maíz

"Maíz is a tortilleria that serves homemade nixtamal tortillas so good that we plan to consume them regularly until we're old enough to always have pocket breadcrumbs just in case a duck comes along. This colorful counter serves a bunch of stupendous Mexican dishes with their freshly ground corn masa at the forefront, from cheesy tamales and quesadillas to phenomenal sopes topped with things like stewed chicken, pickled onion, cotija, and crema. They even make delicious tortilla chips, and they’re so crunchy that you could probably use them to communicate with The International Space Station. If you’ve been coerced into a trip down here to “be a tourist in your own city” by out-of-town guests, and you don’t want your lunch to have come from the ocean, Maíz makes for a perfect stop. " - aimee rizzo

"Pike Place Market is a jackpot of shellfish, salmon, and halibut. But Maíz makes the waterfront an area where Mexican food is just as exciting as a bread bowl full of clam chowder. This tortilleria serves homemade nixtamalized corn tortillas that are so good we plan to consume them regularly until robots replace us all. They have a bunch of stupendous dishes with their freshly ground corn masa at the forefront, from puffy sopes (their best dish) and quesadillas to tacos. They even make delicious tortilla chips, and they’re so crunchy that you could probably use them to communicate with The International Space Station." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley

"Maíz, a tortilleria and counter-service shop in the heart of Pike Place Market, is a temple to corn: kernels of varieties like red cónico, blue chalqueño, and yellow bolita line the counter above the griddle, and heirloom corn is the base of every dish. The shop is also rare in the Seattle area for focusing on guisado tacos — filled with stewy, comforting blends of meats, vegetables, beans, and herbs and spices. Though available guisados rotate throughout the week, a good bet is the bistec — made with well-browned steak and caramelized onions. Maíz also has a sit-down restaurant in the Denny Triangle called Maíz Molino and a new taqueria in Ballard." - Megan Hill, Jade Yamazaki Stewart, Mark DeJoy

"Maíz, a new tortilleria and counter-service shop in the heart of Pike Place Market, is a temple to corn: kernels of varieties like red cónico, blue chalqueño, and yellow bolita line the counter above the griddle, and heirloom corn is the base of every dish. The shop is also rare in the Seattle area for focusing on guisado tacos — filled with stewy, comforting blends of meats, vegetables, beans, and herbs and spices. Though available guisados rotate throughout the week, a good bet is the bistec — made with well-browned steak and caramelized onions." - Megan Hill, Jade Yamazaki Stewart, Mark DeJoy

"This colorful counter serves a bunch of stupendous Mexican dishes with their freshly-ground corn masa at the forefront, from cheesy tamales and quesadillas to phenomenal sopes topped with things like stewed chicken, pickled onion, cotija, and crema. They even make delicious tortilla chips, and they’re so crunchy that you could probably use them to communicate with The International Space Station. If you’ve been coerced into a trip to “be a tourist in your own city” by out-of-town guests, and you don’t want your lunch to have come from the ocean, Maíz makes for a perfect stop. Even if you're just moseying on down during your midday break, it's a very quick operation." - aimee rizzo