Fodor's Expert Review Copper Gate Tavern
Ballard
Editor's Note: This location is no longer in operation.
Old Ballard's Scandinavian heritage is still alive. At Copper Gate, antique bric-a-brac from the tavern's original owner shares the space with part of a hull from a replica Viking ship and many vintage black-and-white photos of bare-breasted Nordic babes. This may be the only bar in Seattle that serves aquavit as a mainstay, not a curiosity. Gravlax, pickled herring, and Swedish meatballs with lingonberry jam pair wonderfully with specialty cocktails like the Big Cucumber (Aalborg Akvavit, lemon, sugar, and cucumber).
