Must-see restaurants in Seattle

  • Stoneburner

    Ballard & Discovery Park

    Come and see homemade pasta prepared before your eyes in this popular restaurant affiliated with the swanky Hotel Ballard. Pasta-rollers massage dough at…

  • Serafina

    Queen Anne & Lake Union

    This lovely neighborhood Italian restaurant in Eastlake specializes in regional Tuscan-style cooking, with simply prepared meat and fish, as well as…

  • Omega Ouzeri

    Seattle

    In an unassuming, square brick building, Omega Ouzeri’s doors open to a bright, airy restaurant, pristine in white and baby blue, with metallic and marble…

  • Matt’s in the Market

    Downtown, Pike Place & Waterfront

    Matt’s, now run by a former Pike Place Market fish-thrower, is perched above the bustle of the market with views out over the famous clock. Most of the…

  • Un Bien

    Ballard & Discovery Park

    Lines can get long at this Cuban take-out spot far from Ballard's commercial center, but the wait is worth it to finally sink your teeth into a perfectly…

  • Tilikum Place Cafe

    Belltown & Seattle Center

    This charmer of a European-style cafe is beloved by locals for lunch (sardine sandwiches) and brunch (Dutch baby pancakes) and dinner (roasted chicken…

  • Cascina Spinasse

    Seattle

    Successfully recreating the feel of an Italian trattoria, Spinasse specializes in the cuisine of northern Italy's Piedmont region. This means dishes like…

  • Macrina

    Belltown & Seattle Center

    That snaking queue's there for a reason: damned good artisanal bread (you can watch through the window as the experts roll out the dough). There are two…

  • San Fermo

    Ballard & Discovery Park

    San Fermo makes great use of its location in a historic single family home on Ballard Ave NW. It serves hearty Italian fare (think thick homemade noodles,…

  • Walrus & the Carpenter

    Ballard & Discovery Park

    Puget Sound waters practically bleed oysters and – arguably – there isn't a better place to knock ’em back raw with a glass of wine or two than the Walrus…

  • FOB Poke Bar

    Belltown & Seattle Center

    Ultrafresh ingredients and bold flavors have made relative Belltown newcomer FOB Poke Bar an instant success in the casual dining scene. This is a make…

  • Pink Door Ristorante

    Downtown, Pike Place & Waterfront

    A restaurant like no other, the Pink Door is probably the only place in the US (the world?) where you can enjoy fabulous linguine alle vongole (pasta with…

  • Crumpet Shop

    Downtown, Pike Place & Waterfront

    The treasured British crumpet has been given a distinct American twist with lavish toppings such as pesto, wild salmon or lemon curd at this casual Pike…

  • Steelhead Diner

    Downtown, Pike Place & Waterfront

    It's all about the fish at the Steelhead, one of Pike Place Market's posher posts. The fish-and-chips are a given, but you're better off trying the more…

  • Lola

    Belltown & Seattle Center

    Seattle's ubiquitous cooking maestro Tom Douglas goes Greek in this ambitious Belltown adventure and delivers once again with gusto. Stick in trendy…

  • Shiro's Sushi Restaurant

    Belltown & Seattle Center

    A little pricey, but with over 20 years of glowing testimonies about its black cod and deep-fried prawn heads, Shiro’s is Belltown's best Japanese option…

  • Bar del Corso

    Seattle

    Bar del Corso used to be a secret shared only between locals or those in the know, but as Beacon Hill has taken on more and more residents and businesses,…

  • Serious Pie

    Belltown & Seattle Center

    In the crowded confines of Serious Pie you can enjoy beautifully blistered pizza bases topped with such unconventional ingredients as clams, potatoes,…

  • Lady Yum

    Pioneer Square, International District & SoDo

    The macarons at this high-femme Pioneer Square bakery are about as good as they get outside of Paris. Flavors like honey-lavender and chili-mango give…

  • Dino's Tomato Pie

    Seattle

    With its mirrored walls, wooden booths and red and yellow stained-glass accents, Dino's strikes a nostalgic chord (water in plastic red tumbler cups,…

  • Westward

    Seattle

    With Lake Union lapping at your feet and the city skyline as a backdrop, it’s no surprise that Westward is a favorite local haunt. The menu combines bold…

  • Brimmer & Heeltap

    Seattle

    One of only two Seattle restaurants that made 2016's 'Best Bars in America' list by Food & Wine, Brimmer & Heeltap proffers creative drinks. Quaff one…

  • Mike's Noodle House

    Pioneer Square, International District & SoDo

    Known by local Chinese diners as one of the best wonton noodle houses in Seattle, Mike’s Noodle House is a quick and easy way to satisfy your cravings for…

  • Palace Kitchen

    Belltown & Seattle Center

    One of Tom Douglas' harder to classify restaurants, the Palace is known for its upscale 'New American' cuisine, late-night happy hour and cool cocktail…

  • Serious Biscuit

    Queen Anne & Lake Union

    After Serious Pie comes Serious Biscuit, Tom Douglas’ first bite at the South Lake Union cookie that has lured so many new restaurants into the…

  • FareStart Restaurant

    Belltown & Seattle Center

    FareStart serves substantial meals that benefit the community. All proceeds from lunch and the popular Thursday-night Guest Chef dinners – when FareStart…

  • Cafe Selam

    The CD, Madrona & Madison Park

    Aptly located in the heart of the CD's 'Little Ethiopia,' Cafe Selam wows with dishes such as foul (a fava-bean concoction that's not at all foul) and fir…

  • Caffè Lieto

    Downtown, Pike Place & Waterfront

    This tiny Pike Place Market storefront houses two casual dining juggernauts: Cafe Lieto and Biscuit Bitch. The former specializes in strong coffee, while…

  • Salty’s on Alki

    Seattle

    Salty's isn't actually on Alki Beach; rather it is on the other side of Duwamish Head facing Elliott Bay. In any case, the view of the Seattle skyline…

  • Café Presse

    Seattle

    This dreamy cafe, opened by the owners of cute French bistro Le Pichet, specializes in unfussy dishes, the likes of which you’d find once upon a time in a…

  • Via Tribunali

    Seattle

    This small Seattle-founded chain operates in four of the city's hipper sanctums (including Capitol Hill and Fremont) plus a couple of foreign enclaves …

  • Red Cow

    The CD, Madrona & Madison Park

    Welcome to a new endeavor from lauded Seattle chef Ethan Stowell who normally specializes in Italian fare, but for this venture has crossed the Alps into…

  • Rione XIII

    Seattle

    The secret of Roman food lies in two words: ‘simple’ and ‘effective.’ That’s its inherent beauty. Local legend Ethan Stowell probably guessed as much when…

  • Grand Central Baking Co

    Pioneer Square, International District & SoDo

    Grand Central – located in the eponymous building – is considered one of the best bakeries in Seattle. Its artisanal breads can be bought whole or sliced…

  • Shanghai Garden

    Pioneer Square, International District & SoDo

    Hand-shaved barley noodles are the specialty of Shanghai Garden and, frankly, they trounce all expectations you might ordinarily have of a noodle. They’re…

  • Elliott's Oyster House

    Downtown, Pike Place & Waterfront

    One of the best oyster houses in Seattle overhangs the water on Pier 56. The oyster menu lists over 30 different varieties plucked from practically every…

  • Pike Place Chowder

    Downtown, Pike Place & Waterfront

    Proof that some of the best culinary ideas are almost ridiculously simple, this Pike Place Market hole-in-the-wall takes that New England favorite (clam…

  • Purple Cafe & Wine Bar

    Downtown, Pike Place & Waterfront

    Instantly impressive with its high ceiling, lofty mezzanine floor and spectacular tower of wine bottles, the Purple Cafe almost always seems to fill its…

  • La Vita é Bella

    Belltown & Seattle Center

    As any Italian food snob will tell you, it's very hard to find authentic home-spun Italian cuisine this side of Sicily. Thus extra kudos must go to La…

  • Beth’s Café

    Seattle

    The best – or at least biggest – hangover breakfast in the world is at Beth’s, and you can get it all day long in an agreeably greasy space decorated with…

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