Groceries & Markets in Alki

The Three Faces of The Swinery Street Food in a Courtyard A BLT where the “B” stands for (pork) belly. A third-pound Painted Hills ground-beef burger on a brioche bun from Macrina Bakery. Carolina-style pulled pork. Pair any of these with the house Danger fries—tallow fries doused in bacon and cheese—and you’re eating in The Swinery’s courtyard, which feeds the masses during weekday lunch and weekend brunch. Here, the focus is on flavor, and the chefs maximize this by incorporating bacon and bacon fat in any number of ways. Their renowned bacon dog even attracted the carnivores of United States of Bacon. Butcher Shop Inside The Swinery proper, cases brim with the fruits of old-school butchery practices. Meats that have been properly aged, hung, and prepared jostle with housemade sausages and world-renowned cheeses. The result: smoked tasso ham alongside English bacon and loukanika sausages flanking barbecue brisket, all of which combine to solidify the shop’s title, “The Temple of Porcine Love.” Sustainable Practices Apart from using old-school butchery practices and maximizing the use of bacon fat, The Swinery ensures top flavor by following sustainable practices. Butchers ship in whole animals from small farms within 300 miles of their shop and use every piece they can. And whenever possible, they select animals and products raised and made with organic practices.

In Focus: Zatz A Better Bagel Number of bagel flavors: more than 15. These include the likes of cranberry-orange and "positively pesto"—a pesto bagel with pesto sauce, provolone cheese, and walnut pieces Cream cheese alternatives: margarine, peanut butter, honey Other bagel eats: smoked salmon bagel sandwiches, open-faced pizza melts, all-beef Vienna sausages wrapped in jalapeno bagels Shelf life: one day, since each steamed bagel includes no preservatives. Zatz recommends freezing wholesale orders. Earliest time to buy a Zatz bagel: 6:30 a.m. on weekdays, 7:30 a.m. on weekends

After more than 25 years in corporate America, Charell moved to the small business world by opening Firefly Cafe & Creperie. Her cozy, artwork-adorned cafe fills daily with the inviting aromas of sweet and savory crepes, into which she piles everything from apple-smoked bacon to dulce de leche. She even whips up gluten-free and vegan versions including breakfast crepes with tofu scrambles and dessert crepes with sliced almonds and cashew cream. Along with beverages from her espresso bar, Charell complements mains with organic smoothies and juices chockfull of healthy fixings such as mango and kale.

Set in a brick carriage house in the heart of West Seattle’s Junction neighborhood, Hotwire Online Coffeehouse dishes up more than just a great cappuccino and quick morning muffins. Custom coffee creations rotate with the seasons, and customers can enjoy fifteen minutes of free work time at the small shop’s bank of computers with every beverage purchase. New this year, patrons can also belly up to the in-house “Helios Bar” for a free 15-minute hit of light therapy, an antidote that pairs well with caffeine for combating Seattle’s lengthy rainy season. Busy commuters can also text in coffee orders for maximal time efficiency, but why rush away? In summer, Hotwire’s compact outdoor patio is a great place to pause with pooches or strollers over a steaming cup of joe before tackling the rest of the day.

Beer Junction is a hybrid pub and beer retailer that boasts more than 35 refrigerators full of brews, as well as hard ciders by the bottle or six-pack, growlers to go, beer steins and various other accessories. Beer geeks who find a favorite bottle in the fridges can drink it onsite for a small corkage fee, and a rotating events calendar features guest brewers or themed tastings representing multiple different breweries. Beyond the bottles, Beer Junction sports several taps of locally made craft beer, as well as a few wines by the glass. If you’re hungry, Beer Junction sells munchies like nuts and popcorn, but focuses its expertise on beverages rather than food. Patrons with bigger appetites are encouraged to order in from the handful of local sandwich and pizza joints that deliver or offer nearby pickup, or bring in their own food.