After a decade of media dominance, the world finally must admit: Asians got swag. And somehow we are still facing an Asian birth-rate crisis (to the specific chagrin of my mother). So given the circumstances, and with Valentine’s Day on the way, let me show you how to go on a date like an Asian person, in Seattle. Let me know how it goes!

Pregame at Costco
Getting your date kicked off by flexing membership at an exclusive club is never a bad idea. And if you don’t know, Asian people feel the same way about Costco that white people feel about Trader Joe’s and Hispanic moms feel about Ross. It’s our mini Disneyland. It delights us.

Take a stroll and reacclimate to being around people after a long week working from home. Costco also gives you a chance to flex your financial prowess early by starting things off with a $1.50 hotdog combo, aka the Kirkland Signature aphrodisiac. This move will also save you both money on future eating opportunities—big-brain moment.

Find Gems at Uwajimaya and Kinokuniya Bookstore
Imagine if Barnes and Noble were an otaku, in a good way. That’s Kinokuniya, the bookstore at Uwajimaya in the CID. You’ll have a blast walking between the shelves, pointing at things you both like. This is also a great way to determine if your date can read.

The major play alert is the magazine section. The racks are teeming with more special interests than a community college catalog, like: POPEYE (for Japanese “city boy” fashion), Brutus (for culture and home inspo), or the Japan Railfan Magazine (for train lovers, plainly). Japanese magazines are a different breed, and while you probably can’t read them, you’ll still find a lot of inspiration and delight inside the pages. Browsing here is a concise way to learn more about your date’s interests, and for them to learn more about you, too. Look behind the counter for magazines that come with cool niche-interest gifts, like Sanrio or even Bape accessories.

Before heading out, pick out a couple snacks with your date at Uwajimaya, perhaps from the deli. Try a Mogu Mogu bottled drink if you haven’t yet—nata jellies (those translucent, chewy cubes made from fermented coconut water) are like a fidget spinner for your mouth.

Picnic in the CID Hing Hay Park
The next move is to head up the block to Hing Hay Park. It’s a tucked-away pocket of the CID with lots of seating, ornate pagodas, and plenty of characters. It’s the ideal home base to spread out your treasures, share some snacks and stories, and appreciate the energy of the neighborhood together.

Plus, if you’re feeling recently inspired by Marty Supreme, you could play each other at one of the public ping-pong tables, or embarrass yourself by playing against one of the Chinese grinders ready for a new victim.

Browse the CID Shops
Let the CID trinket observation commence. Check out Trichome, a longtime alt hot spot and gift shop for the indie streetwear kids and the psychedelic-interested among us, and not totally in the Spencer’s Gifts sort of way. Ask about the Lexco cases and the refrigerator behind the counter.

Other nearby stores you won’t want to miss include Shishido Zakka-Ya, a shop full of kawaii wares made by local Seattle AANHPI artists, Mam’s Books for the best selection of Asian authors and warm vibes, and Pink Gorilla, where your childhood video game nostalgia comes to life in vibrant tactile glory.

Walk the Jose Rizal Bridge
One of Seattle’s best viewpoints is the bridge that carries 12th Avenue South over the freeway. When it’s time to wrap up in the CID, take a short drive up to Jose Rizal Bridge. Park on the Beacon Hill side, near the Tower of Terror–looking building, then walk the bridge back towards the CID, enjoying the view together.

Not only is it a great place to snap pics of one another, catch a sunset, and appreciate the city, it’s also a great opportunity to flex your knowledge about Filipino explorer Jose Rizal, which I expect you to brush up on before this leg.

Try on Fits at Break Away Vintage on Pike
In the big 2026, we are saving money on clothes by shopping secondhand. No better place in Seattle to take in-store fit pics than at Break Away Vintage Market in Capitol Hill (formerly Late Night Vintage Market).

This spot, IMHO, is holding down the neighborhood, run by a group of fellas who in kind remind me that Seattle still has flavor. It’s laid out similar to the Winchester Mystery House, with hallways and stairs that lead you to unexpected places. Pick through racks and find items your date would find amusing, plus trying on the wildest things for a mini fashion show is never a miss.

Small Bites at Tamari Bar
By now it’s time for a proper meal. In this area—right down the street from Break Away—you have to go to Tamari Bar.

This spot feels casual by design, but the necessity of reservations signals the quality of the meal you’re about to enjoy. I also highly rate their inventiveness, and I’m sure your date will, too. Throw a dart at the menu and you will be thrilled, but don’t miss the famous “206 curry” in any iteration, the mazemen with Parmigiano Reggiano, or the bara-chirashi bowl.

Sip Highballs at Shibuya HiFi
To cap off this date, I suggest one of the coolest places in the city. Shibuya HiFi in Ballard is a vinyl bar and lounge inspired by Tokyo’s legendary jazz kissa (listening cafes). You initially enter through the “Living Room”—a swank, intimate space covered floor-to-ceiling with cedar planks and cozy furniture. Enjoy a highball at the bar, or perhaps a Pink Rabbits (made with Japanese Haku vodka and lychee).

When you’re reset, head back to the reservations-only HiFi Room, which feels like the living room of the world’s biggest audiophile. You’ll have to remove your shoes and leave your drink behind before entering and settling into the plush sofas or vintage Benaroya Hall seats.

Get enveloped in the album (that you’ll listen to start to finish), and if you get carried away by the ambience and realization that life doesn’t get better than this, my suggestion is to look over at your date, smile, and just let it happen.