TotallyBeatBoppit
Sep 2023
My wife and I did the Sunrise Stroll through Savor. I went with this company because of the good reviews and them offering the Sunrise Stroll option. I liked the idea of getting there before the market opened and spending extra and more intimate time with the guide and the purveyors.
My review is that this was a fantastic experience, I would highly recommend it, and want to give huge kudos to our tour guide Matt. He was so energetic and had such passion for Pike Place and its culture. He took us around the market and was like a local celebrity, stopping to give hugs and handshakes to the various purveyors and locals. If you think about what the ideal mission would be of such a tour, I imagine it would look something like this:
Learn the history of Pike Place Market, meet the purveyors, get customized food and drink pairings of some of the best selections, get immersed in the culture, eat some damn good food, and humbly acknowledge that even after 2.5 hours, you've only scratched the surface to this magical place.
I've been to Pike Place a couple times before and through this tour saw a totally new side of the market, so I encourage you to do this even if you've been there before. I was impressed that the purveyors knew we were coming, and would simultaneously get the small portions ready immediately so there was no down time, while also knowing our samples were prepared fresh. With the Sunrise Stroll option, it definitely felt more of a premium and relaxed experience and is worth the extra cost. We've done a number of guided tours, and felt Matt was the best.
For anyone health conscience, I will say that I thought all the food portions were reasonable. There was actually a good mixture of pastries, proteins, and fruit. We skipped breakfast thinking we would have our fill on this tour, which we did, but I also didn't feel it was an enormous amount of food. It's a casual stroll with occasional sitting, but do be prepared to walk for most of it. If I had to choose one nit-pick, I'll say that it's Seattle and I would assume many would be like me and enjoy walking around with a good cup of coffee in hand. On this tour, we got three small hot drink samples, but if I had known that I would have purchased a full cup from our first stop and carried it with me. One could argue it may throw off the palate balance, but… it’s coffee! I get it, but in case this resonates with anyone, consider buying a cup at your first stop.
Again, this was a fantastic experience and a highlight of our trip to Seattle. Thank you, Matt!