I like the cakes (and everything else) at Sugar Bakery and Cafe on Madison.
I've eaten more than a few slices from North Hill on 15th (they were close to work.) While many prefer the mocha or chocolate flavors, I found them too rich and dense, but I very much liked the coconut with soft yellow cake layers.

That's a lot of words for street food.

You've covered your options well - but it is Pike Place Market, never Pikes or Pike's. You can also say "the Market".

Crumpets and english muffins are not interchangeable.

I like Piroshky Piroshky but never feel it is a bargain. I wonder where our perceptions diverge?

As much as you would like to believe that is "The Original Starbucks" - it's marketing (or myth.) But as close as you will get.

Keep going - I'm interested, behind my criticism.

This used to be Julia's Indonesian Kitchen on 65th? My one meal there was so bad we never returned.

6 pack for the kitchen is just that - a way to tip the back of house (they have to wait till after hours, so they say.)

Columbia City Bakery usually has it available, frozen. Call first.

I'm not sure why you make the assumption that people interested in good food in the Seattle area don't visit or know about White Center. I think there are a few misconceptions.

If you base it on recommendations to out of town visitors staying downtown, suggesting something in White Center is inconvenient, and generally not what they are looking for. If you suggest it to someone north of the Ship Canal, it's just a really long way to go for a quick meal.

I set up a dinner party at Proletariat Pizza with dessert and games at Full Tilt after for people coming from Edmonds, as well as SW Seattle. They had fun, but that was a long journey.

Dining at Maria Hines/Tom Douglas/Ethan Stowell restaurants is a completely different experience than eating at hidden gems, be they in White Center, Burien, Rainier Valley, or Lynnwood. Most neighborhoods have inexpensive Mom and Pop spots as well as the mid-priced trying hard to be great spots. Destination restaurants are a different breed. Room for all - the real issue to me is those people who profess to like eating out and then choose California Pizza Kitchen or Cheesecake Factory as reliable and safe.

I think Dahlia Workshop has been renamed "Serious Biscuit" just to keep things straight. The link is DW, but when you click, the page is SB.

Matt's in the Market and Lecosho as well. Matt's (in the old days) turned me back on to seared scallops after thinking I did not like those small rubbery ones I was getting. (Matt is the owner of Lecosho, no longer affiliated with M in the Market, just to make things confusing.)

Use no-knead recipes that proof in the fridge. I guess they still need to rise after that, but I've not had problems and we keep the house no more than 68. Always a good idea to try fresh yeast.

You can still tip for good service.

One evening I really did not want more than a small plate from the antipasti buffet. Restaurant policy is that is not permitted. We poorly explained I was not feeling well and the waitress said quietly, "Okay, if you feel like ordering more, we can just add that when you are ready." Saw what I ate (I did not make a pig of myself, though the options were wonderful), left us alone other than to check on us and make sure everything was alright. Even though the cover charge would be a decent tip on the food ordered, we left a couple of extra euros, just because she bent the rules and was kind about how she handled it. It's always nice to leave a little change.

Do read up on tipping before traveling, it varies greatly by country. Or you can take the other tactic and figure you'll never see these people again, why tip? And make everyone look bad!

Enjoy your trip and travels. It's a wonderful thing to experience - and even the bad moments give you something memorable.

Their web site shows their address as 7347 35th Ave NE Seattle WA 98115 - that puts them in Wedgewood. Any idea why the discrepancy? Even your address puts them in Viewridge, not Wallingford. NE is not Wallingford.

Glad you found somewhere to suit your needs.

Fairmont Olympic Hotel. Nice.

Fremont is the neighborhood just north of the ship canal. Speaking of which, you might try Revel, though it isn't particularly seafood and is more Korean than Mexican, but it isn't traditional at all.

So are you young ad hip and looking for night life? Pike/Pine corridor of Capitol Hill.
Or maybe cozy neighborhood, strolling and shopping types? Ballard - Ballard Avenue rather than Market Street.
Upscale but neighborhood? Queen Anne - top of the hill.
All have food options.
I'm just not thinking of who deep fries pork belly, but you'll find versions of it all over town. It's possible that the add on pork belly to the Tavern Law burger was deep fried. You might call them to confirm.

Not really a big deal - they don't expect you to tip on top of the cover charge. At least my recent experience was 1.-5 - 2 Euros per person - less than 15% of the bill. Just a different approach to paying.

xoxobleach -

I'm sad to hear you had so many poor dining experiences - in 2 1/2 weeks in Tuscany/Milan/Florence/Venice, I can recall 1 bad meal (at the B&B we were staying in) and maybe 1 or 2 I'd prefer to not experience again just because they were dull.

In my recent travels in Sicily, we had a couple of salty dishes, but mostly every meal included something wonderful as was the street food (incredibly inexpensive and fun to eat). We had been warned about Palermo and found it not scary at all, maybe a bit impersonal. In the other cities and towns, everyone was very hospitable, same as my experience in the North.

Guess I am lucky I didn't eat at the same places you did!

I tried the South Seattle location once and found it very salty and humorless. Not returning. Sorry I did not speak up sooner - seems like a lot of people like the place. Not me.

Flying Fish is also an option - tweets have included oyster of the day for HH at $0.50 each of late. And they have a pretty nice HH menu overall.

I think Shari's is kind of a countrified Denny's. Not exactly a screaming recommendation. Homestyle and known for pie.
I'm afraid comparing something to a restaurant at an Embassy Suite is a pretty low bar for most posters. But sometimes, close counts for something.

I've heard decent things about Scott's for years - just no reason to be in the area since I did. Glad it fits your needs.

In the Factoria area - just off I-90 and 405, Top Gun Seafood has dim sum 7 days a week I think. During the week, it should be fairly easy to get food to go. I don't know that I would ask on madhouse weekends. They are somewhat difficult to find, tucked into a back parking lot at the NW corner (across the street from the main parking areas, kind of behind the movie theaters, but a separate lot.)

Also, across the main street from Factoria Mall is a strip mall with both Tofu 101 and Seabell Bakery. The first is a tofu manufacturer but they have fresh pork steamed buns, cabbage buns, a few meat pastries, and random things, right at lunch time and whatever is left in the afternoon. Closed on Sundays. Next door, the bakery is inexpensive Japanese - soft buns filled with red beans, chocolate, cream, and such, as well as odd little sandwiches on soft white Japanese bread - pork cutlet, potato croquette, tuna, mixed vegetable. Both of these places are very inexpensive.

Can't help if you are looking for somewhere farther North - other than Dai Tai Fung at Lincoln Square. Not the usual dim sum offerings, but small bites, mostly dumplings and noodles. I've seen people pick orders - better than the typical wait of 1 or 2 hours, but not sure how well their stuff travels.

Cafe Munir - Lebanese food.

http://seattle.eater.com/archives/2011/11/17/lebanese-eatery-cafe-munir-coming-to-loyal-heights.php
http://www.seattlemet.com/blogs/nosh-pit/lebanese-bistro-cafe-munir-coming-to-ballard-november-2011/
http://cafemunir.blogspot.com/

El Camion - the taco truck at 11728 Aurora Ave N. (206.367.2777)

I went to a party this week that had food catered from the one in South Seattle - a ton of food. We ended up with tamales to take home. They have either pork or chicken filling - a dab of mole for flavor. The masa is heavier than the best I've eaten in Mexico, but they are large and quite good. Not sure if they are open today, but at least closer to home? Call to see - and find out what's available - they make other fillings. Menu says $2.50 each.

Just remember that Salumi is only open Tuesday thru Friday. And 11 till 3:30 or 4. Have fun.

Heresy I am sure, but just at this time of the year, Trader Joe's carries fresh tamales in 10 packs, green with chicken or red with pork. They are better than any other store bought ones I've tried. The green are a bit spicy even. $9.95 I think for 10. I believe they are made in California.

Avocado for breakfast? Why not. Looks like I missed peak ripeness by a day or two - starting to get that stringiness towards the stem end. The flesh is quite yellow. Has a very rich, buttery flavor and texture. A little salt to bring it out. Not getting that nuttiness I prefer.

Last May we were in DC - and avocado showed up on almost every plate and they were all perfect. Wish I knew where those came from!

Same owners as la carta de oaxaca in Ballard. More info on Facebook. Pictures too.

How about terra plata on Capitol Hill? http://terraplata.com/
or Mezcaleria Oaxaca on Queen Anne http://www.mezcaleriaoaxaca.com/

My most recent purchase (on the counter and perfectly ripe, I hope) is labeled Product of Mexico. Bought it at TJ's on Madison last week. A single, not the multiple bag.

I apologize for not looking closer and taking names, but there are some new places that might be of interest - though I don't have any idea what the food is like, the buildings look very nice. One is across from the crawfish restaurant and the other...maybe just north of there a couple of blocks? Take yer chances.

Purple Dot might be an interesting idea - they have chicken in cream sauce over noodles for your non-adventurous eaters. I think Shanghai Garden, while a bit seafood oriented and with some unusual items on display, is a really safe bet. Even my 92 year old Dad likes their food and he doesn't like much. They usually decorate for the holidays too.

You can get fish tacos at Poquitos, also on Capitol Hill (almost across the street from Fish Fry) but you'll quickly bump up to your $15 limit. Fish tacos are 'market price' so that might be expensive. And a margarita will definitely bust the budget.

Pike Street Fish Fry does offer grilled versions and sandwiches. I can't get past the fried fish, especially the shrimp, squid, or whatever is fresh. They had turbot a couple of weeks ago. And don't forget to get a slice of fried lemon (sometimes you have to ask, it seems.) They even do a fish taco.

Or go across the street to Dot's Deli (but never on Sunday.) http://www.dotsdelicatessen.com/about/

PS- NYPORK - is that both locations?

Trader Joe's also has tiramisu. I have not seen spumoni other than at Borracchini's Bakery on Rainier. They'll probably have tiramisu as well, but I don't vouch for the quality of either.