Let’s Eat: Collections Cafe at Seattle Center

While the new Dale Chihuly museum and exhibit at Seattle Center is garnering plenty of acclaim, Let’s Eat co-hosts Providence Cicero and Terry Jaymes say the adjoining Collections Cafe is a worthy stop on the local dining circuit.

The restaurant is named for the vast array of knick-knacks Chihuly has amassed over the years displayed thematically throughout.

“Toy soldiers, string holders, silver Mexican ash trays, cast iron dogs, plastic radios, transistor radios, and let’s not forget the accordions hanging from the ceiling,” says Cicero.

“The food is equally fascinating visually and I had a lot of things there that I liked and some things I thought were more pretty than they tasted good,” Cicero says.

Both hosts singled out the cafe’s burger as their favorite item.

“It was a Macrina Bakery Ciabatta bun and it had just enough heft but was still soft, it had great bacon on it, it had Beecher’s Marco Polo cheese and a Peppadew Aioli,” Cicero raves.

“I would personally go back just for that burger,” Jaymes agrees.

Cicero says she was also impressed with the unique pressed pork sandwich, which is also served on a Macrina Bakery bun.

“It’s so interesting, they take pulled pork and make a patty out of it and then griddle it so it’s crispy on both sides,” Cicero says. “And then there was a really spicy, tangy slaw on there and some apple butter for a touch of sweet.”

The Collections salad, grilled chicken breast, and fried razor clams also stood out for Cicero. Just a few of the dishes fell flat.

“I did not like the grilled octopus, and the ravioli didn’t work. The sauce was wrong on that, the ravioli was a little hard. They do have other pastas on the menu I did not try,” she says.

Collections features the same menu throughout the day, and Cicero says she liked the variety of small and medium sized dishes to go along with the full entrees on the menu designed in part by noted chef Jason Wilson of Seattle’s Crush.

Cicero says Collections is a great dining alternative for visitors to Seattle Center as well as people who live or work nearby. She recommends reservations during busy times.

“I liked that you get in and out of there quick and it’s inexpensive. It has a lot going for it,” she says.

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