THE STORY OF PIKE PLACE CHOWDER

How Two Small Chowder Houses in Seattle Became "America's #1 Chowder"

On a blue-sky April morning in 2003, Larry Mellum hauled up the big green door just off the cobblestone street in Seattle's Pike Place Market. Inside was a rustic 20-seat cafe that left him wondering if there would be enough customers to keep the door open and the bills paid. His unique idea was to specialize in only one thing - making great chowder in as many varieties as he could dream up.

As the tantalizing aroma of seafood and seasonings wafted out into the morning air, Larry's questions were answered. The chowder-lovers appeared - first in ones and twos, then in crowds. A few years later, the big green door was welcoming visitors from around the world who waited patiently in lines that formed around the block. When the second restaurant was launched in 2007 at Pacific Place Center, the flagship cafe was offering 8 varieties of chowder daily, along with very popular seafood rolls, while the new diner added an expanded menu of "to order" items, including the crispiest fish n' chips and contest-winning Chowder Fries.

Tantalizing Flavors Simmered in Small Batches Served Fresh Daily

Today, Pike Place Chowder is famous for the briny, robust flavors of the Pacific Northwest, with a remarkable variety of soul-satisfying, award-winning chowders, each bursting with the sparkling taste and aroma of premium seafood, a medley of farm-ripened vegetables, dairy-rich milk and cream, and perfectly balanced seasonings. Chowders are simmered fresh daily, and handcrafted in small batches.

And, reflecting Larry's commitment to the environment, all seafood in the chowders is 100% Certified Sustainable.

Lox & Bagels Without the Bagel

Though the traditional New England Clam Chowder remains a perennial favorite, visitors are encouraged to sample a taste-tempting array of memorable flavors. Seafood Bisque, with its abundance of Pacific Northwest seafood, is always in demand. Smoked Salmon Chowder, which Larry calls "Lox & Bagels without the Bagel" is also a favorite, along with the crowd-pleasing Crab & Oyster Chowder, seasoned with Chorizo sausage. Customers who order Sampler trays of 4 or 8 selections often return the next day for more - perhaps Seared Scallop, Fresh Halibut, gluten-free Manhattan Style, and the very tasty Vegan Lime & Coconut. 

Trophies, Cook-Offs, and Halls-of-Fame

In 2018, after a nationwide study, Yelp named our New England Clam Chowder the most popular dish in America. In fact, Pike Place Chowder became a destination for so many visitors that in one year alone, almost 500,000 bowls were served. It was an exciting day in the Market when a delightful video crew, hired by Japan Airlines, created a short film to entertain passengers on all Tokyo-to-Seattle flights. The stars of the film were Japan's Best Actress winner and our New England Clam Chowder. Delta Airlines also took to the skies by offering a variety of chowders for their first-class passengers. And, one passenger traveling on Singapore Airlines even purchased an extra ticket to take his chowder home to Singapore.

But, even after being named, The Most Iconic Restaurant in Washington State; receiving TripAdvisor's 2021 Travelers' Choice Award, (placing Pike Place Chowder in the top 10% of restaurants worldwide); making the 2021 top-ten list of "best places" in Town & Country Magazine; and being hailed by the Los Angeles Times as "the most soul-warming chowder in the country," Larry and his team aren't satisfied until they put their soup to the test. 

From coast-to-coast, in prestigious regional and national competitions, Team Chowderheads have been fierce contenders in taking home first-place trophies and accolades. The short list includes induction into the Great Chowder Cook-Off Hall-of-Fame (Newport, Rhode Island), the Chowdafest Hall-of-Fame (Westport, Connecticut), and the West Coast Chowder Competition (Monterey, California). 

The Best Chowder They've Ever Tasted

When asked about Pike Place Chowder's tremendous success, Larry comments, "Of course, we're delighted to see the tremendous growth of our business and proud of our many trophies from hard-fought competitions. But, what brings us back to the kitchen every day is serving the customers and seeing their reviews naming ours the best chowder they've ever tasted.  That's what it's all about.