It's a small shop and largely knick-knacks, but there are some real gems here:…read more 1. they have the best selection of pickled herring I have seen anywhere in the United States, and it's good-quality stuff. 2. they have Karelian pies that taste correct, and bring back fond memories of Finland. Better than any other ones I've had in the US--I just wish I'd asked for them to not heat it up.

I was requested to stop here on behalf of The Homie (3/19/26). He wanted to check out some specific…read moreFinnish items. And as for me, I always like to stop in and wander indie international grocery sites. Scandinavian Specialties is located on Crown Hill in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood. There are a few parking slots adjacent to their building and also accessible via Metro bus. Nice, bright, clean site with well organized shelves and display areas. Easy to navigate and wander. Welcoming and upbeat service at the front register. The retail side of had a nice selection of jewelry, knives, socks, knitwear and sweaters, household decor, chocolates and other sweets, packaged and canned goods, frozen and refrigerated items. There's also an adjacent cafe area. The menu is visible above the front counter register. The Homie ended up selecting a bag of salted licorice (local), cloudberry jam (rare, imported), and Finnish bread cheese (Juusto, domestic from Wisconsin). He was happy with his finds and hopes to return to dine at their onsite cafe. *Scandinavian: Denmark, Norway, Sweden *Nordic: the above and Finland

What a delectable meal after a 4 hour bus ride Came here…read moreafter dropping off our bags at the hotel, since it was just a 5 minute walk away. We came in around 1:45pmish and it wasn't crowded. They had an amazing selection of pastries, though I didn't try any. I got their Caramelized Banana Latte to satisfy my sweet tooth, and it wasn't too banana-flavored nor too sweet; the black sesame in it balanced it nicely. I also got the Urban Pesto, which was SO yum. I was little skeptical of the focaccia - sometimes I find it to be too puffy, and thus hard to eat the sandwich - but this had a lovely panini press on it that made it easy to eat. The in-house herby cheese in the sandwich made each bite just that much more delicious. The staff was also super nice and accommodating to my parents' requests and questions. Can't wait to come back to try their other food and bev options!

We came here recently for a brunch as we were in the area. This spot has been here for a little…read morewhile, off of Thomas St in SLU, a few blocks away from the flagship REI store. It wasn't; too busy when we arrived so we had a few minutes to figure out what to get. They do have a case you look at and choose what you want, that's exactly how we ordered. We got a croissant sandwich, a ham & cheese quiche, and a churro cruffin and a few latte drinks. They will warm up the food for you. We dined in, it's basically order at the counter, get a number, find a seat and they will bring you your order. They were quick on the drinks, I really enjoyed their Chai latte, nice spice and tasty! Food was good as well, I believe they get a lot of their baked goods from Freya(another spot in Seattle). Churro Cruffin was a hit, nice peel off layers, nice filling inside and we crushed it! Quiche and Croissant sandwich was quite good too, that was also crushed! Overall, glad we came by, service and staff were fine, prices are on the higher side but the food and drink was good! Nice decor and interior to sit in. I would come back again!

Everything you'd want in a museum cafe. Definitely had Scandinavian flair. We opted for the Pork…read moreTenderloin smørrebrød and the Salmom Gravlax. I was thinking I would prefer the salmon but hubs and I shared both. The Salmon Gravlax had creamy dill as a base, topped with pickled red onion & dill. Very tasty, very satisfying. Hubs was enjoying the pork, and once I tried it, I could see why. The horseradish aioli was the exact combination with the pork tenderloin. I think it was our favorite of the two. This was a great option after visiting the museum. Very enjoyable morning!!

An amazing cafe right inside the entrance to the Nordic museum (no admission necessary)! They serve…read moreunique Scandinavian food like smørrebrød and pickled herring alongside staples like avocado toast and drip coffee. I LOVED my Stockholm steam (black tea with cardamom syrup, nutmeg, and steamed milk). Comfort in a cup. The star of the show was the Rømmegrøt, a Norwegian sour cream porridge. It tasted very rich, creamy, sweet and just slightly tangy with a velvety smooth texture. The generous toppings balanced it out perfectly and it was served in a beautiful Fortessa bowl. The presentation elevated the deliciousness. The staff also cleaned up a broken plate knocked down by a little girl and handled the situation with kindness and grace. Freya reminds me of the cafe Off the Rez at the Burke museum: a beautiful tribute to the museum's heritage and a way for visitors to experience its culture.

Beautiful restaurant with great service and excellent espresso. What more could you ask for…read more We ate here twice in the morning for brunch and both times the food was very delicious and fresh and well-made. We had the chicken meatballs, one day and the next day we had the breakfast skillet and both were delicious. My wife really enjoyed the Seattle fog and I'm pretty sure you will too. I even ran across the street from our hotel to get the churro Cruffin and a double espresso. The bathrooms are clean and had a coat on it and the weight stop was very helpful and kind.

I had the hardest time finding this cafe. Someone recommended me this spot saying they had gone…read moremultiple times during their trip. Maybe I picked wrong, although I had seen many reviews on this particular item. It was just so dry rolled in cinnamon and sugar.

I have been attending the monthly friends and family Wednesday night with my mother and really love…read morethe experience! The bartender is super friendly and nice and the food has been incredibly delicious! Last meal was a chicken curry casserole and the flavors were extremely delightful and delicious. I love hearing about my heritage and excited to attend more events as the club has a very active event calendar! Membership is affordable and it's really a friendly, happy place! Can't beat the beautiful view either! Checkout their website for more information, so happy to have more events planned in my near future :)

We went for the Pancake breakfast. Big plus was they have their own parking lot. Pancakes,…read morelingonberry sauce and ham were tasty. Folks were friendly. We aren't members but hope to visit the club for other events

In Lake Union area for work and found this gem -- excellent drip, good banana bread, and the staff…read morewere friendly and helpful!! Loved the location and setup inside. Good spots to relax in or outside. Came off an early morning walk and finished with grabbing a coffee before going back to hotel -- I'll be back again!!

Small but flavorful and full of what you need for grab and go or sit and reflect. The staff will…read moreexplain the menu options to you with no real care and you can't go wrong with their Seattle Fog if you want to riff on other non-coffees. Or go straight for some of the flavored Kopenhagen latte. Sometimes their seasonal menu falls off for some ingredients dropping your choices if only barely. The nearby properties are a good walk and talk, or there are a load of shaded seating locations that you can enjoy your drink outside - the architecture of the modern-modern buildings at least being interesting for a wander, the main gap being neighboring buildings that aren't keeping up.

I paid $14 for this tiny breakfast sandwich. Adding bacon was an extra $2 and this tiny, half strip…read moreof bacon is all they gave me. It doesn't even cover half of this miniature sandwich. Also the bottom bun was still cold. Don't come to this place. They have no interest in serving quality food. They only want to rip you off and give you the bare minimum. They also told me I couldn't have my laptop out at certain tables. Meanwhile someone 5 ft away has their laptop out, and it's not a problem.

I visited Cafe Hagen in Queen Anne on a Wednesday morning to get my coffee fix. It was a fairly…read morequiet lunch rush after 11 am, and there were a couple of people working from their laptops. As soon as I walked in, I noticed the selection of pastries, hot brunch items, and coffee drinks. The coffee tasting menu looked enticing. If I had more time to leisurely work or talk with company here, I would have opted to go this more adventurous route. However, I did end up trying one of their seasonal menu items - the Sakura Blossom Cloud Latte. I customized this drink with oat milk, even though the foam has to stay as dairy. The oat milk added a nutty creaminess that I particularly enjoyed. There were notes of the sweet Sakura syrup with a slight saltiness from the cream foam that gives the drink its perfect balance. It was a refreshing drink for a pick-me-up and they only had it for a limited time! My only thing is that I felt some coffee beans at the bottom that may not have been grinded as finely but other than that, the drink was amazing and I would recommend as a good backdrop for a spring walk!

Nice German meal and friendly service…read more We enjoyed a warm, fresh pretzel along with a sausage sampler, side salad and Schnitzel with pretzel. Couldn't eat it all so had the leftovers for dinner.

There are a lot of dining options in Poulsbo and if your in the mood for German food this is not a…read morebad choice. Cozy upstairs restaurant (did not see a lift for ADA accessibility). Staff where very friendly and chatty. We got there early in the day so it was not to busy. I had the sausage platter. You get 3 mid size sausages with two sides. The sausages where kind of bland so its a good thing they come with mustard and horseradish. The german potato salad was rather nice. The sour kraut was a large portion but really should be a condiment not a side.

The vibrations in this place are so deep and lovely. It's like an oasis really…read more Oh and they have a beautiful collection of vintage/MCM/beautiful, furniture/art/glassware too. Be someone and pop in!

Awesome curation of mid-century furnishings…read more On today's visit, upon entering the back room, I heard the "thump, thump, thump" of a dog's tale -- and was greeted by this cutie. Bear, the cutie in the cable knit sweater, sat nestled between Tom Petty and Dolly Parton. The second photo shows a little maple table I sold for $20 at a garage sale ~10 years ago - imagine my surprise seeing it at SparkleBarn. Location, location as they say. It did look a bit more expensive (tag said $250) sitting in SB than it did in my garage. More power to you, Sparkle Barn!

This store is GINORMOUS! You can furnish your entire home with everything offered here. The bedroom…read moreand kitchen displays really provide a great visual and inspiration of what your room and kitchen could look like. The store offers a restaurant and EVERYTHING for your home, kitchen, laundry, bedroom, nicknacks, decor, storage, organization, office, furnishings and many more at affordable prices. There's something for everyone.

Why even bother using tongs??? Once you place the tongs on top of the cookies, the cookies are now…read morecovered in all the germs from everyone who has touched those tongs. And if you're considering the rainbow cake, you may want to skip it. It was the driest cake I've ever had in my life. Definitely not worth it!