A quick guide to the best paleo-friendly spots in Seattle, Washington
Updated January 2021 to reflect permanent closures
(Click each pin to find out more)
Seattle: the city of ferry boats, rainy days, the original Starbucks, the Space Needle, Amazon headquarters, and if you’re lucky, a clear view of breath-taking Mount Rainier!
This Pacific Northwest city is brimming with culture and beauty, making it a fantastic destination for any adventure-seeker.
The best part? You don’t have to sacrifice your healthy eating standards on a trip to the Emerald City.
With a number of incredible cafes and restaurants focused on locally sourced, seasonal, real food, keeping up your paleo nutrition is an easy, fun, and frankly, DELICIOUS pursuit. These local, health-conscious eateries will not only deepen your experience of this beautiful city in a way that’s meaningful to your values, but it will keep you feeling your best so can make the most of your vacation!
From a local kombucha brewery, to primal fine dining, to a coconut-milk based vegan ice cream shop, here’s everything you need to know to keep eating Paleo while enjoying the best of the Seattle dining scene….
CAPITOL CIDER
818 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122
Let’s start with something that’s pretty darn unique to Seattle: a gluten free gastropub. Yes, you read that right. Capitol Cider’s kitchen is 100% gluten free and emphasizes local, seasonal ingredients so you can get all your pub favorites like fish and chips, without straying too far from your dietary principles!
If you’re interested in a drink, they’ve got an extensive selection of hard ciders on tap and in bottles, with a knowledgable staff ready to match you with the exact flavor you’re in the mood for. Also, cider flights – you can order a flight to sample 4 ciders at a time!
Capitol Cider is the perfect spot for dinner with friends or a date with a special gluten-free-someone. The 100+ year old building houses a dark, but welcoming public house interior with a high-ceilinged dining hall on the ground level and a more informal bar on the basement level. Be sure to check their schedule before you go – in addition to the games on the lower level, they also host live music and art events!
PORKCHOP & CO.
5451 Leary Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
Ridiculously delicious, locally sourced, seasonal food in an inviting, wood-clad atmosphere filled with natural light. According to their website, they “smoke, cure, pickle and preserve everything in house,” bridging the gap between production and preparation.
Though not specifically paleo, you won’t have a problem finding something to satisfying your ancestral appetite at Porkchop & Co. From the pork belly hash, to the steak & kimchi hash, to the house pickle plate, to pork chop deluxe, you’re sure to find something that’ll make your taste buds sing.
Just note, Porkchop & Co. is only open for breakfast and lunch so make sure you plan accordingly!
FRANKIE & JO’S
CAPITOL HILL: 1010 E Union St, Seattle, WA 98122
BALLARD: 1411 NW 70th St, Seattle, WA 98117
Ice cream so good you won’t even know it’s dairy free?! Yes, please! This vegan, gluten free ice cream shop in the Capitol Hill neighborhood fits the bill! Made with either a coconut milk or a sprouted cashew milk base, this cute little shop offers a variety of mouthwateringly creative flavors including Tahini Chocolate, Chocolate Mint Brownie, and Gingered Golden Milk (just to name a few)!
They’re very transparent when it comes to what goes in to each ice cream flavor, in fact, both the website and in store menus list every ingredient, all of which are REAL FOODS. Oh and the waffle cones?! Totally gluten free!
So get a scoop of the California Cabin flavor in a waffle cone topped with Moon Goo (charcoal caramel syrup) — you won’t regret it!!!
LIL WOODY’S
CAPITOL HILL: 1211 Pine St, Seattle, WA 98101
BALLARD: 2040 NW Market St, Seattle, WA 98107
SOUTH LAKE UNION: 1091 Thomas St. Suite C Seattle, WA, 98109
Lil Woody’s is redefining fast-food, serving up Northwestern grass-fed beef and hand cut Washington potato fries! Though you’ll have to ask for a few modifications to make your meal paleo (hold the bun, hold the sauce, etc), you can rest easy knowing you’re getting a quality burger. With 4 locations around Seattle, this burger joint is an easy stop for a quick and satisfying lunch or dinner!
CULTIVATE
1218 NE Campus Pkwy, Seattle, WA 98105
Cultivate may be part of the University of Washington campus, but it deserves a nod. What it lacks in service (at least when I was there), it makes up for in affordability and quality! A member of Smart Catch, a program committed to sourcing sustainable seafood, this cafe also emphasizes local and seasonal ingredients so you’re sure to get a fresh meal.
The menu is diverse with standards like salads and burgers, as well as more unique offerings like an a la carte protein menu so you can either add a protein to an existing menu item or build your own meal from a protein and veggie-based sides.
Cultivate is also very allergy-conscious, labeling all the menu items with gluten-sensitive, dairy free, vegan, and vegetarian as applicable, making it easy to order food that fits your dietary preferences.
REVOLVE TRUE FOOD & WINE BAR
10024 Main St, Bothell, WA 98011
Though a half hour or so north of downtown Seattle, this upscale restaurant is worth the drive. Revolve sums up their paleo-friendly approach to food like so: “All menu items are free of gluten, grains, MSG, preservatives, trans fats, refined or cane sugar, emulsifiers, GMO and soy. Revolve serves only animal proteins that are natural and raised humanely, without the use of antibiotics and added hormones.” With a real food philosophy like that, you pretty much have your pick of the menu!
PORTAGE BAY CAFE
2821 NW Market St, Seattle, WA 98107
+ VARIOUS LOCATIONS
Though not on the level of Porkchop & Co.’s breakfast, Portage Bay Cafe is a solid breakfast or lunch option with everything from paleo-friendly hashes to the more indulgent gluten free pancakes with an “add your own” toppings bar! I would equate it to a health-conscious diner because there’s something for everyone – sweet or savory, paleo or not so paleo – they’ve got you covered.
Portage Bay’s motto is “Eat Like You Give a Damn,” and they practice what they preach, sourcing local, seasonal ingredients. One example of this commitment is the list of local farmers they work with on the front page of the menu.
Open for breakfast and lunch, Portage Bay has 4 locations around the city so make sure to Google it to pick the location closest to you!
164TH STREET ARTESIAN WELL
2399 164th St SW, Lynnwood, WA 98037
If you take your water quality seriously (which you definitely should), it doesn’t get much better than this: a natural roadside spring where you can fill out up your water bottles for free. The water comes from an aquifer 120′ underground and in 60 years of routine quality testing, it has never failed a test. In fact, many (myself included) say it’s the purest water they’ve ever tasted!
Depending on the time of day, you might have to wait in line for a few minutes (it’s a popular locals spot) so don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation – you never know who you’ll meet! (Seriously – I met my boyfriend of 3+ years while standing in line at this very spring!)
MABEL COFFEE
7001 24th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98117
Besides the Bulletproof Cafe, this is the only place in Seattle that serves Bulletproof brand coffee. From the coffee beans, to the MCT oil, to the optional collagen powder, this coffee spot is Bulletproof through and through.
For food offerings, they sell protein bars like RX Bars and Bulletproof bars as well as a few gluten free pastries. It’s a wonderful little spot filled with natural light, perfect for a cup of coffee with a friend or to set your computer up and get some work done. Oh and it’s travel-themed, which in my opinion, makes for some really great vibes!
CLOSURES AS OF JANUARY 2021
LUCKY SANTO (permanently closed)
Lucky Santo is as close to a paleo cafe as it gets in the Emerald City – and their food is downright amazing! All of their menu items are free of gluten, grains, dairy, legumes, refined sugar, soy, and canola oil, so you can feel confident that you’re getting a meal that’s as clean as it is delicious. In addition to their deletable lunch and dinner offerings including a beef + beef heart burger, chicken pho, and basil + chili pork stir fry, they also offer brunch on the weekends, plus a selection of baked goods and wine! RIP Lucky Santo!
SIZZLE PIE (permanently closed)
1009 E Union St, Seattle, WA 98122
This gluten free, dairy free pizza joint is hip… possibly too hip. It’s not completely paleo pizza, but it checks off some major allergen boxes, so if the mood strikes Sizzle Pie has you covered.
Pros: you can get a really delicious gluten and dairy free pizza (they use Follow Your Heart brand and Daiya brand vegan cheeses).
Cons: The service was terrible. For a fast-casual restaurant where you order at the counter, it took 35 minutes to receive our pizzas. Plus, a “make your own” pizza can easily run you $25+.
Though you can no longer get Sizzle Pie in Seattle, they do have a number of locations in Oregon so keep an eye out there!
LOCAL 360 (permanently closed)
2234 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98121
Local 360’s name is actually a nod to one of their core principles: that is, to do their best to source every ingredient from within 360 miles of the restaurant. This commitment to transparency runs deep. Their website lists a number of the suppliers they work with, along with their quality standards for every category of food – even the paper products they use.
While feeling warm and fuzzy about the high quality food you’re eating, the atmosphere of Local 360 will also have you feeling good. The restaurant is warm and inviting like a cozy barn, with high booths made of reclaimed wood, sure to give you that privacy you desire for a romantic night out.
Though not specifically paleo, Local 360 offers a number of menu items that can be made paleo-friendly with a few easy substitutions.
CARNIVORE (permanently closed)
5313 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
Make your reservation ahead of time because this gem of a paleo/primal restaurant could very likely be booked.
Quality is paramount at Carnivore. As they describe, “we serve only sustainable, humanly raised grass fed/ grass finished beef, bison and wild game, pastured poultry and game birds, pastured pork, lamb, goat, and wild caught fish. All produce is Non GMO, certified organic, local and seasonal. We use no grain, dairy, fructose or corn products, cooking/sauteing will be with grass fed butter, grass fed beef tallow and lard. No canola oils.” That’s about as paleo as it gets!
So forgo your athletic wear for a night and get a little fancy for a meal that’s sure to be one of your best Seattle memories!
Triple Peak Wellness 
Nice, thanks!
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Nice post!
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