The Seattle area had the fastest economic growth among large U.S. metros last year, according to new federal data.

Why it matters: Although Seattle's central business district has been slower to recover from the pandemic than some cities' downtowns, the numbers released last week show the region's economy as a whole has been booming.

By the numbers: The Seattle metro area's gross domestic product increased by 6.2% from 2022 to 2023, hitting $487.8 billion last year, per the data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

• That was the highest growth rate among metro areas with a population over 1.5 million.

Zoom in: The tech and information industry drove much of the growth in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro area, generating $133.7 billion in the region last year — up from $115.8 billion in 2022, per BEA data.

• The retail industry also made gains, rising from $44.3 billion in economic output in 2022 to over $50 billion last year.

What they're saying: Josh Brown, executive director of the Puget Sound Regional Council, said the numbers reflect not only the region's strong tech industry, but also the ripple effects of several years of record-high housing construction in the area.

• Though the pandemic and government shutdown orders disrupted some of the region's economic growth, "now we're coming out on the other side," he told Axios.

Between the lines: Commercial real estate vacancies remain a "real and concerning" issue in the Seattle area, as does the performance of the retail sector downtown, Rachel Smith, president and CEO of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, told Axios.

• Still, the positive annual growth numbers "should serve to dispute any false narrative about the health of our region," Smith said.

Zoom out: Behind Seattle, Houston saw the next-highest economic growth among large metros — a GDP increase of 5.4% from 2022 to 2023.

• Charlotte, San Antonio, Austin, Denver, and four metro areas in Florida rounded out the top 10.

What we're watching: Whether recent struggles at Boeing, including a workers' strike, will dampen the Seattle area's economic growth figures for this year, which have yet to be released.

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Voodoo Doughnuts, the Portland shop known for its eccentric flavor combinations, opened its first Seattle shop on Capitol Hill yesterday. But when it comes to fried dough consumption, several local shops hold the top spots in our hearts.

Zoom In: Top Pot and Mighty O are longtime Seattle staples, and we won't knock them here. But Seattle's selection of doughnut shops has grown considerably in recent years. Here are some of our favorites.

Doce Donut: This Fremont doughnut shop uses raised brioche dough, producing doughnuts that incorporate Latin American flavors. Be sure to try the guava con queso and the passionfruit creme brulee.

Half and Half Doughnut: This Capitol Hill spot excels at making old-fashioned doughnuts with eye-catching icing combinations.

• You can also find tasty filled doughnuts, cronuts, raised sprinkle doughnuts, and savory biscuits that give the doughnuts a run for their money.

Dough Joy: This place excels at making raised doughnuts that happen to be vegan.

• If it's available, try the Popstar — a Pop-Tart-inspired doughnut with strawberry filling, vanilla icing and sprinkles.

Family Donut: This shop in Northgate is known to sell out, especially on weekends, and uses fresh ingredients that stand out in its glazes.

• One Axios Seattle reader said they make "the absolute best apple fritter ever."

Good Day Donuts: Try the French crullers on Saturdays and blueberry cake doughnuts on Sundays.

Four more

📱 Seattle city officials are trying to improve teens' mental health by offering virtual therapy options. 

• City residents between the ages of 13 and 24 can now use Talkspace, an online behavioral health company, for free, city officials announced yesterday. (KUOW)

✈️ Boeing is back to making 737 MAX airplanes at its Renton factory, after a machinists' strike shut down production for more than two months. Production is expected to resume at Boeing's Everett plant sometime this week. (KING 5)

⚖️ A federal court issued a preliminary injunction yesterday against the proposed merger of grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons, a ruling Kroger says will doom the deal. (Axios)

• In a separate decision yesterday, King County Superior Court Judge Marshall Ferguson ruled that the merger of Kroger and Albertsons violated Washington state consumer protection law and blocked it from moving forward here. (Axios)

Craig, a residential architect who has lived in the Seattle area for 24 years, answered one of our recent "Where are we?" challenges correctly, and offered to share some of his local insights with us as our reader of the week. 

You might find Craig and his 5-year-old son strolling to Uptown Espresso in Magnolia or getting breakfast at the Bay Cafe at Fisherman's Terminal.

• They also like to wander the nearby docks to admire the boats, or take in the amazing city views from Ella Bailey Park.

When entertaining out-of-town guests, Craig likes to hit up Fran's Chocolates in Georgetown; stop by Willmott's Ghost for food and drinks; or visit Deep Dive at the Spheres. 

• The Ballard Locks are also a good bet, but park on the Magnolia side where it's free, he says.

For a great Seattle walk, Craig recommends exploring the Elliott Bay Trail (the stretch from the Expedia campus to Pier 62). 

His advice for Seattle newcomers? "Go explore all the different neighborhoods in Seattle and support the small businesses in those communities."

Thanks, Craig, for giving us some ideas for how to spend our weekends!