Hosting your own Seahawks watch party? Here’s where to get the best snacks, beer

The Seattle Seahawks are headed to the NFC Championship game, and as my intrepid colleague Gregg Bell has illustrated in recent days, their record at home in such games is a perfect 3-0. Needless to say, each win propelled the team to the Super Bowl.

Bars up and down the Northwest I-5 corridor are prepping for a busy Sunday when the Hawks take on the Los Angeles Rams, who skirted past the Chicago Bears on an overtime field goal last weekend.

For those who prefer to gnaw their knuckles at home in the familiarity of friends and a fridge full of beer, I’ve racked my repository of go-to sources to host the best watch party in Tacoma. From fancy DIY pigs in a blanket to ready-to-eat charcuterie boards, local brews to cookies and freshly baked pretzels, here’s where I would shop for a championship-worthy game-day hangout.

Build-your-own pigs in a blanket

• Marvel Food & Deli, 301 133rd St. S., Tacoma — Monday-Saturday 8 a.m.-9 p.m.
• European Delicatessen, 3612 Center St., Tacoma — daily 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

For a recent holiday party, in an effort to appease both kids and adults, I decided only pigs in a blanket would do — but they had to be DIY. You can find Hillshire Farm “Lit’l Smokies” at some supermarkets, but I knew our local Eastern European markets stocked the good stuff. At both Marvel Food and Deli in Parkland and the petite European Delicatessen on Center and Pine, snag a hefty, vacuum-sealed package of mini smoked sausages, made by a Polish meat producer in Chicago, for about $10. Get two because these puppies will go fast.

Any frozen puff pastry works, but I used Pepperidge Farm — and the results were inspiring if I do say so myself. Let the frozen pastry thaw on the counter for 20 minutes or in the fridge for longer. Roll each piece on a cutting board until about half of its original thinnest — ignore deformities. Use a butter knife or pizza cutter to cut the pastry lengthwise into approximately eight strips, then cut in half for around 16 strips. Swaddle the dogs one by one. Choose your seasonings — we sprinkled some with everything-bagel mix, others with a spicy chili powder such as berbere, and a few with coarse sea salt.

Place with room for each dog to breathe on a sheet pan in a 350-degree oven for 20 or so minutes, until the pastry is baked through and golden-toasty. Increase the temperature to 375 if you prefer a crispier shell. Serve with yellow mustard and sriracha ketchup.

Stock up on meat & jerky

• Blue Max Meats, 9502 Canyon Road, Puyallup
• Blue Max Meats, 29304 State Route 410, Buckley — both shops open Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
• Tacoma Boys, 901 39th Ave. SW, Puyallup
• Tacoma Boys, 5602 6th Ave., Tacoma
• H&L Produce, 7320 Lakewood Dr. W., Lakewood — all stores open 24/7

Blue Max Meats went viral during the Seahawks’ 2014 Super Bowl run for a homemade Skittles-laced, spicy pork sausage. Marshawn Lynch might have retired, but the link lives on at Pierce County’s best butcher shop. Staff was slammed last week and both shops ran out, but the sausage will return next week — regardless of the outcome of Sunday’s game, an employee assured me in a phone call. Nonetheless, the Puyallup and Buckley markets are a must visit for any game-day party. If you’re a griller, they’ve got the meats — pre-marinated options ease prep and shopping needs. If you’re a snacker, stock up on the house “trail mix” of housemade beef jerky, pepperoni sticks, smoked bratwurst and cheese cubes. The dry-good shelves also offer an impressive array of condiments.

At Tacoma Boys and sister store H&L Produce, find more exciting chips, candy and other snacks to fill the bowls, as well as a pretty protein case. The coolers here are also brimming with local beer and cider, and the wine collection outshines its big-box competitors.

Party-ready charcuterie boards

• Bomb Charcuterie, 919 Kincaid Ave., Sumner — Wednesday-Saturday 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Graze Craze, 118 S. 9th St., Tacoma — Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-3 p.m., plus special Sunday pickup hours

Bomb Charcuterie specializes in eye-catching grazing boards packed with an array of cured meats, cheeses, nuts and fruit (fresh and dried). Boxes start at $50 for a serving suitable for up to four people, rising to $185 for a party of up to 12. The shop also offers crudite platters ($90-$120, two-day lead time) with 2-3 dips and just-fruit plates. Add a cracker platter or just buy at any grocer. Most boards can be ordered and picked up on the same day, but call or order online a few hours ahead.

In downtown Tacoma, a local couple opened a franchise of a national charcuterie board brand called Graze Craze last year. Small boxes — with meat, cheese, fruit, cut veggies and one dip or jam — start at $17. For a crowd, level up to the multi-serving options, which come with multiple dips ($35 for two servings, $60 for four, $130 for up to 10 people and $190 for up to 20). The larger sizes are built on a take-home wooden board. Add crackers, baguette, jams and dips a la carte, too. Save 12% on the $150 Game Day board, featuring pieces of salami swirled into a football of sorts with a crosshatch of cheese to resemble the laces. Order online or call ahead for same-day (allow for 2-hour lead time) or future pickup.

Local beer & cider

• Peaks & Pints, 3816 N. 26th St., Tacoma — Sunday-Thursday 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-midnight
• Pint Defiance, 2049 Mildred St. W., Tacoma — Sunday-Wednesday noon-9 p.m., Thursday-Saturday noon-10 p.m.
• Cider & Cedar, 744 Market St., Tacoma — Wednesday-Thursday 4-10 p.m., Friday 4-11 p.m., Saturday 2-11 p.m.

Peaks & Pints in Proctor showcases the best of Northwest beer alongside high-quality brews from across the country and wherever beer is made. The coolers pack more than 800 cans and bottles, and you can go Crowler crazy with any of the liquids from the 23 taps, which also include cider, wine, cold-brew coffee and kombucha. Mix and match to your heart’s — and your guests’ — delight.

Pint Defiance in the West End, a woman-owned shop since 2022, also has impressive coolers with nearly 1,000 labels. Have a pint from one of 10 taps while you pick your six-packs.

If your crowd can’t do gluten or prefers cider, Cider & Cedar in downtown Tacoma has a nice bottle selection of mostly regional, all heirloom styles. Bring a growler or buy a glass one to fill from the current draft list, too.

Local breweries including 7 Seas, Sig, E9 and Narrows always have four- and six-pack cans ready to go. For the Lite/Light lovers, try the 7 Seas pilsner, Sig Light lager, E9’s Tacoma Brew (kölsch-style) and Narrows Light lager.

Pretzels, cookies, cupcakes & cold treats

• Maggie Magee’s Bake Shop, 604 Regents Blvd, Fircrest — Wednesday-Thursday 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday-Sunday 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Wanna Cupcake? 3826 Bridgeport Way W, University Place — Monday-Saturday 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
• Wanna Cupcake? 2102 E Main Ave., Puyallup — Monday-Saturday 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
• Bliss Creamery, 3556 University Place — Monday-Thursday 2-8 p.m., Friday 2-9 p.m., Saturday 1-9 p.m., Sunday 1-8 p.m.

Maggie Magee’s, a homespun bakery in Fircrest, fills its cases with an array of treats with new flavors every month. January’s cookie menu features iced oatmeal, peppermint white chocolate, a Rice Krispie-style, lemon raspberry and peanut butter with Nutella. Gluten-free and/or vegan options include cranberry bliss and chocolate chip. For the game, salty, soft pretzels would make a nice accompaniment to a tub of Cougar Gold or hot queso.

For more individually sized treats, Wanna Cupcake? satisfies with eight daily flavors — birthday, lemonlicious, salted caramel and red velvet among them — plus monthly specials that change each day of the week. Friday’s list includes coconut cream pie and java chip, and Saturday brings lemon-blueberry swirl and the Hostess-inspired “old school.” Note that all flavors hit the case after 10 a.m. Call ahead for pickup and best selection. Cupcakes start at $4.85 a piece but drop for half-dozen and by-the-dozen orders.

Get creative with colors at Bliss Small Batch Creamery, where all of the ice cream (available by the pint) is gluten-free and made on-site with natural dyes. That means spirulina in the Cookie Monster, which lends a pretty blue hue, and when combined with turmeric, a pleasing shade of green in the Mint Chip. Maybe a stretch, but a bowl of blue-and-green scoops to cap the evening, preferably after cheering a W, feels very Seahawks in Seattle.

This story was originally published January 22, 2026 at 9:56 AM.