.7203-122.294922 Elliott Bay Brewing Company, 12537 Lake City Way NE, ☏ +1 206-365-2337. M-W 11AM-11PM; Th & F 11AM-midnight; Sa 9:30AM-midnight, Su 9:30AM-11PM. Its name has spoken as a Seattle local brand. 100% organic barley as malt to brew a myriad of recipes. Drinks & gourmet snacks, none else. Monthly pairing specials also available. meals up to $15.
* 47.70529-122.354483 The Rickshaw, 322 N 105th St, ☏ +1 206-789-0120. Weekdays noon-2AM; weekends 10AM-2AM. Best karaoke in town, and a mai tai that will lay you out. Happy hour is noon-6PM. meals up to $12.
* 47.7052-122.350984 Tim's Tavern on 105th, 602 N 105th St, ☏ +1 206-789-9005. Weekdays 2PM-2AM; weekends noon-2AM. Full fledged bar. Open mic every Tuesday & Sunday. And jamming live music every day. Private patio, beer garden, free parking.
* 47.69078-122.290915 Wedgwood Public House, 8515 35th Ave NE. Locally owned, with great beer and delicious, made from scratch pub food. (updated Feb 2025)

### Coffee

* 47.69173-122.290846 Cafe Javasti, 8617 35th Ave NE. Gourmet coffee drinks, homemade baked goods, and crepes. (updated Feb 2025)
* 47.68919-122.290257 Van Gogh Coffeehouse, 8210 35th Ave NE. Espresso drinks, wine and gelato. (updated Feb 2025)

## Sleep

Budget travelers can consider staying in North Seattle, as what can be found here is generally inexpensive. However, avoid Aurora Avenue's motels especially the off-brands that quote hourly rates. Staying at the slightly pricier national chain inns, while not fully keeping you away from the sketchy areas, are still safer and saner.
* 47.729-122.34451 Comfort Inn, 13700 Aurora Ave N, ☏ +1 206-361-3700. Not a sketchy place to stay but rooms look slightly worn out. Breakfast is a grab and go. From $85 per night.
* 47.7092-122.332592 Hotel Nexus, 2140 N Northgate Way, ☏ +1 206-365-0700, toll-free: +1-800-435-0754, fax: +1 206-365-0750, info@hotelnexusseattle.com. Free wi-fi, outdoor pool, complimentary scheduled shuttle service, and free room service from the on-site Indian restaurant, Saffron Grill. From $125 per night.

## Stay safe

Aurora Ave N, especially between 85th St and 125th St, is something of a red-light district. Walking around in the evenings is looking for trouble. The surrounding residential areas become quiet and calm again a few blocks in either direction.
Lake City frequently cycles between up-and-coming gentrification and sketchiness. Avoid walking along Lake City Way NE at night as robbery and muggings are not uncommon (albeit isolated).
A few areas are not well-lit by street lights, and sidewalks are much less prevalent than in other parts of the city.

## Connect

All branches of the Seattle Public Library offer free wireless access. Use of public, internet-connected computers for up to an hour at a time is also free, though if you don't have a SPL library card, you must request a temporary login from the circulation desk.
Wi-fi is de rigueur in any self-respecting coffee shop.