Outdoor Dining in Federal Way

Around May, I start getting antsy if I spend too much time inside, and any time we go out to eat, I require outdoor seating. For a long time, I thought there were only two or three options in Federal Way (which is understandable given that most restaurants in town look out over a parking lot). However, there are quite a few places which have gotten creative with their patios and even more that decided to embrace the parking lot view and set up a few tables to take advantage of the sun and summer breezes.

This post is a little different from my other reviews, but it seems necessary for my sanity in summer. So here it is: the totally incomplete guide to outdoor dining in Federal Way! Unlike my other posts which stick to locally-owned businesses, this is a list of anywhere I know of which has outdoor seating. I have thrown in fast food chains, burger joints, and cafes, as well as my original search for more upscale places where I could enjoy a glass of wine al fresco. If you know of any restaurants which should be added to this list, let me know in the comments and I'll add them!

Verrazanos - Easily the best view of the bunch. Enjoy upscale Italian food and a nice wine list on their water view deck.

The Rock - The view here is of Fatburger's patio but it's tucked in between the buildings so it's a little private. They have tasty wood fired pizza, microbrews, wine, or you can order a cocktail in a bucket. So that's a bonus.

Fatburger - As you probably guessed from above, their patio has a view of The Rock and its patio. You can enjoy a giant burger, fries, and, yes, a cold beer, tucked down in their little patio.

The Ram - This patio faces the parking lot but they have a nice little wall in between you and the cars and it's on the low traffic side of the building so it's a pleasant spot to enjoy a microbrew and a hearty dinner.

Red Robin - The deck faces the Commons Mall so you can get in some good people watching with your bottomless steak fries.

Panera - Their patio has a few umbrella tables next to the building and also faces the Commons. It's more of a pleasant lunch option than a lingering cocktail hour/dinner spot.

Costa Vida - In front of the Commons, this has good sidewalk seating and feels like a festive place to enjoy a burrito.

Five Guys - This is the newest restaurant at the Commons and they are right next to Costa Vida, sharing a sidewalk style patio.

Los Bigotes de Villa - This place and its teeny, comfortable deck feel like a beachfront taco stand that has been airlifted to a little shopping area tucked away along Pacific Highway. It feels private and relaxing despite the proximity to the highway, and the food is outstanding.

Poverty Bay Cafe - The outdoor seating for this coffee shop turned full service restaurant usually consists of a few tables and a water bowl for dogs just outside the front door. It's a great spot to enjoy breakfast in the summer.

Puerto Vallarta - They have a private little patio around the back of the restaurant that just begs you to enjoy a cold margarita on a hot day.

Burger Express - The deck here looks out over Pacific Highway and feels like a lively place to enjoy burgers and one of the best selections of shakes in Federal Way.

Ivar's - This branch of the local seafood chain has a few tables out front to enjoy your fish and chips in the fresh air.

Menchies - On a hot day, this is a recipe for happiness. A place that sells frozen yogurt by weight and has sidewalk seating is my kind of place!

Cold Stone Creamery/Jimmy John's - These restaurants are next to each other and there are a few tables on the sidewalk out in front. Dinner and dessert?

Starbucks (various locations) - I think most Starbucks locations have some sort of outdoor seating options.

Town Square Park

31620 20th Ave S, Federal Way
http://www.cityoffederalway.com/facilities.aspx?page=detail&rid=37

I have to say that I kind of love Mayor Jim Farrell. Not in a creepy, restraining order sort of way. In a civic pride, nerdy sort of way. I frequently say to my husband, “You know what this town needs?” and then I go off about something that would clearly make the community better. Ever since Mayor Farrell has taken office, I regularly read about my ideas magically happening.

A great example of this is the new Town Square Park, which opened this summer. It’s right in the middle of downtown Federal Way and helps answer the inevitable questions, “where is downtown Federal Way?” or even, “does Federal Way actually have a downtown?” The park features a huge lawn suitable for outdoor movies, yoga, and doing cartwheels (my daughter’s preference); picnic tables and grills; multiple basketball courts; a pea patch; a spectacular view of Mt. Rainier; and a paved area with a Christmas tree and area for a farmer’s market and food trucks.

Just since July, we've attended a handful of events at Town Square Park, from the park’s grand opening celebration which featured live music, food trucks, face painting, and two bounce houses; to a movie night at which the mayor himself served free popcorn before the town enjoyed the Lego Movie while lying under the stars. This weekend, we will be attending a tree lighting ceremony with local choirs, hot chocolate, and Santa Claus arriving via fire truck.

This area is quickly becoming a fun hub for the community of Federal Way and I’m so glad to see this particular dream of mine come true – especially since I didn’t actually have to do anything to make it happen!

Little Free Libraries of Federal Way

5019 SW 329th Way
29845 6th Ave S
2107 318th Pl SW
littlefreelibrary.org

Little Free Libraries are popping up all over the country as well as around the world. These little book exchanges are a great way for neighbors to come together and share common interests, while promoting a love of reading in children and adults. People place them in their yards, in parks, at schools, in neighborhood common spaces, and more. Neighbors are invited to "take a book and return a book." The libraries are installed by community members who want to help make their neighborhoods healthy and fun places. These library stewards maintain and monitor the little buildings while people in the community stop by to take books that interest them and to return or exchange books they have already enjoyed. When registered on the Little Free Library website, the libraries receive a charter sign and are cataloged on a map or list so that people can find a library wherever they go.

The city of Federal Way currently has 3 registered libraries which residents can enjoy. Each is a little different and they all reflect the tastes and reading habits of their individual neighborhoods. Two of the libraries were painted to match the houses in front of which they are installed. One has two "stories"--the top floor has books for adults and the bottom houses children's books. One library was built in honor of the steward's son and two of the stewards are members of the same family. One of them shared this story on the Little Free Library website.

"A few years ago, I saw an article in the local paper about the Little Free Library story. I cut out the article and started looking into building one. Unfortunately, my building skills are limited and so nothing happened, but the article remained on my nightstand, a reminder of what I wished for. In the fall of 2013, my brother-in-law built a library in memory of his son. While collecting books for his library, he learned about my dream of having one. In December, after the holidays, the phone rang and it was Billy, offering to build me my own Little Free Library. A few weeks later, on a wintry February day, it was installed. The library has been so much fun--truly a dream come true for me. The neighborhood community has embraced it and I am so grateful that I am able to be the steward and that I can share my love of reading with so many people. It delights me everyday!"

Check out the Little Free Library website to find a library close to you or find out how to build your own. There are more than 25 LFLs in Tacoma and dozens in Seattle. I'd love to see Federal Way embrace this charming movement in the same way - it's relatively easy and so fun (full disclosure: I'm am the steward of one of these libraries). The children in my neighborhood have been especially excited about the project. If you're not ready to install your own, just stop by one of the three in town and pick out your next book to read.

Los Bigotes De Villa

30420 Pacific Hwy S #3, Federal Way

One day I woke up and said to my husband, " I really want a giant burrito today." So I went ahead and Googled, "giant burrito Federal Way" and found my new favorite Mexican restaurant in town. This place does not mess around with their burritos--they are indeed giant and more importantly, they are delicious.

They have a great salsa bar which includes lots of different kinds of salsa, plus pickled veggies and radishes. They serve Negra Modelo, Mexican Coke, and all kinds of non-burrito entrees which are good, too.

I should mention that it is located in a brightly-painted shack (yes, really) in a little row of other brightly-painted shacks. The inside is cute and kitschy and outside has a teeny little deck which is perfect for those sunny days when you want to sit on a deck and drink cold beer and eat hot burritos. Which for me, is almost every day. Additionally, this restaurant is named after Pancho Villa's mustache. True story.

Verrazanos Italian Restaurant

28835 Pacific Hwy S, Federal Way
www.verrazanos.com

Even without the delicious food, well-rounded wine list, and pleasant service, Verrazanos is the best restaurant in Federal Way. The town has something like 8 miles of waterfront and this is, to my knowledge, the only restaurant which takes advantage of that fact. With large, west-facing windows and a spacious deck, Verrazanos offers a spectacular view of Poverty Bay, Maury Island and the Olympic Mountains. As you can imagine, this is a popular spot in the summer for people who want to dine al fresco. Verrazanos deck is one of my favorite places to be on a summer evening. In the winter, the view is just as great from inside the warm, rustic interior of the restaurant.

But did I mention the delicious food, well-rounded wine list, and pleasant service? Even when they are busy, the servers are courteous and friendly. Their wine selection is great, featuring a lot of Italian wines, as well as some great west coast options.

With all this going for it, the food could be bad and I'd still eat here. But the food is great. It's heavy on seafood, steaks and Italian comfort food like eggplant parmesan, spaghetti, and risotto. They also make fantastic personal sized pizzas and have really nice salads. However, I could not write a review of this restaurant without mentioning their cannoli. It is so good. Really good. Slap your mamma good. Leave the gun, take the cannoli good.

Señor Taco

33120 Pacific Highway South, Federal Way
www.facebook.com/pages/Senor-Taco

You can usually bet that if a restaurant only has a handful of items on their menu, they do them all well. That is definitely the case at Señor Taco, where there is a small but solid selection of tacos and burritos to choose from on a board above the counter. The seasonings, salsas and flavors are all perfect and the portions are huge. One burrito could easily feed two people, unless one of those people is my husband. The tacos are simple and tasty and if you like fish tacos, this is the place to go in town. They also have a selection of Mexican soda and candy if you need a sugar hit.

While the menu is pretty no-frills, the decor is very festive, with each wall painted a different bright color and covered in funky artwork, religious icons, and televisions playing what appears to be the all soccer (or should I say futbol?) channel. On a gray Northwest day, the bright interior and friendly staff make you feel like you are somewhere sunny like Mexico or, at the very least, San Diego.

Branches Garden Center

3909 S. 320th St., Auburn
www.branchesgc.com

Although the address is technically in Auburn, this sweet little garden center is definitely part of Federal Way - it's on 320th right before it turns into Peasley Canyon Road and before you reach the, "Welcome to Auburn" sign; it is very involved in the FW community, participating in Federal Way Community Gardens, the FW sand sculpting championships, organic gardening workshops and more; and, it was just voted as the best nursery in the Federal Way Mirror's "Best Of" competition. With that out of the way, let me tell you how much I love this store, no matter what its provenance.

The store is a series of buildings which are essentially giant garden sheds leading to an outdoor area full of plants, pottery, and statuary. You enter through the amazing gift shop, which looks as though it was taken directly from your hippest friend's Pinterest boards. In addition to the garden-related items such as tools, potting soil, bird feeders, cute watering cans, etc., there are so many lovely gifts, from pretty candles to beautiful scarves and aprons, funky dish towels, gourmet foods, wine accessories, jewelry and more. Even if you have no yard and a black thumb, you could still spend hours here.

If you are a gardening buff, looking for a great selection of plants, you could also spend hours here. They have a beautiful assortment and lots of really helpful information about planting and care. You can also find great garden items such as pots, trellises, birdbaths and fountains. The staff are very friendly and happy to answer questions.

I think the greatest thing I can say about Branches is that it has inspired me to garden, even though I am notoriously bad at caring for plants and never had much interest in it before. Just walking through their door makes me believe that I can be that girl with the awesome Pinterest gardening board.