Food and Drink

Restaurant bookings in Seattle were down 28% at the start of this month compared to pre-pandemic, according to new data from OpenTable.

The big picture: Seattle's restaurant industry appears to be recovering from COVID shutdowns and slowdowns at a more sluggish pace than other parts of the country.

I have no shame about eating ice cream every season of the year (if it's good).

• So you'd better believe I'll be hitting up Milk Drunk for its soft serve well into fall and winter.

🎭 Catch a performance of Cloud Tectonics, a dreamlike play by José Rivera.

• Opening night is Saturday at 12th Avenue Arts, with tickets ranging from $5–$75+ through Oct. 15.

Washington's largest craft breweries rebounded significantly in 2021, a year after the pandemic crippled the industry, with average gains near 10%.

The state of beer: Seven of the state's largest 10 craft breweries saw their sales increase in 2021, according to an exclusive Axios analysis of data from the Brewers Association.

The Seahawks may have fallen ignominiously to the 49ers in Sunday's game (FanNation called it a "clown show" in which the Seahawks were "body slammed.")

• But hey, at least Seahawks fans can get cheaper beer than Niners fans.

✈️ Enjoy free admission for two to the Museum of Flight on Saturday, courtesy of Smithsonian magazine. Children ages 4 and younger are free. Get your Museum Day ticket online.

♻️ Bring a trash bucket and your favorite shareable lunch item to Alki Beach on Saturday for a picnic and park cleanup, part of International Coastal Cleanup Day.

🛍 Peruse handmade goods, vintage, street fashion and more at On The Block, a free monthly market supporting local artists. Shop Saturday on 11th Ave. between E. Pike and E. Pine.

✏️ Turn your idea into a novel with help from award-winning children’s book author Jeffrey Lee Cheatham II. Tickets cost $10 to Saturday night’s writing workshop at The Station.

As soon as Seattle's weather dropped below room temperature, I knew it was time to visit Secret Congee.

Details: Congee, a comforting rice porridge, is not necessarily ideal to consume during summer heat waves. But it's the perfect food for fall and winter in Seattle.