Food Critic Nancy Leson's shopping bag

There's only one thing more fun than sitting down to a great meal: shopping for one. And there's no place better to do it than Pike Place Market.

Cafe Yarmarka
1530 Post Alley, 206-521-9054
Just like bubbie used to make: potato-and-cheese pierogies, frozen to-go for a warming lunch or a great side-dish.

Cinnamon Works
1530 Pike Place, 206-583-0085
A molasses-gingersnap cookie, bigger than my kid's smiling face.

DeLaurenti Specialty Food & Wine
1435 First Ave., 206-622-0141
Finnochiona (sliced!) from Salumi Artisan Meats; canned San Marzano tomatoes (for my spaghetti Bolognese).

Don & Joe's Meats
85 Pike St., 206-682-7670
What's for dinner? Hot tongue and cold shoulder? No, tonight it's hanger steak — a quick-fix.

Pure Food Fish
1511 Pike Place, 206-622-5765
Smoked salmon (try a taste first), spot prawns (in season) and high-end fish trim (great for soups or for batter-dipping and frying).

Sosio's Produce
1527 Pike Place, 206-622-1370
Seasonal wild mushrooms (for risotto), a head of escarole (to grill whole, then dress with salt and lemon) and whatever fresh seasonal fruit (muscat grapes? peaches?) they're "tasting" today.

The Spanish Table
1426 Western Ave., 206-682-2827
Spain reigns here at this Euro-find, which recently moved from its longstanding location across the street to new digs near Pike Place Market. White anchovies! Vinagre de Jerez! A bottle of rioja! Ole!

Sur la Table
84 Pine St., 206-448-2244
First, ogle the Le Creuset collection. Then buy an oyster knife.

Uli's Famous Sausage
15 Pike Place Market, 206-839-1000
Leave it to German sausage-maker Uli Lengenberg to provide a United Nations for my grill: Merguez sausages (for serving over couscous), plus everything from boudin blanc to English bangers to South African boerewors.

World Spice
1509 Western Ave., 206-682-7274
This culinary apothecary is worth the (short) detour for Aleppo pepper, and spice blends like Sri Lankan curry and fragrant Besar.

For more information about these shops, visit the dining and shopping guide from Pike Place Market PDA.

-- Nancy Leson, Seattle Times restaurant critic