Located in a quiet corner of the market, this Filipino counter serves the best lunch Downtown, let alone some of the best Filipino food in the city. Everything here is prepared by a woman who is quite kind despite some brash signage (such as, “IF U DON’T KNOW HOW TO EAT OUR SALMON SINIGANG DON’T ORDER IT”) and the food is so good that we’d gladly brave the yogurt-gulping Ellenos fanatics around the bend. Oriental Mart serves excellent tart pork adobo over rice seeped in braising liquid, lumpia wands whose crunch reminds us of a Butterfinger bar, and shiny red longanisa sausage that deserves its own long-form documentary.

From its perch on the West Coast, Seattle looks as often to Asia for inspiration as it does to anywhere else: many of the city’s best restaurants boast Filipino, Japanese, or Chinese food. But whether featuring the food of southern Italy or the American south, local chefs draw on ingredients that show off the crisp, cool merroir of Salish Sea seafood, the hauntingly deep forest flavour of mushrooms raised by the region’s famous rains, and the sweet fruits (literal and figurative) of the long summer days.

Past tables of trinkets and souvenir knickknacks awaits Filipino comfort food; pancit noodles and braised chicken or pork adobos steam and simmer at the counter, but it’s the tangy tamarind sinigang soup of salmon collar and fresh vegetables that cement the homey lunch-only eatery as quintessential market dining. And while the fare may be comforting, a collage of hand-scrawled signs nod to Oriental Mart’s cutting sense of humor—“If you are reading this…who are you blocking?

Since Leila “Ate Lei” Rosas added a kitchen to her mom’s grocery business in 1987, this homey Pike Place Market counter has won diners over with the complex, tangy flavor profile distinct to Filipino cooking. If you’ve only ever had sweet-tart chicken adobo, try the signature tamarind-infused sinigang soup, made with salmon collar and fresh vegetables sourced from the Market itself. 1506 Pike Pl, Ste 509

Of course, mainstays such as Inay’s Asian Pacific Cuisine on Beacon Hill and Pike Place Market’s hidden treasure Oriental Mart Grocery (where a truly superb sinigang—the tart, sour, tamarind-laced soup—is made with wild salmon collar) have passionate devotees. But they’re almost solely serving a Filipino audience. (On one recent visit to Oriental Mart, I was the lone non-Filipino at the counter.)

website | neighborhood: Pike Place Market ( get directions) | cuisine: Filipino | price range: $. It’s hard to believe that one of the best hidden gem restaurants in Seattle is located in Pike Place Market, but it’s true. Most people walk right past Oriental Mart since it looks like a convenience store, but locals know the back counter is actually one of the best places to eat in Pike Place.

If you’re looking for a great Filipino restaurant near you in Seattle then look no further. Our mission is to serve great-tasting food and bring joy to everyone eating it. In bringing the tastes of the Philippines to Seattle, WA we strive to fulfill our values of providing top-notch service, serve great tasting food, and, of course, spread some Filipino joy.

Other Filipino restaurants have sadly come and gone, but Oriental Mart in Pike Place Market remains. Good thing, because this 30-plus-year establishment offers the best traditional Filipino food in the city. Tucked behind their Asian grocery, the actual dining area is little more than a counter with a few stools.

What to order: Salmon sinigang, a tamarind-broth soup that soothes with sour, salty flavors. Yelp says: “You’ll get side-eyed if you start crying about bones in the truly exquisite salmon sinigang, the best comfort food if you’re feeling lonely, blue, or homesick. This soup is liquid love.

🍽️ Filipino | $ | Website | 📍 Google Maps | 📞 (206) 622-8488. Searching for a lunch spot in Pike Place Market that feels a bit removed from the hustle and bustle?. Check out Oriental Mart for a homey and filling meal at a decent price.

Oriental Mart has been a mainstay of the Market since the 1970s. This three-generation, family-owned business offers a wide selection of traditional Asian spices, sauces and grocery products.