Belmont Ave East, Broadway (Capitol Hill)

Belmont Avenue East is not a place I would desire to live, but have known many people who do live there and love it. The street is classic Capitol Hill, within walking distance to some of Seattle's most popular bars and nightlife destinations. Because of the proximity to local bars, the neighborhood gets noisy at night on the weekends. Residential parking is also a problem. In fact, it is nearly impossible to find a place to park if you live in an apartment along Belmont that offers only street parking.

One of my favorite coffee houses is located at 204 Belmont Avenue East - known as B & O Espresso. It's just a little more local than the Starbucks you find on every corner!

My boyfriend used to live on this street and I visited him regularly. First, it's impossible to find street parking on this street. It's always overcrowded and I used to have to drive around for a long time to find a place to park. Second, it seems unsafe. I've known several people who had their cars get broken into in this street. Third, it was always really noisy at night, since it's so close to the bars on Broadway. If you're into partying and don't have a car, this might be a good street for you, but otherwise, I would suggest going elsewhere.

Belmont Ave. E. is 3 blocks west of Broadway, located on Capitol Hill. It is only about 6 blocks long, but a great place to live. Largely a residential street, it contains mostly apartment/condo buildings and some single family homes. Several roundabouts have numerous shrubs, trees, and flowers which are maintained by the city and add to the beauty of the area. On the corner of Belmont Ave. E. and E. Olive Way is situated one of Seattle's best local restaurants, B&O Espresso. Despite the name, they serve MUCH more than just coffee, boasting some of the best desserts in the city, as well as a wide range of Mediterranean food. You can access Tashkent Park from Belmont, which makes a nice pedestrian "shortcut" when going up the hill from Belmont to Boylston. Street parking is at a premium. Public transportation is easily accessible on Broadway, 3 blocks east, Summit, 1 block west, or E. Olive. The street is well maintained and generally quiet.