Stevens - Seattle, WA Area Guide

Pioneers in the 19th century originally used the ridge that holds Capitol Hill and Stevens as a graveyard. Later, the thick forests carpeting the area were logged and people began to move in. It wasn’t formally called Capitol Hill until 1901, and since then the area has blossomed under the name, picking up residential density. Major installations such as the Seattle Central Community College campus, a couple of parks and various cultural centers all piled in during the late 1800s and throughout the 1900s.

As Capitol Hill and Stevens continued to develop, they catered to a middle to upper-middle class population, in turn furnishing an environment perfect for arts and cultural centers such as Oddfellows Hall, the Seattle Asian Arts Museum and Seattle’s largest annual contemporary music festival, The Capitol Hill Block Party.

Capitol Hill hosts restaurants of all stripes, including Italian seafood joints, sushi and Japanese cuisine, gourmet sandwich shops and greasy spoons. Stevens holds some of the finest eating destinations in all categories. This area doesn't call it quits at quitting time either. Numerous bars, from the swank to the homey, sprinkle Stevens and Capitol Hill.

For authentic Italian fare served in an casual, relaxing atmosphere, check out Spinasse on 14th Avenue. With signature menu items such as pan-fried sweetbread and hand-made cappelletti topped with marinated zucchini, this rustic Italian hot spot has something for everyone. Be sure to save room for dessert, as you simply cannot pass up the bonet, a sweet concoction of chocolate pudding and caramel, topped with vanilla cream and served with a side of amaretto cookies.

For lunch and dinner, Stevens has one of the finest Vietnamese restaurants in the city. Monsoon, with its sleek and intimate modern decor, goes far beyond the classics from the Southeast Asian country by imbuing its dishes with elements of other cultures and cuisines. The gà say ru u, a mouth-watering meeting of locally farmed chicken and yu choy, a near cousin of Chinese broccoli, comes highly recommended. At brunch, patrons eschew the typical American fare for Monsoon's brunch menu featuring a wide selection of dim sum, steamed pastries stuffed with delectable meat and vegetable fillings ranging from sweet to savory.

Those seeking an excellent eating experience in terms of taste as well as sustainability should visit Volunteer Park Cafe, situated in a rustic brick house on 17th Avenue East. If customers ever wonder where the produce and chicken used in Volunteer Park Cafe's dishes come from, they need only look in the backyard, which contains free-range chickens and a garden that provides many of the greens. For lunch, the brie, apple and croissant sandwich accented with lavender honey and grilled like a panini, and the Dipper, a beef sandwich served with au jus, both come highly recommended.

Seattle holds a longstanding reputation for hosting a robust music scene, and many of the medium and small venues that attract the best up-and-coming acts reside a couple of blocks west of Stevens on Capitol Hill. Moe Bar, Highline and Neumos are clustered between 15th and Broadway in southern Capitol Hill, and all host little-known artists just starting out as well as big indie bands on the upward swing.

Before or after one of the shows that contribute to the area's steady stream of music entertainment, residents usually hop from one of the many bars in the area to another, maybe stopping for a sausage from one of Capitol Hill's famous street vendors along the way. Stevens mainstays include Liberty, which serves up twists on classic cocktails, and Smith, a hip purveyor of spirits, local craft beers and artisan burgers.

Because steep slopes surround Capitol Hill and the Stevens neighborhood, all but the most avid of cyclists typically avoid biking in these areas. Getting out of Capitol Hill doesn't pose much of a challenge—it’s all downhill—but getting back won't be quite as easy. Riders should consider using on the of the city’s many public transit options that allow for bike storage for their commute home.

King County Transit’s Route 12 follows 19th Avenue East, which bisects Stevens north to south, while Routes 8 and 43 cross the southern portion of the neighborhood via East Thomas Street, serving as residents' main portal to Seattle’s downtown and financial district.

Traffic along two major Stevens causeways—East Aloha Street and 23rd Avenue Easttends to be light or at least manageable, while East Madison Avenue, skirting the neighborhood to the south and serving as a major route to downtown, can suffer from delays and congestion during typically busy times. Interstate 5 runs north to south along the western edge of Capitol Hill, so commuters heading the handful of miles to the University District won’t have to travel far to get going. Street parking in Stevens and Capitol Hill generally proves scarce, but locals can access garage parking for a daily fee.

Due to the narrow streets, scarcity of street parking and hilly terrain, many residents hoof it to get around Stevens and Capitol Hill—the entire area is only a mile or so east to west and a couple of miles north to south. Uber also serves the area, but plan on calling ahead for a ride with a cab; given the popularity of the area with night-out-on-the-towners, hailing traditional cabs may take a while.

Stevens lies just a stone’s throw away from three of Seattle’s most cherished parks. The spacious Volunteer Park to its west offers visitors a number of amenities, including walking and running trails, tennis courts, a pool, playgrounds for the kids and attractions for history buffs, such as the historic Volunteer Park Water Tower. Interlaken Park to the north maintains a wild feel with thick forests traversed by discreet hiking, biking and walking trails. The biggest of the three, Washington Park, located to the east, provides residents with easy access to open spaces and sports fields. All three of these beautiful Seattle parks offer free admission to residents, whether they come to relax with a book or train for their next triathlon.

The cost of living in Capitol Hill runs a little bit higher than the rest of Seattle and much higher than the national average. The average rental price in Stevens sits at $1,738.91 per month for a one-bedroom apartment, while the average rental price across Seattle runs about $1,445 per month. The neighborhood’s central location and walkability can lower the cost of living somewhat, however, as residents won’t need to drive as much to shop, eat and so on. Bus fare from Stevens to downtown Seattle costs just $2.50 one-way as well, so commuting can be relatively cheap, especially considering gas prices in the area hover about 25 percent higher than the national average.

Most shopping opportunities for Stevens and Capitol Hill residents sit along Broadway Avenue and in western Capitol Hill. That main strip and its surrounding blocks hold a variety of boutique shopping options, ranging in price from bargain level to high-end.

The Revival Shop Seattle caters toward lovers of vintage clothing and décor, and locally made art. Its prices run higher than, say, your average thrift store, but the staff carefully curates its wares, from one end of the tiny shop to the other. Book lovers rejoice over Capitol Hill’s Elliott Bay Book Company, one of the best independent bookstores on the West Coast. The large, airy space plays host to countless bestselling books as well as small press editions and regular literary events and readings. Both a Trader Joe’s and QFC provide Stevens residents with convenient, reasonably priced grocery options. When locals seek the freshest choices, however, they choose the year-round Sunday Seattle Neighborhood Farmers Market on Broadway.