International District Food Walk

Seattle's Chinatown-International District (the CID) is the city's historic Asian neighborhood, home to Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Filipino, and Korean communities that have shaped the area since the 1880s. For families, a self-guided food walk through the neighborhood provides one of the most affordable, culturally rich, and delicious outings in Seattle.

Dim sum brunch is the centerpiece experience. Jade Garden and Harbor City are the two most popular dim sum houses, both offering the traditional cart service where servers push carts between tables carrying bamboo steamers and plates. Families point at dishes that look appealing, and the server stamps their order card.

The format is perfect for adventurous eating -- small portions mean trying many dishes without committing to anything. Kids who have never experienced dim sum are consistently fascinated by the steaming baskets and the variety of dumplings, buns, and rice rolls.

Uwajimaya is the largest Asian grocery store in the Pacific Northwest and a destination in itself. The store occupies an entire block and includes a massive seafood department (live crabs, whole fish, geoduck clams in tanks), an extensive snack section with Japanese, Korean, and Chinese candy and treats, a bakery with Asian pastries, and a food court with multiple vendors. Kids treat the store like an exploration -- every aisle has something unfamiliar to examine, smell, and potentially taste.

The neighborhood walk between restaurants reveals the cultural layers of the CID. The Hing Hay Park pavilion, donated by the city of Taipei, anchors the center of Chinatown. Japanese businesses along Jackson Street recall the pre-WWII Japantown.

Vietnamese banh mi shops and pho restaurants line King Street. The Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience occupies a historic hotel building and offers powerful exhibitions about immigration and identity.

Boba tea has exploded in the CID, with shops on nearly every block. The customizable format -- choose your base tea, flavor, sweetness level, and toppings (tapioca pearls, jelly, pudding) -- gives kids agency over their order. Tiger Sugar, ShareTea, and Oasis Tea Zone each have loyal followings.