Once known as Chinatown, this district was renamed
when community leaders recognized that inhabitants from all over Asia
had made that term obsolete. One of Seattle’s most historical districts,
the ID is a striking example of how Asian cultures thrive and
assimilate into Western society. Each ethnicity claims a particular
quadrant, even while co-existing in the same colorful part of town.
Stroll through groceries and restaurants run by Cambodians, Koreans,
Japanese, Vietnamese, and others, to experience the Orient, Pacific
Northwest style.
ID
Union Station
-
501 S. Jackson St
-
206 622 3214
China Gate restaurant
Ocean City
-
609 S Weller St
-
206 623 2333
Wing Luke Museum
-
407 7th Ave S
-
206 623 5124
Tsue Chong Co Inc
Seattle’s Best Tea
Uwajimaya
Safeco Field
Qwest Field
Great Wall Mall
-
18230 E Valley Hwy, Kent
-
425 251 1600
-
Daily 9am–9pm
|
|
This 9-acre mall offers
an amazing Asian shopping extravaganza. It’s a bit of a drive to Kent,
which is south of Sea-Tac Airport, but the sheer size and selection of
these Asian import stores is worth seeing. Retailers here mirror the
local immigrant populations and influences not only from China, but also
from all over Asia.
|
|
For tasty Vietnamese, try Thanh Vi at
1046 S Jackson St
206 329 0208. For Chinese, head to Seven Stars Pepper Szechuan Restaurant
1207 S Jackson St, Suite 211
206 568 6446
|
|
|
Avoid parking in the ID on game days at Safeco or Qwest Fields or you’ll be fighting crowds on the streets and sidewalks.
|
|
Top 10 Sights
-
Chinese Lunar New Year
A
traditional celebration in Chinese communities worldwide, Seattle’s
version takes place inside the Great Hall of the historic Union Station.
Streetside Kung Fu lion dances, music, and firework displays make this a
festive day for both locals and tourists looking for winter fun in the
city.
Dragon depicting Asian culture
-
Little Saigon
The storefronts here resemble images of 1960s-era Saigon, with large, bright signage in the native language.
-
Union Station
This
Beaux Arts-style station opened in 1911 with a black and white mosaic
floor and a 55-ft (16-m) vaulted ceiling that supports hundreds of
lights. It has been sensationally remodeled and is now popular as an
event venue.
-
Dim Sum
Seattle
is serious about food, and the crowds flock to the International
District for these mandatory Chinese delicacies. Excellent choices are
China Gate and Ocean City.
Chinese dipping sauce
-
Wing Luke Asian Museum
The
vision of civic leader Wing Luke who died in a plane crash in 1965,
this museum explores the culture and history of Asian Pacific Americans
through a series of permanent and visiting exhibitions .
-
Tsue Chong Company Inc.
If
you smell something sweet amid pungent aromas of the International
District, it’s likely to be this outfit, which makes delicious noodles
and fortune cookies.
-
Seattle’s Best Tea
Tea
finds its rightful place in a city overrun by coffee shops. Joe Hsu’s
small, bright, modern shop is the real deal. Customers can sample the
delicious teas. Prices range from $20 to $217 per pound.
-
Uwajimaya
If
you can’t make it to the Far East, head to the largest Asian market in
the Pacific Northwest. This store has a vast array of Asian products,
merchandise, and a huge ethnic food court offering cuisine from all over
Asia.
-
Train Tunnel
Passenger and freight trains thunder below the edge of the ID. The tunnel ends just past Pike Place Market.
-
Safeco Field/Qwest Field
Seattle’s
professional baseball and football teams are based across the street
from each other, in the space between International District and Pioneer
Square.
