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Thanks to inventive chefs, first-rate local produce, adventurous diners, and a bold entrepreneurial spirit, Seattle has become one of the culinary capitals of the nation. Fearless young chefs have stepped in and raised the bar. Fresh and often foraged produce, local seafood, and imaginative techniques make the quality of local c
Thanks to inventive chefs, first-rate local produce, adventurous diners, and a bold entrepreneurial spirit, Seattle has become one of the culinary capitals of the nation. Fearless young chefs have stepped in and raised the bar. Fresh and often foraged produce, local sea
Thanks to inventive chefs, first-rate local produce, adventurous diners, and a bold entrepreneurial spirit, Seattle has
Thanks to inventive chefs, first-rate local produce, adventurous diners, and a bold entrepreneurial spirit, Seattle has become one of the culinary capitals of the nation. Fearless young chefs have stepped in and raised the bar. Fresh and often foraged produce, local seafood, and imaginative techniques make the quality of local cuisine even higher.
Seattle's dining scene has been stoked like a wildfire by culinary rock stars who compete on shows like Iron Chef, Top Chef, and regularly dominate "best of" lists. Seattle chefs have won big in the prestigious James Beard competition, with Renee Erickson of Bateau, Walrus and the Carpenter, and the Whale Wins taking the "Best Chef Northwest" title in 2016 and creative genius Edouardo Jordan named one of Food and Wine Magazine's "Best New Chefs." The city is particularly strong on new American, Japanese, and Vietnamese cuisines. Chefs continuously fine-tune what can best be called Pacific Northwest cuisine, which features fresh, local ingredients, including anything from nettles and mushrooms foraged in nearby forests; colorful berries, apples, and cherries grown by Washington State farmers; and outstanding seafood from the cold northern waters of the Pacific Ocean, like wild salmon, halibut, oysters, Dungeness crab, and geoduck. Seattle boasts quite a few outstanding bakeries, too, whose breads and desserts you'll see touted on many menus.
Seattle is also seeing a resurgence in American comfort food, often with a gourmet twist, as well as gastropub fare, which can mean anything from divine burgers on locally baked ciabatta rolls to grilled foie gras with brioche toast. But innovation still reigns supreme: local salmon cooked sous vide and accompanied with pickled kimchi or fresh-picked peas can be just as common as aspic spiked with sake and reindeer meat. Many menus feature fusion cuisine or pages of small-plate offerings, and even high-end chefs are dabbling in casual ventures like pop-up eateries or gourmet food trucks. Many, if not most, of the top chefs own their businesses as well, and in recent years they’ve spread their talents around, operating two or three complementary ventures (or, in Ethan Stowell’s case, more than a dozen and counting, while Tom Douglas has nearly 20, plus a cooking school and farm). The trend toward informality and simplicity particularly plays out when it comes to dessert; most neighborhoods boast branches of at least one of the city’s popular, independently owned cupcake, doughnut, or ice-cream shops. Regardless of the format or focus, one thing's for sure: chefs are highlighting their inventions with the top-notch ingredients that make Pacific Northwest cooking famous.
Slate tabletops, a tile floor, and a rolled-zinc bar will transport you out of Downtown Seattle and into the charming 6th arrondissement. The menu is quintessentially French: at lunch there are rustic pâtés and jambon et fromage (ham and cheese) sandwiches on crusty baguettes; dinner sees homemade sausages, daily fish specials, and steak tartare. The roast chicken (for two) takes an hour to prepare and is worth every second that you'll wait. Blackboards spell out the specials, and wines are served from the earthenware pichets that inspired the brasserie's name.
The white walls, picture windows, pressed linens, fresh flowers, and candles at charming French restaurant Campagne—which overlooks Pike Place Market and Elliott Bay—evoke Provence. So does the robust French country fare, with starters such as grilled housemade merguez sausage, pork rillettes, and potato gnocchi with braised artichokes and black truffle butter. Main plates include pork short ribs with onion, raisin, and tomato compote; steamed mussels with expertly prepared pommes frites; and Oregon beef rib-eye with parsley-crusted marrow bones. Campagne is open only for dinner, but downstairs, the equally charming (some would say even more lovely and authentic) Café Campagne serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. The café is an exceptional place for a satisfying weekend brunch before hitting Pike Place Market on foot. Try the impeccable quiche du jour with green salad; poached eggs with pearl onions, bacon, and champignons; or Brioche French toast—plus a big bowl of café au lait.
A trendy, high-design French brasserie mecca for hip folks seeking out reliably delicious French cuisine, Bastille is one of the more popular spots in Ballard. Snazzy diners sip simple house cocktails and munch on delicious steak frites, local oysters, and well-executed daily fish specials such as Washington-caught salmon. Large parties might ask for the "fire pit" table, which has a small fire in the brick-lined center, casting shadows on the vast, often-packed interior with its booths, shared tables, and ample high-gloss counter space. The lovely outdoor area is the perfect spot at summer Sunday-only brunches.
5307 Ballard Ave. NW, Seattle, Washington, 98117, USA
Two distinct rooms create plenty of space at this French bistro just off the Pike–Pine Corridor, where you can get such Parisian fare as pressed chicken with greens; a croque madame; mussels with french fries; roasted chicken; and simple cheese platters with slices of baguette. This is the spot to order some red table wine and people-watch. A quirky, low-key vibe pervades this beloved Capitol Hill haunt, thanks in part to Seattle University, which is just steps away. It's equally good for early birds and night owls, open from the 8 am petit dejeuner until 1 am.
On an unattractive corner somewhere halfway between Ballard and Fremont is a charming and innovative French restaurant. The intimate, rustic-chic spot is part unassuming bistro and part romantic, special-occasion dining room. The chef uses classic French techniques and locally grown ingredients to create stunning dishes such as ruby trout with mustard greens; roast guinea hen with housemade bacon; or poached line-caught halibut in dill sauce. The dessert menu might include a flourless chocolate cake, a berry crème brûlée, honey cake, or almond crème anglaise. Many patrons love the extensive (and pricey) tasting menus. You can also go next door to swanky Sambar to order from an abbreviated bar menu—cocktails and frites is a great way to end a night out in Ballard.
425 N.W. Market St., Seattle, Washington, 98107, USA
Thierry Rautureau (aka the Chef in the Hat) opened one of Seattle's first modern French restaurants, bringing the art of precise sourcing and fine-dining to the city in the late '80s with Rover's. Now, just blocks from where that once stood, he puts the same care and skill into classic French bistro–style food. Quiet and elegant, the space encourages conversation over souffle potato chips and glasses of Côtes du Rhône and catching up over trout amandine. On Monday there's live accordion music.
Karen Binder's small, French-bistro-style neighborhood café is a local institution. Although this spot is also widely known for its weekend brunches, recent years have brought a greater emphasis on the dinner service. Popular dishes on the ever-changing evening menu have included cassoulet, crab cakes, steak frites, and traditional rack of lamb. For warm-weather dining, there's a secluded cobblestone courtyard shaded by trees and scented by lilies. Note that this restaurant is a short cab ride away from Capitol Hill, in the leafy Madison Park neighborhood, close to the shores of Lake Washington.
Thierry Rautureau (dubbed the "chef in the hat" for his signature Panama-style hats) is one of the Northwest's most imaginative and charming chefs, and his restaurant is an essential Seattle foodie destination. Sea scallops, squab, lobster, and rabbit are frequent offerings on the prix-fixe menu (though items are also available à la carte, and there's a vegetarian menu as well). Traditional accoutrements such as foie gras pay homage to Rautureau's French roots, but bold combinations of local ingredients are evidence of his wanderlust. The service at Rover's is downright excellent, the setting romantic, and the presentation stunning. Rover's is a short cab ride from the center of Capitol Hill, in the Madison Park neighborhood. Rautureau is also frequently on-site at adorable Luc (2800 E. Madison, 206/328–6645), his busy casual French bistro just next door, but Rover's is the real destination restaurant.
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