The Seattle Street Food Festival returned to South Lake Union once again, this time occurring on July 6 and 7 for its seventh consecutive year. This year, the festival grew even larger as more than 75 food trucks, restaurants and pop-ups set up shop in the South Lake Union district. Admission to the festival was free while a $5 donation to the South Lake Union Chamber of Commerce got you into the beer garden. Food costs ranged from $5-14, and those who had Apple Pay had the chance to receive 20% off items at select food trucks and booths. New to the festival this year was a stage, making way for a new two-day music series put on by KURB and featuring a handful of local artists eager to showcase their talents to the community.
According to the Seattle Street Food Festival website, their mission is “to provide festival opportunities through accessibility, affordability and sustainability.” The annual food festival serves as a launch pad for many up-and-coming chef-preneurs looking to take their ideas from the kitchen to the street. Every year, more vendors turn out at the event, making this the largest food festival of its kind that Seattle offers.
Many food vendors and truck owners are locally based. Their cuisine, however, can span the world. From Kathi Rolls—traditional Indian street food served by Spice Wāāla—to deep-fried PB&Js presented by Anthony’s Deep Fried PB&J, there is usually something that everyone can find to satisfy their needs.
Spanning four blocks from Denny Way to Republican Street, hundreds of people crowded the streets to order from food trucks and pop-up shops. The event kicked off on Saturday at noon, as Mike Illvester opened the music festival and vendors welcomed hungry customers looking to satisfy their brunch fix.
One vendor that seemed to be a big hit this year was Puffle Up, a mobile food vendor that travels to local food festivals and markets in the Seattle area. The Bubbled Waffle—a softened waffle cone including an assortment of fresh fruits, torched marshmellows, cookie crumbles and the option of vanilla ice cream over a chocolate drizzle–made its case for the most photogenic item at the event, putting a unique twist on waffle cone foods while offering plenty of Instagram-ready photo opportunities.
Other notable vendors included Three Twenty Below, which served their infamous liquid nitrogen ice-cream, and Kathmandu MoMocha Dumplings, which served traditional Nepalian dumplings called “momos.”
Overall, the event was a huge success. The community came out and supported small business owners and local chef-preneurs like always. KURB provided the music and brews, while Mobile Food Redeo and Amazon helped make the event possible.
Those who are interested in learning more about the Seattle Street Food Festival or food festivals in Seattle can check out the Seattle Street Food Festival Facebook page or go to their website online at www.seattlestfoodfest.com to learn more.
Photograph by Jamling Sherpa / The Watchdog