Northgate, Seattle

Northgate does commerce well. Known for the Northgate mall, other draws like a new park, library, and community center bring people in or keep them in the neighborhood. Northgate is nominally developing both residential areas and commercial areas, though people have noticed that the hotel industry has gone unmolested, for better or for worse. But because the most important thing about the area is shopping, it’s equally important to think about some places to visit. I find that restaurants and eateries are the best to engage in, because food quality and presentation is sort of a universally sought good—unlike biking equipment, yarn, or video games, for example.

I’m definitely going to suggest the Jewel Box Café, which is a clandestine member of a small chain of restaurants that don’t chare the same name, but have locations in Alki, Marine View, and Richmond. The Jewel Box Café is distinct among its siblings for a Victorian ambiance that’s a far cry from other coffee places in the area. They have some interesting offerings, including a bubble tea with flavored jellies cut into cute little shapes instead of tapioca. And during warm days, they open the roll up doors for an open-air ambiance and outdoor seating.

When you’re looking for something more substantial, I always make a point to stop in an Masala of India. They’ve got a great lunch buffet, but you should be prepared to find parking elsewhere. The selection is somewhat limited in terms of vegetarian and lamb dishes, but they do Tandoori Chicken, Butter Chicken, and Pakora very well. It’s niche Indian, done well and for the right price.
For American fair, try Five Guys Burgers and Fries. It’s a quirky place where little means regular and cheese isn’t included unless it says so, but don’t fill up on the peanuts, you still have a burger to look forward to.

The Northgate neighborhood is named for Northgate Mall, a major shopping mall at the center of the community. The Northgate area has many major arterials, including Roosevelt Way NE, Aurora Avenue (also known as Highway 99), NE Northgate Way, and 130th Street. Interstate 5 also runs through the neighborhood, with the mall and most other shopping areas located on the west side of the freeway. Some of the sub-neighborhoods often grouped with Northgate include Maple Leaf, Licton Springs (or North College Park), Pinehurst, and Haller Lake.

The first covered mall in the United States, Northgate Mall is home to Macy's, Nordstrom, and other major retailers. It is surrounded by numerous strip malls and other shopping destinations. Besides the mall, Northgate is also home to the North Seattle Community College and the Sheihk Idriss Mosque, a unique architectural landmark and the first mosque in the city.

Over the past few years, many major residential and commercial developments have been started. Although it has not traditionally been seen as a residential area, new condo and apartment projects visible from the freeway. are seeking to change this. Northgate is expected to expand rapidly over the next few years as Seattle residents move outward from the city.

Most people associate Northgate with Seattle’s Northgate Mall, and although the mall is the primary focus of people visiting the Northgate area it’s not the only thing this area of Seattle has to offer. Northgate is the host to several neighborhoods with houses, condos and apartment buildings mixed in throughout the area. Condos are reasonably price in the area as well as the smaller homes, like all areas the real estate market was hit hard in this area so the housing is less expensive than it once was.

North Seattle Community College also calls the Northgate area home, with its 2-year degree programs, as well as one of the many branches of the Seattle Public Library. Because the Northgate Mall is in the area of Seattle restaurants are plentiful with big named chain restaurants like Red Robin, the Ram and California Pizza Kitchen are always busy but have familiar fare. My personal preference is Bluefin with its Japanese fair and wonderful sushi. Although whenever I’m in the Northgate area I’m sure to be found wondering for hours in the two-story Target.

The Northgate area isn’t really a place to find nightlife, parks or unique boutiques and restaurants, but it does have all the chain stores, outlets and eateries that a person is familiar with.

City planners didn't plan on the popularity of the Northgate area. Nearly any time of the day will find congestion in the area. With direct access to the interstate, the street running north of the mall is constantly packed, lending itself as a terrific area to open a restaurant. There are actually quite a few very good restaurants in the area, though for non-residents, it's almost not worth the effort of navigating the area to visit them. There are also several other malls around Seattle that are easier to get in and out of. There are some other great shops and the area does have the Seattle greenery that most streets in the area offer, making it seem less a desolate concrete jungle. Parking is plentiful with a huge parking lot for the mall and another very large parking lot for shops and department stores outside of the mall. Homes in the area are standard single-family houses, some nice, some in need of repair, and many rental houses. Neighbors are usually nice, though the residential neighborhoods aren't the safest for kids, with predators constantly canvassing this and the Shoreline area.

An interesting fact, since the elephant is in the room, is that Northgate Mall was the first regional shopping center to be described as a mall (http://bitly.com/northgatemall). That claim to fame helps edge the image of this area, which can easily be avoided due to heavy traffic (especially around the Holidays). On the bright side, renovations were made to the facility in 2008 which have improved the "look and feel" of the place. The biggies like Barnes and Noble (http://bitly.com/g015F5) and Panera Bread (http://panerabread.com) have brought more skeptics back to the turf.

Another establishment that deserves attention is Thornton Place (http://bitly.com/thorntonplace), just to the south. The cinema is one of grandeur with 14 screens (including IMAX) and several floors connected by escalators. Arrive early for a show, and dine at the Thai Fusion Bistro (http://bitly.com/thaifusion) which is literally a few steps from the box office. Running late to the production and need a quick bite? No problem. Just step in the Subway (http://subway.com) or Five Guys Burgers and Fries (http://bitly.com/5guysburgers). If dinner is not in the budget (Understandable with the price of movie tickets), then enjoy the elegant Jewel Box Cafe (http://bitly.com/jewelboxcafe).

The Northgate Transit Center (http://bitly.com/elGA0b - NTC) is a bustling hub for commuting. This, along with the shopping areas, puts the neighborhood on the map. Getting downtown is a breeze from the terminal. Spending less than fifteen minutes in a bus seat to reach Westlake Shopping Center (http://bitly.com/wlakeshop) is not out of the question. The NTC is one of the most active bus terminals in North Seattle with substantial parking options.

Many other businesses exist around the mall, as would be suspected in such a location. Easy access to the interstate provides ease of transport for the commercial truck and family vehicle alike. A word of caution regarding traffic, however. The access ramps bottleneck easily and Northgate Way gets extremely congested during the afternoon commute (and extremely bogged down during The Holidays).

North Seattle Community College (http://bitly.com/nscomcoll) sits on the western edge of the community. Most of the residences are to the southeast, bordered by Lake City Way and 85th St. Maple Leaf Reservoir Park (http://bitly.com/mapleleafpark) shores up the southern edge as the largest green space.

Cyclists can enjoy traversing the neighborhood streets on their way south to the University District (http://bitly.com/udistrict), west to Green Lake (http://bitly.com/greenlake), east to the Burke Gilman Trail (http://bitly.com/burkegilman), or north to Shoreline (http://bitly.com/shorelinewa).

Diversity abounds in Northgate with a plethora of interracial families. Make sure, in addition to conquering the shopping list, that you slow down and investigate the other aspects of this commercial village.

Northgate is located near the neighborhoods of Pinehurst, Maple Leaf, and Victory Heights. On the other side of I-5 is the neighborhood of Licton Springs.

Despite its settlement behind the Northgate Mall, this is the kind of neighborhood that remind you of a careless childhood. An assortment of Northwest trees rise above the modest homes. Rose gardens, fruit trees, hedges and maples give Northgate’s residential gem a fairy tale feel.

The homes here are older—ranging from ramblers and bricks to two-story mid-century family houses. There’s a coziness of a well-lived in town here, with homes you can move right into or revamp.

Of note, the Northgate Mall was the first regional mall in the country. But there are other shopping options too, like a bustling business district on Roosevelt Avenue—grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, everything you need, mall-free. The Northgate Mall is a major Seattle shopping area. Besides the mall, there are many chain restaurants and other shopping areas that surround the mall. From Downtown, one could be in Northgate in about 20 to 25 minute.