An Afternoon in Issaquah, WA

November 12, 2022

An Afternoon in Issaquah, WA

An Iced Pumpkin Spiced Latte from Issaquah Coffee Company.

My family and I explored the area of Issaquah recently. This city is located seventeen miles east of Seattle but feels worlds away. There are more trees, less people, and just has a relaxing vibe. We'd never hung out there and checked out the dining and shopping, and I couldn't wait.

We ate lunch at Tutta Bella. They're a local spot with five locations in the greater Seattle area. Tutta Bella is our favorite place for authentic Neapolitan Pizza. Their pizza is so good and fresh, and they import their ingredients from Italy. My husband and I love their Castra Nichie cocktail. It has buffalo trace bourbon, averna amaro, aperol, lime juice, bitters, and soda. The cocktail cherry on top is always a tasty delight.

For the kiddos, Tutta Bella has a really decent menu. For $10, they get an entree, drink, and a dessert. One of my boys ordered a small cheese pizza, an apple juice, and he also got two adorable and delicious Cannoli. My other son had the Cheesy Bread with Marinara, a soft drink, and he also had the Cannoli. This was their first time trying Cannoli, and they loved them. The Cannoli at Tutta Bella has Ricotta Cheese, mini chocolate chips, and crushed pistachio. A 'chef's kiss' for sure. The boys were sweet enough to share with my husband and I, so we all got a taste.

My husband and I shared a large pizza with half Tutta Bella and half Margharita. The Tutta Bella pizza is my favorite and has Italian sausage, caramelized onions, mushrooms, mozzarella, basil, and tomatoes. I dream about how good this pizza is!

After lunch we headed to Gilman Village. Only a couple of minutes from Tutta Bella, this area is so cute and filled with shops, restaurants, and a neat coffee shop, Issaquah Coffee Company. They were packed inside, and it took a while to get our coffee. We ordered an Iced Pumpkin Spiced Latte. It was really subtle in flavor and pretty plain overall. It wasn't topped with whipped cream, and we were underwhelmed. I'm sure the other drinks are delicious, considering how busy they were and how many regulars they seemed to have.

While the rest of the family headed to the toy store, I checked out a couple of stores, Lucky You and Lucky Home. They're owned by the same people and located pretty close together inside Gilman Village. The first place I went, Lucky You, was the most impressive gift shop I've visited. It was two stories and absolutely packed with Christmas merch. I bought myself a nice necklace. Everything was so beautifully displayed! Then I checked out Lucky Home, a kitchen store, with an awesome layout and beautiful display like Lucky You. I didn't need to buy anything, so I didn't spend too long there. I was a little overwhelmed by how many gorgeous items they had for sale.

Then it was time to drive back to Seattle. What a fun afternoon exploring Issaquah!