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Born and raised in Washington state, I spent my formative years driving up and down the I-5 corridor. I also spent time in the easily-mocked land of Portland, Ore., where I contributed to stereotypes by baking bread, frosting cupcakes, and selling cheese. I have since moved to New York — where you can find just about any food at any time— but I still have serious cravings for the food that is best out west.
I know what you are thinking: There is no quintessential Pacific Northwest Food. Sure, Texas has queso, Boston has chowda, and New York has bagels, but we in the PNW still have bragging rights about a whole host of foods. With majestic mountains, rocky coastal beaches and fertile agricultural lands east of the Cascades, there's definitely more to the region's cuisine than just salmon and berries — though I still gave those foods well-deserved snaps.
1. Salmon
There is no better salmon than the fillets you find in the PNW. Period. You can eat it hot smoked, cold smoked, salt cured, grilled, and fresh — there are no limits to the superiority of Pacific Ocean salmon. In fact, everyone who eats salmon on the East Coast should really just stop — lox being the ONLY exception.
2. Oysters
Pacific Coast oysters might be smaller than their Gulf Coast cousins but they are sweet, briny, and all together irresistible. Go to the West Coast (specifically the Olympia Farmer's Market) and eat oysters until you get a belly ache. It's always worth it.
3. Geoducks
These super weird, prehistoric clams are worth traveling for. Known for their savory flavor, crunchy texture and aphrodisiac (ahem) qualities, geoducks have have earned such a name for themselves that they are even the mascot of my alma mater (Evergreen State College).
4. All the seafood.
Seriously.
5. Tillamook Cheddar
Tillamook, an Oregon institution, makes THE best cheddar cheese. Whether you want snacking cheese, grilled cheese, or cheese souffle this brand is a must. On the West Coast, you can buy big 5-pound blocks, but out East you can only find Tillamook in small chunks in the specialty cheese section of grocery stores — this I will never understand.
6. Beer
We all know that the PNW — hipster paradise Portland, Ore. especially — is known for craft beer. Beer is in our blood and no other part of the U.S. — sorry Wisconsin —can hold a torch. Basically, booking a ticket out west for of the soul purpose of boozing is a vacation we can get behind. Just be sure you book a bicycle-powered brewery tour when you are in town.
7. Tim's Cascade Chips
These guys were making kettle cooked chips before it was cool and their jalapeño flavor remains a trendsetter to this day. Though they aren't as easy to find when you head east, these chips are always worth seeking out. Just be sure to have a napkin on hand, the grease situation is real (and really delicious).
8. Food Carts
Portland, Ore. might be known for spearheading the food cart craze — and I don't want to take it away from them — but food carts are popping up all over the PNW. You can find everything from French Fry mobiles to Soup Houses. Food carts are dearly missed by anyone who has experienced the joys of lunching out of a renovated mail truck because sometimes street meat just doesn't cut it.
9. Thai Food
New York might think they have their Thai food game under control, but the West Coast boasts a crazy number of Thai eateries. Growing up, I had a specific dish I would order at each restaurant and that was just in a one-block main drag in my hometown. There were more Thai spots than any other food option by the time Andy Ricker of PokPok and the Whiskey Soda Lounge showed up and really kicked the Thai game into high gear.
10. Garlic Fries
Fans come from far and wide to watch a game at Seattle's Safeco Field, but a big part of the attraction is the garlic fries. If you can survive the line that can often take a whole inning to get through, you'll be rewarded with fries that are super garlicky, served in a cardboard cup holder and garnished with two apple slices (to help get ride of the pungent after taste).
11. Hazelnuts
Except if your from the PNW, you call them filberts. Oregon is such a fan of these babies that they made them their official state nut in 1989.
12. Berries, of all sorts.
The berries out west really are better. You can buy standards like strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries, but you can also find marionberry-filled danishes and spend summer afternoons hunting for blackberries — just be warned, you will end up with as many cuts as you have berries. For those who are less into the bramble of blackberries, there are salmon berries and thimble berries if you know where to look.
13. Mushrooms
But I can't say anything else. The locations of mushroom hunting grounds are guarded with our lives. However, if you don't have time to befriend a mushroom hunter, you can find beautiful morels in grocery stores and on restaurant menus with no problem.
14. Donuts
Everyone has heard of Portland's Voodoo Donuts, but I'm here to say that those are actually the most disappointing of the PNW bunch. Creative donut flavors abound at places like Blue Star Donuts, Joe's Donuts, Top Pot, Mighty-O Donuts, and that's only a taste.
15. Water
Don't laugh — the water in the Pacific Northwest really is better. In fact, the water is so good that the City of Olympia, Wash. has preserved its artesian well and made it into a beautiful work of art. Travelers, and photographers, often visit this well making it a tourist attraction and a great source of clean, fresh drinking water. That's just how we do in the PNW.
What are your favorite foods to eat in the Pacific Northwest?
Related:
11 Foods that Are Just Better in Boston
12 Foods That Are Just So Much Better In Texas
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