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I’m constantly asked about Things To Do in Seattle on the weekend. I have three or four go-to adventures. Most of them incorporate the Light Rail, or a ferry. I assume you’ve read the title of this post so you know where we are going.

I spend a lot of time in Columbia City every week. One of my longest standing clients is based in the neighborhood. I have spent many, many mornings having coffee there. It’s a cute, and quiet neighborhood. In my opinion, it’s underrated. I remember hearing a few years ago that it was THE up and coming neighborhood. I don’t think it ever reached those expectations. However, the people who live and work here know it’s great.

I have wanted to make this guide as a video for awhile, so you can look forward to me posting that this weekend.

— Conner Cayson

Guide to Brunch in Seattle’s Columbia City neighborhood

Welcome to Columbia City, a southeastern neighborhood of Seattle. It’s cringe to reveal that the neighborhood was likely named after Christopher Columbus. More interestingly, there are three main streets that are also named after explorers - Ferdinand (Magellan), Hudson (Henry) and Americus (Amerigo Vespucci). 

I also need to clarify my boundaries for what I’m considering “Brunch in Columbia City.” This itinerary is grounded in riding the Lite Rail and visiting the primary business district on Rainier Ave. I did not include the Hillman City area businesses (check honorable mentions at the bottom). 

I wanted to focus on visiting the neighborhood in the morning. For some of you, brunch isn’t until noon, but you’re going to play along for now. I’ve broken down the list of places into two categories - coffee and restaurants. 

Getting to Columbia City

Let’s get the big scary question out of the way. Because I know someone is going to ask, and another person (if not many) will certainly complain about parking. And even though I think Columbia City is one of the easier neighborhoods to park in, I highly recommend taking the Lite Rail down to Columbia City. In the spirit of exploration, this adds a little excitement and mystery to the trip. The business district is only a few blocks away from the station and the neighborhood along the way is full of cute houses, trees, and is pretty quiet on weekend mornings.

All The Places You Could Go

Coffee:

Coffeeholic House - They are proclaimed as “Seattle’s First Vietnamese Coffee Shop.” This trendy coffeehouse was founded in 2020 by wife and husband duo, Trang and Chen. They now have 3 locations (Columbia City, Greenwood and Bellevue). Their coffee beans are imported from Da Lat, Vietnam and roasted in Seattle. They’ve become instagram-famous for their aesthetically designed coffee drinks like the Coffeeholic Dream, Coconut Coffee and White-hazel latte. You can also find more traditional servings of Vietnamese coffee also. 

Columbia City Bakery - Only recently did Columbia City Bakery transform back into their pre-2020 retail experience. For the past 4 years, they’ve operated out of the front window to provide their well known pastries, and coffee. When you walk in here, especially in the mornings, you’ll see the team baking in the back and you’ll quickly realize this is the best spot for a croissant, danish, bread or pastry in the neighborhood.

Olympia Coffee - I think Olympia has become the go-to place for coffee in the neighborhood. The location on the corner of Rainier Ave was once a Starbucks that had a loyal following. I think Olympia has done a wonderful job taking over. Their line moves quickly because they consistently have a team of three operating the queue. Each person has a very specific job to quickly get your latte ready. I think Olympia is the best place if you want to sit and work on something. 

Empire Roasters - If you polled the people who live in Columbia City, they would tell you that Empire is the best coffee shop. From the entrance, they can feel a little sleepy and small, but their waffle bar is a great addition. The secret to Empire is that two floors above the coffee shop. The second floor is a record store and the third floor has more seating. I had been going here for years before I knew about the 3rd floor.

Restaurants

Geraldine’s Counter - They’ve been in Columbia City for almost 20 years now. It feels like they could have been here for 70 years. There’s an electricity inside Geraldine’s, and a familiar warmth that gives you a big hug every time you’re here. When you walk up, undoubtedly, there will be a ton of people meandering outside, waiting for their names to be called. Don’t be intimidated by the wait. My biggest complaint is about their quoted wait times. If you have a big party (more than 4), expect it to be longer, if it's less than 4 (2 is a real sweet spot here), then it will be faster. If you’re going here for the first time, someone in the group HAS TO order french toast (pictured below). Each day it features a different seasonal fruit topping.

Marination - I like that they rebranded from Super Six, to match their sister restaurants around town. Marination was started in 2009 by Kamala and Roz. The restaurant started as a food truck. The ‘Big Blue” truck was one of the first well-known Seattle food trucks. Their Korean-Hawaiian fusion menu has spice and tang, and if you want a cocktail with brunch, they have a fun menu. 

Rookies - I almost missed Rookies when I first brainstormed this list, and I feel guilty. They have saved the day multiple times when my group has been indecisive, hangry, or someone really needs to watch the football game. I said someone, but I really meant me. For the Breakfast Burrito seekers, this is your place in Columbia City. 

Jackalope - The newest restaurant of the batch brings their own spice to the lineup. The Tex-Mex brunch was a nice addition to Rainier Ave and if you’re looking for Migas, Huevos Rancheros, or Breakfast Tacos, this is where you should go. Jackalope is owned by Jack Timmons who’s famous for Jack’s BBQ. If you want meat in your breakfast, I recommend brisket with any of these menu items.

But What Aboutisms!

I had to draw the line somewhere about what business I should include and where I should focus this adventure. I left out the South part of the neighborhood, otherwise known as Hillman City. It’s a bit of a walk from the Link station. Everyone knows about South Seattle’s most famous donuts, Flour Box. And if you’re going to wait 60 minutes outside in the rain, I recommend getting a coffee next door at Onda Origins. They have a revenue share  program with coffee farmers that is worth learning about and supporting. 

The Beacon Hill coffee shop called The Station is planning to open their second location in Columbia City. It’s located right next to the Link station. The space looks ready to go. I think they are planning to open between March and April.

I also have been seeing a “BRUNCH” sign on Bua9 Thai restaurant, but I have yet to go there in the mornings.

Bonus Tips

Columbia City Saturday Market is the second Saturday of the month (November - April) from 10am - 2pm.

I think Columbia City is underrated. My hope for this story was to convince you to plan an adventure. If you need a date idea, or just want to do something this weekend, this is served up on a platter for you. Jumping on the Lite Rail will give you a sense of adventure that driving doesn’t provide. Grab a coffee, get your name on a waiting list and enjoy a few hours in a place you should have gone to a long time ago.