Seattle Eats

Latest Episodes:

From Booming: Grocery sticker shock and the rise of the dollar-store dinner Mar 05, 2026

Show notes

If you have sticker shock at the grocery store, you’re not alone. In Seattle, the cost of groceries is about 30% higher today than before the pandemic.

Those high prices are straining family budgets and causing many people to change how they shop.

Today, a special episode brought to us by our friends at Booming

GUESTS:
Rebecca Chobat, Dollar Tree Dinners
James McCafferty, Director of Western Washington University's Center for Economic and Business Research
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes.
Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Carol Smith. Our producers are Lucy Soucek and Alec Cowan. Our hosts are Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg.

Become a member today at kuow.org/eats.

Seattle Eats is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wake up and smell the $12 coffee Feb 26, 2026

Show notes

Seattle is a haven for coffee fans. And the price of that fandom just got a whole lot more expensive. Seattle Times food critic Tan Vinh speaks with Seattle Times Business reporter Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton to find out why jitter juice prices are skyrocketing. But don’t fret, they also share some good-cheap coffee spots and tips for navigating the high priced bean juice landscape.

Read more about rising coffee prices in The Seattle Times: https://www.seattletimes.com/business/seattle-a-coffee-haven-is-watching-java-prices-spike-why/

Recommendations in this episode:

The Seattle Grind, Seattle Center
Herkimer Coffee, Capitol Hill, SLU, and U-District
Espresso Vivace, Capitol Hill
Push/Pull, Central District
Stella Deli and Market, Lower Queen Anne

Seattle Eats is a production of The Seattle Times and KUOW, part of the NPR Network. You can support Seattle Eats by investing in the local newsrooms and the specialized beats that make this sort of storytelling possible. Please consider joining and subscribing at kuow.org/eats and seattletimes.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A guide to Bellevue's best Chinese food Feb 19, 2026

Show notes

While Seattle food lovers flock to Richmond, BC, Bellevue is steadily becoming home to some of the Pacific Northwest’s most diverse and authentic Chinese food. The dishes you’ll find there tell the story of a community cooking for itself, not just the tourists. From braised goose to smoked tea duck, Tan highlights the regional specialties worth crossing the 520 bridge for.

Read more of Tan’s reporting on the Bellevue food scene here: How Bellevue became an international hub for Chinese food | The Seattle Times

And here: Bellevue’s best Chinese restaurants: 10 picks from our food team | The Seattle Times

Recommendations in this episode:

Mr. Huang Claypot Braised Chicken
Master Bing
Nuodle
Shaoshan Impression
Little Garden Restaurant
Dan Gui Sichuan Cuisine
Looking for Chai

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I ate 300 items at the best Chinese supermarket Feb 12, 2026

Show notes

From hot pot to dim sum to made-to-order crepes, T&T Supermarket is a treasure trove of delicious food. Seattle Times food writer, Tan Vinh, tried 300 items and shares his favorites with KUOW producer Brandi Fullwood.

Read more about T&T Supermarket in The Seattle Times:

T&T Supermarket: 12 best things to eat from the Asian grocery chain

How T&T’s Bellevue food court became our writer’s office for a year