Latest breakfast

Lately, breakfast downtown has meant breakfast at home.

The most important ingredient for this are the eggs. Downtown choices for eggs have started to expand, with now three choices at Pike Place market alone. The eggs from the market which consistently taste fresher and more flavorful are the ones from Catanzaro's. This produce vendor is on the main arcade just before Lowell's, and their eggs are definitely what's for breakfast in Seattle.

Location:Madison St,Seattle,United States

Juno

Juno

700 3rd Ave
Seattle, WA 98104

(206) 631-8080
www.junorestaurant.com

Seven out of Ten

Juno has a breathtaking, seasonal menu, a comfortable and modern dining room, and gets my nomination for the best hash browns in the city. And while they are fighting a little on consistency for both food and service as they feel the start up pain, it is definitely a place that is worth the risk. The fresh and changing menu and attention to detail will make this a fine addition to the downtown dining options.

Juno is located in the newly remodeled and converted Arctic Club building. This new hotel lobby is a can't miss part of the experience as the new remodel maintained all the periodicity from which it came. Walking into the lobby is like walking into early 1900's Seattle.

The breakfast menu at Juno provides several great options, including a wagyu scramble topped with shaved Parmesan, and a french toast dish that sounds like heaven. For my tastes though, the standard 2 egg breakfast is what will keep me coming back for more. The hash browns served up are perfectly moist without being oily and perfectly crispy on top.

The comfortable dining room is largely booths and counter stools by a great bar. The coffee cups stayed full and the service was friendly. The main battle of the moment is consistency, which I can forgive as start up pains.

Juno is a really great place to start or end a day in the city. This is a great recommendation for out of town guests or in city retreats. This is a place we will be back at often.

CJ's Eatery

CJ's Eatery
2619 1st Ave
Seattle, WA 98121

Six out of Ten

In the heart of Belltown, CJ's Eatery does simple food simply great. With an extensive menu and a hustling dining room, this is a great place to grab a quick eat. The service stands out amongst the ordered chaos that is the packed in dining area.

We were seated quickly and coffee served right away. It is rare for your cup to run empty as well. I had a Belltown Omelet, that was very well cooked, but more of a scramble than an omelet. The food does not inspire, but instead fills you up and is served with great consistency. They were also very accommodating about watching for wheat, and even substituted fruit for toast.

CJ's is a great spot for a quick meal. Somehow it reminds me of the east coast, but the breakfast is all their own.

Dragonfish

Dragonfish Asian Cafe
722 Pine St
Seattle, WA 98101

(206) 467-7777
website

Zero out of Ten


I am certainly aware that on any given day you could dine in any given restaurant and see perhaps the best or worst. Quite simply though, our breakfast at Dragonfish set a new low for the lowest low of any restaurant service.

I knew this was risky to begin with. After all, this place serves asian cuisine, so clearly this is support for the hotel room service. However, I would never expect something to be lack as much in service, sanitary, or food quality. When walking in, there were more tables with dirty dishes waiting to be bused than there were tables with people. However, we still had to wait for a table. I was thinking short staffed, but there were four tables being served by three people.

The food was pitiful. The eggs were runny and bad. The worst was that they ran out of hash browns so they decided to replace them with french fries without telling us. At least they brought ketchup, I guess. Our coffee cups were more empty than full. All for an unreasonable price.

I wish I could find something good to say about this place, unfortunately I can not find anything. Even the decor is slightly tacky. Stay away. If this is any indication of typical, I would avoid lunch and dinner as well.

Cafe Campagne

Cafe Campagne
1600 Post Aly
Seattle, WA
(206) 728-2233
website

Four out of Ten


I really wanted to like the breakfast at Cafe Campagne, and find it very difficult to criticise a place that I have enjoyed so many really wonderful and memorable meals. Unfortunately I find it more difficult to find very much good to say about breakfast. The dining room is crowded and cramped to the point where you will be sharing your conversation with the people next to you. The breakfast menu is pretty limited and the food is just not as good as it is for dinner.

I had a chevre omelet with the sausage. The portions were pretty small. Most surprising was the orange juice cut with club soda (or something fizzy). It was billed as orange juice not an orange cooler cocktail.

The service was mediocre and the coffee cups were empty often. It is not that I will never eat here again, it is just that I will never eat breakfast here. This is still a great dinner.

Celiac In Seattle

For me, breakfast is the easiest meal to have out. There is no wheat in eggs and bacon. So other than any cross contamination, it is pretty easy to go anywhere and be able to find something. However, the anxiety of trying to find something at times for dinner or lunch can be pretty painful, and often times resulting in nothing but some lettuce and oil and vinegar. So here's my list of friendly places for anyone with Celiac or a wheat allergy to enjoy a really nice meal.

Outback Steakhouse and P.F. Chang's

I know I am going to get some pretentious heat for this one, but not from anyone who understands how good it feels when a place actually has a gluten free menu (and a full bar). Both of these chains have a full gluten free menu upon asking, and P.F. Chang's has tamari (gluten free soy sauce). The food is fine. it won't be the best meal you ever have, but you can eat worry free.

The Triple Door

It was a great surprise to find out they had a gluten free menu. The food is prepared by Wild Ginger (and oddly, Wild Ginger does not have a gluten free menu, although they have the same dishes). This is dinner theater, so depending on the show your whole experience will vary. The food is really good with great spice. Ample choices for both appetizers and entrees will satisfy any level of hunger, from a few things to nosh on during the show or a full meal.

Lola

This is a unique and fun dining experiences, and the incredible food makes this a must. A couple of appetizer skewers, a couple of tagines, and an amazing bottle of wine make a very romantic dinner. This place has a great cozy atmosphere, and a very professional staff. The prices are downtown reasonable as well. This did not have a gluten free menu, but the staff was very knowledgeable, and I ate with confidence. A definite treat!

Tango

Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum. And still not enough yums. This place will be your new favorite after a single visit. The food is fantastic, and those in the know will leave room for the el diablo. And all wheat free. This is a definite must. I recommend Monday night for half price bottle night (which my wife says doesn't mean you save money, it means you drink twice as much). Every dish we got was full of flavor, and when we looked up we saw we had been sitting there for hours. The ambiance and professional service makes this a must.

Impromptu

If you are reading this because you too have Celiac, you probably already know about this place. This is the mecca for Celiacs in Seattle, but everyone will enjoy the food. A great selection of wine, and a small cafe feel make this a great place to celebrate life.

Julia's on Broadway

Julia's on Broadway
300 Broadway E
Seattle, WA 98102
(206) 860-1818
website

Five out of Ten


Julia's on Capitol Hill is a longstanding institution that represents Seattle ambiance at its best. The west coast Victorian decor and ornate decorations make this enormous space with 30 foot ceilings a comfortable place to sit for a long meal. Unfortunately the food does not quite complement the great service, location, and decor.

The breakfast menu is typical and large. The coffee is hot and frequently refreshed. But the portions were heavy and not very well cooked. I had the potato plate with two eggs, but it also came with an unappetizing tomato based sauce that could not be well discerned from oil. She had the standard egg breakfast, but the bacon was overcooked and generally weak. The toast was also from a bag of sliced bread. All in all a bit of a disappointment from such a well known and well established place.

Julia's is a great place with great service. If looking to experience a great Seattle feel for all its charm, and to keep your coffee cup full, this is a great spot. Order carefully and do not have high expectations for the food.