If you’re detraining at Downtown Bellevue Station and looking for entertainment and sustenance beyond malls and without burning a crater in your wallet at a high-end restaurant, this is the guide for you. Of course there’s a gem or two in the malls, but we’re going to give the small businesses and other notable urban features of Bellevue the attention they deserve.
An outing in downtown Bellevue can be pleasantly spent meandering along various pedestrian paths, window-shopping, and stopping for some bubble tea or another drink or snack of choice before hitting up Bellevue Downtown Park, a wonderful place to spread out and take in some sun on the expansive lawn and steps. The park is about a 15-minute walk from Downtown Bellevue or East Main stations, or longer if you’re moseying and enjoying the views.
The park is kitty corner from the Bellevue Art Museum if you care to add a visit to your itinerary (open 11am to 5pm Wednesday to Sunday). Meydenbauer Bay Park is a few blocks west of downtown park if you care for a waterfront stroll or a dip in Lake Washington. More for those with kiddos in tow, KidsQuest Children’s Museum is only a few blocks north of Downtown Bellevue Station.
While formerly known as a sleepy downtown, Bellevue’s food and drink options are starting to be prodigious. There’s sushi slingers, hot pot spots, dumpling dives, hummus holes, pasta purveyors, Indian eateries, Thai taverns, burger bars, steakhouses, Irish pubs, taco joints, and a great variety of fusion. Wander and find an eatery or cafe to meet your cravings.
Pedestrian pathways, plazas, and sky bridges
When you’re dropped off at the train station and cross the street to the west of the transit center on your way to the main commercial cluster, you’ll find yourself in one of many pedestrian alleys in the superblocks of Downtown Bellevue. These public access pedestrian pathways are strewn throughout the downtown as the city’s way to break up its superblocks.
The newest public access pathway in Downtown Bellevue is at West Main or 117 106th Ave NE. West Main’s public access corridor is a flat and green alterative to 105th Avenue NE’s sidewalk and creates an east-west connection on the three tower block.
That east-west connection also doubles as a plaza with plenty of greenery and seating. You’ll also find these kinds of plazas dotted across the downtown, with some better activated than others. The plaza in front of Bellevue Connection is getting a Don’t Yell At Me bubble tea shop. Expect more of these plazas and pathways to appear with the development occurring downtown. The Onni project that was proposed next to the new Don’t Yell At Me could both add plazas and pathways.
In addition to pedestrian pathways on the ground, a network of sky bridges connects three of the malls of the Bellevue Collection. Bellevue Square, Lincoln Square, and Bellevue Place are connected with four sky bridges. It’s free to access the sky bridges and take in the views.
Food to fuel your 2 Line adventures
Once you’ve wandered through downtown Bellevue’s pathways, plazas, and skyways, treat yourself to the sweets and meals of bougie Bellevue. Let’s start with some treats.
Bellevue’s Chi Cha San Chen is the only branch that the Taiwanese tea chain has in the Pacific Northwest. If you’re looking for cheaper and a lot of boba, Chi Cha isn’t for you. What it does have is quality and the crowds that seem to give that quality some legitimacy. Do yourself a favor and try the taro series and the osmanthus tea.
For coffee lovers, Story Coffee Bellevue, just north of the station on NE 8th Street, takes the prize of closest coffee shop to the station. It also offers nice patio seating.
For more sweets, go check out Yezi Coconut Dessert and Sugar N Flakes Bakery. If you are looking for coconuts, coconut jelly, and more coconut, Yezi Coconut Desserts will serve you well. The jelly is delicate and sweet and comes with delicious toppings like mango and mochi. Meanwhile, Sugar N Flakes has a delicious selection of cupcakes and will bake you a mean cake. Plus, these are small businesses, support them as you can.
Other small businesses to enjoy and support include Broiler Bay Hamburgers, a more affordable burger joint, and What’sup Dog, a small hotdog shop across the street from West Main. Get a topping rich hot dog or some baklava for four bucks. Then, run next door a for a six dollar burger and/or shake. Some more cheap eats can be found at Cafe Aloe, which deals in caffeine and Chinese baked goods like egg tarts.
If none of this appeals to you, go indulge in some mall food or hold your breath at the downtown’s many expensive eateries. For CityNerd enjoyers, Bellevue Square features a Cheesecake Factory. Make a pilgrimage if need be.
Celebrate the new connection and forge more
With full bellies and tired feet, don’t forget that your new connection to these amenities is the product of tireless advocacy. We recalled the resolute championship of King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci in our guide to the 2 Line. Work continues to create high quality street life and bike and pedestrian connections in downtown Bellevue. If you live or work in Bellevue, organize with neighbors. Attend transportation commission and city council meetings at city hall, which is right next to the light rail station. Eastside Urbanism is one such place to meet and organize with neighbors for a more connected Bellevue.
The Urbanist staff occasionally teams up to cover breaking news or tackle large projects. See more about our team on the staff page.