Twelve Reasons to Love Georgetown

Head directly south from Seattle’s historic Pioneer Square and you’ll find Georgetown, conveniently nestled between I-5 and the Duwamish Waterway that separates South Seattle from West Seattle. Surrounded by formerly industrial areas, Georgetown is one of Seattle’s oldest neighborhoods and has seen renewed interest in development in recent years. As a result, Georgetown’s inhabitants have seen modern townhomes springing up left and right, bringing the new residents and new businesses—including hip microbreweries like Jellyfish, Lowercase, and Counterbalance—that come with them. The neighborhood’s core features some beautiful old brick buildings in a style seen more often on the East Coast than the West, ingeniously repurposed and reimagined to fit the needs of today’s artists, companies, and creatives who call this unique community home.

Georgetown Brewing Co.

Once the largest draft-only brewery in the United States, Georgetown Brewing Co. is well-known in the Seattle area for producing some of our most beloved local beer varieties like Manny’ Pale Ale, Roger’s Pilsner, and Lucille India Pale Ale. The tasting room has an industrial feel with large ceilings and open spaces, making it a great place for large groups and on sunny days, they open up the patio to let the sunshine inside. If you go, we recommend ordering 4-ounce pours so you can taste test a little of everything, including their tried-and-true staples and seasonal varieties.

Fonda La Catrina

Considered one of the best Mexican restaurants in Seattle, Fonda La Catrina proudly serves authentic Mexican cuisine using traditional family recipes. The owners strive not only to present delicious food, but to utilize their restaurant as a way of bringing their Mexican heritage and culture to those living in Georgetown and beyond. If you go, try the Carne Asada Tacos, Puerco en Salsa Verde, and Mole Poblano Enchiladas!

The Corson Building

Situated in what was once an early 20th century Italianate home, the Corson Building is a fine dining restaurant that serves Pacific Northwest cuisine. They utilize seasonal local produce, as well as thoughtfully sourced imported goods, to create their ever-changing menus, which include “A La Carte,” “Prix Fixe,” and “Sunday Supper” variations. The ambiance here is perfect for a romantic evening or celebratory dinner, and we recommend opting for the wine pairing if you go.

Georgetown Second Sunday Art Attack

Every second Saturday of the month, the neighborhood comes together for its Second Saturday Art Attack featuring an array of contemporary, fine art, as well as performances from local, national, and international artists. Local businesses and art galleries host the night-time offering and there are over twenty different stops around Georgetown you can make, each providing an abundance of art to view and experience. To view a map of participating businesses, please click here. Best of all, they have a free art ride that runs every fifteen minutes to transport you between stops so you can enjoy more art, and less walking between. While this art show appears to have halted during the pandemic, we expect it to return soon.

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery is a unique, locally owned bookshop and art gallery that offers a wide variety of urban art, comic books, and graphic novels. Even if you’re not on the hunt for art or books, it’s still worth it to stop into this shop because of how quirky it is inside. Plus, the space hosts monthly art exhibitions, readings, screenings, and musical performances, as it shares its space with Georgetown Records.

Georgetown Records

This independent neighborhood record store offers top-rated, used vinyl in every genre imaginable, making it the perfect stop for any music-oriented individuals. It’s a great place to pop into if you’re feeling nostalgic or want to learn more about music, and the staff is very knowledgeable if you’re looking for something specific. They also buy records, so if you have any you’re looking to offload, be sure to stop by here first.

Georgetown Trailer Park Mall

The Georgetown Trailer Park Mall is just one of the many quirks that make this neighborhood unique. It’s a membership-based sustainable retail destination where members can shop for a variety of locally made pieces and vintage goods, including jewelry, artwork, planters, clothing, and home décor. The vendors are primarily local and the mall itself is located both inside and outside of airstreams, so not only can you find unique treasures here, but you’ll also have a fun time while doing it. They’re open every weekend, year-round starting at 11 a.m.

Fogue Studios

Fogue Studios represents a collection of local Seattle artists over the age of fifty. Its founder, Patti Curtis, created this studio to dispel the myth of ageism after “ageing out” and losing her job when she was 53 years old. Now, the studio seeks to support emerging, established, and re-emerging older professional artists by offering them a supportive and safe community where they can flourish. Given the wide breadth of artists and styles, there are always new pieces or mediums to explore when visiting.

Mezzanotte

A relatively new addition to the Georgetown landscape, Mezzanotte is a low-key and charming Italian restaurant. The head chef, Jason Stratton, formerly worked at Spinasse in Capitol Hill and specializes in making delicious, high quality, hand-cut pasta, which is a must-try if you visit. On sunny days, opt to sit outside on their patio, which is beautifully lit with outdoor lighting for a cozy and quaint dining experience. Our favorites from the menu are the Tajarin al Cotello, Bucatini, and Slow Roasted Carrots.

studio e gallery

This contemporary art gallery strives to explore new territories in creative expression through a diverse program of exhibitions, talks, and temporary projects. The founder, Dawna Holloway, originally created the space as a way to support artists, but her mission quickly evolved and now her goal is to expand the meaning of how an art gallery can create conversation and reach its audience. The current exhibition, Ghost Garment Garden: Emily Counts, which runs through December 4th, is a celebration of maximalism that explores the intrinsic magic of grandmothers.

Hat n’ Boots (Oxbow Park)

Located in the heart of historic Georgetown, this park and its popular monuments are considered as important to the neighborhood as the Golden Gate Bridge is to San Francisco. The backstory here is that in 1953, a local artist was asked to design a western-style gas station in Georgetown featuring a 44-foot-wide cowboy hat and 22-foot-high boots. Upon opening, it was all the rage and it’s even rumored that Elvis visited the gas station while here for the World Fair in 1962! In the 1960s, i-5 began diverting traffic away from the station, and by the 80s, the station had all but disappear. However, the legacy of the hat and boots still lives on today in Oxbow Park, where residents can enjoy the historic view.

Deep Sea Sugar and Salt

This delicious cake shop used to be located in an airstream in the Georgetown Trailer Park Mall, where it gained a wide following from local residents before adopting its own brick-and-mortar location. They offer full cakes or slices and specialize in artisan, specialty flavors including the London Fog, 9LB Porter Chocolate, Brown Butter Pumpkin, and Maple & Poached Pear. Pro tip—they usually have a long line, which is even longer on the weekends, so try to visit on a weekday if you can!

If you’re interested in learning even more about Georgetown, please connect with us.