Hopvine

With a wetter autumn than Seattle has seen in years, cozy spots offering a respite from the rain are coveted. Hopvine Pub, nestled near a Thai restaurant and a neighborhood flower shop on Capitol Hill's quaint 15th Avenue, will warm you—from the inside out. The local watering hole is known for its consistently hearty and innovative soups, due in large part to chef Michael Congdon, who not so humbly shares his secrets with the masses in his book S.O.U.P.S.: Seattle's Own Undeniably Perfect Soups. On a recent excursion, the chalkboard menu touted a rich and flavorful spicy Southwest pumpkin—the perfect accompaniment to a pint of one of the Hopvine's many rotating beers. While an ideal locale for sipping a microbrew with your nose in a book, with inviting tables and intimate booths, the pub also plays host to live music (Saturdays at 9 p.m.), one of the city's longest-running open mikes (Wednesdays), and an always-packed trivia night (second and fourth Tuesdays of the month) for those who like to think while they drink. From brain to palate, the Hopvine provides a stimulating shelter from the storm. AJA PECKNOLD