answer:That depends on how strictly you define “downtown”. I find better eats in Fremont, Ballard, Greenwood, and the U-district; all short bus rides away. Seattle has plenty of specialty eateries though; vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free bakeries… the Essential Bakery Cafe, for instance. Also, Pike’s itself is rather odd geographically. I’ve been here 4 years and still find new nooks every time I go. Come to think of it, so is Seattle in general; aside from Pike’s and the ID, there isn’t much actually downtown, so exploring is practically mandatory to find the good (non-tourist-trap chain) stuff.