An oyster bar feels like a very PNW pregame destination.
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks, and I’ll bring the banh mi—the food inside Lumen Field and neighboring T-Mobile Park gets better every year; the latter even allows takeout. Outside the stadiums, the selection improves further, with plenty of great bars and restaurants that beckon to anybody looking to meet up with a group, or just avoid paying $20 for a Bud Light and some loaded fries.
Most game-oriented destinations lie north of the stadiums in Pioneer Square. To the south, in SoDo, sandwiches and pizza balance out the preponderance of fast-food chains. Arriving from the east allows for eating through the Chinatown–International District. The train track tangle that separates the dumplings from the defensive tackles can be a pain, but a wealth of great food awaits, depending on how far you want to walk.
Jump to:
Pioneer Square / SoDo / Chinatown–International District
Pioneer Square
Bottega Gabriele's sandwiches are always a home run.
Bottega Gabriele
When the staff at this deli speak to each other—loudly, in Italian, with plenty of hand movement—they appear as if they could be arguing, discussing the weather, or, possibly, doing a bit. Everything about this collaboration between two men from Italy, both named Gabriele, feels like it could be an SNL sketch about the most lovable Italian stereotypes, but the meaty sandwiches are no joke. Thick slices of the city’s softest focaccia come piled high with imported prosciutto, mortadella, and smoked salami. Only the spicy spreadable ‘nduja sausage comes from closer—they make it next door.
Rojo's Mexican Food
The entire menu of enormous burritos and petite street-style tacos is entirely vegan—but that’s almost beside the point. Rojo’s makes good use of faux meat in its asada, carnitas (probably the best protein in the house), chick’n, and al pastor. The address on James (the former Il Corvo) is handy for a pregame meal, though the foil-wrapped burritos can be toted into a Mariners game; it’s also big enough to feed two people.
Darkalino's lives inside the new Hometeam shop on Occidental.
Darkalino's
Flatstick Pub
Sparkling cocktails and slices at Un Po Tipsy make for a quick stop on the way to the stadium.
Un Po Tipsy
Renee Erickson's pizza spot probably won't serve you the greatest slice of your life, but they are slightly more interesting than the usual offerings, with touches like preserved lemon on the white pie. Plus, the setting is undeniably delightful: One of the big arched windows is filled with a pizza-themed stained glass and the brick bar evokes old-school pizzerias, while the green and white dining room feels more elegant than a place with a Skee-Ball machine and a $5 slice should. Both Un Po Tipsy—with its Negronis and espresso martinis—and adjacent sibling brewpub Lowlander open two hours before Seahawks games.
Saigon Drip's Bok Bok B*tch, a.k.a. a grilled chicken banh mi, a.k.a. a very quotable Awkwafina moment from Crazy Rich Asians.
Saigon Drip Cafe
Fast casual and friendly, this (takeout-friendly) Vietnamese spot exceeds expectations all day long. “Croissant mi” breakfast sandwiches come stuffed with a fried egg, maybe some spam, and banh mi fixings; the rest of the day’s menu—pho, banh mi, vermicelli bowls, a happy hour menu—is consistently solid. But it’s especially hard to resist the banh mi drip, a loaded-up brisket sandwich that comes with a sidecar of broth for dipping.
Matsu
Taylor Shellfish
Bar Sosta
Hitting up Il Terrazzo Carmine for a fancy meal before a game is overkill, but this sibling bar tones down the formality while keeping the class. The marble tables and birdcage chandeliers make digging into a giant piece of lasagna or splitting a spicy shredded pork pizza among friends feel extra classy. Lean into the elegance by washing it down with a Hemingway daiquiri or glass of Italian bubbles.
Damn the Weather
Good Bar
SoDo
SliceBox Pizza
Hatback Bar and Grille and Steelheads Alley
Paseo
The current ownership of this beloved sandwich shop added a spacious outpost south of the stadiums that has a counter-service interior built to handle crowds, plus an outdoor space full of picnic tables. Hearty Caribbean sandwiches are deeply compatible with brisk fall game days and tropical cocktails help take the edge off chilly temperatures.
Chinatown–International District
Chung Chun Rice Hot Dog
E-Jae Pak Mor
Labor-intensive pak mor dumplings star on the menu at this casual (but stellar) Thai counter across from Uwajimaya. They’re great, but the khao soi and spicy beef noodle soup can also fortify you against the chill of an outdoor stadium seat.
Uwajimaya Food Hall
