Hi all — I will be in Seattle for the winter, and I'm a real foodie. Hoping to get a list of don't-miss places. I've heard of the Tom Douglas restaurants (been to Palace Kitchen + Etta's), and some spots downtown, but I know there's a lot going on in terms of cool cuisine there. Top choices? Do tell!! Thanks ahead of time ....

For more casual dining that isn't heavily touristy, check out Bizarro in Wallingford. I assume you'll have a car?

http://www.bizzarroitaliancafe.com/

I love the bruschetta and the Forest Floor Frenzy.

Some of my favorites (other than Tom Douglas's places, which are definitely on my list, including his Serious Pie pizza place):

Lark
Matt's in the Market
Steelhead Diner
Zoe

I haven't been to Delancy yet in Ballard due to the long waits but it's supposed to be great.

If you're going to be here as soon as Jan 9, there's going to be another mobile chowdown (mobile food vendors are a big trend here): http://www.seattlemag.com/pages/inde...8&ENTRY_NO=190

Check out How to Cook a Wolf, Union, Crush, Anchovies & Olives, The Harvard Vine, Taberna del Albarder, Lark, and Tom Douglas' relatively new pizza place--Serious Pie.

HTTY

Will you have a car? Lots of great places in the neighborhoods/suburbs. Where are you staying?

Delancey is really good, though I was surprised to find that it was thin crust pizza (when I thought I read it was supposed to be NY style). If you go, be prepared for a wait since they only take reservations for 6 or more. 1 could easily get a seat at the bar immediately (though the "bar" is really in the entry way of the restaurant), but waiting for a table can take easily an hour. There's a small dive bar across the street where you can wait with a drink - the folks at Delancey will call you when your table is ready.

I'm ditto-ing NWWanders suggestions of:
Matt's in the Market
Steelhead Diner
Zoe
(not a fan of Lark but I've only been once)

For interesting Japanese I like Wann's on 2nd.
Italian Assagio's or Il Bistro but they are more old school than cutting edge.

Wow thanks!! Yes, I'll have a car and will be downtown. Thanks for the recommendations so far! Any ideas for awesome sushi? Always a fan of top-notch Italian and Mexican food. Also, I've heard good things about someplace called Sitka-Spruce? Excited to start eating

Unfortunately, Sitka and Spruce is closing tomorrow and won't reopen for several months (in a new location, the "Pike-Pine Corridor.")

For Italian in the downtown area, two reliable places are Assaggio - http://www.assaggioseattle.com/ and Il Terrazzo Carmine - http://ilterrazzocarmine.com/ - in the downtown and Pioneer Square areas respectively. Assaggio is noisy and fun, with the host, Mauro, filling the room with an excess of personality (but good.) Il Terrazzo is also wonderful (in an alley - not all that easy to find the first time) but more a power-lunch kind of place.

Mexican in Seattle is unfortunately a bit of a letdown for anyone from other parts of the country. The exceptions are some pretty good taco wagons in various neighborhoods. If I had to pick the best restaurants we've visited (still open - our favorite, Beso del Sol in Wallingford, closed a couple years ago) I'd go for Cactus (in Madison Park and now at Alki Beach, which would be a great excursion - http://www.cactusrestaurants.com/ or Galerias up on Broadway - http://galeriasgourmet.com/ - both pretty well Seattlized places. For a fun, cheap, noisy alternative with view and kayak rentals (not recommended in January) try Agua Verde near the University - http://www.aguaverde.com/

For sushi, there are lots of good places; we like Shiro's in Belltown - http://www.shiros.com/ and Toyoda on Lake City Way (NE of downtown.) For sushi with a view, I Sushi on Lake Union (that's its name - sigh) is also pretty good, if pricey. Our fave Japanese place, however, with a friendly (and tiny) sushi bar, great service, cheap prices, and ongoing (muted) Japanese variety shows on the big-screen TV is Hiroshi's on Eastlake - http://www.hiroshis.com/ - conveniently located next to a laundromat for those sushi-suds-and-duds occasions. http://www.hiroshis.com/.

Yes, Sitka & Spruce is moving but the chef, Matt Dillon, has another restaurant, the Corson Building, that you might want to look into. I haven't been yet but have heard good things. It's one of those communal table type places.

I like Barolo downtown for Italian.

Another place I just thought of that's up and coming is Spring Hill in West Seattle. The chef used to work at Dahlia Lounge and it's been named to a couple best new restaurant type lists nationally. I've been a few times and it's quite good.

In the Tom Douglas group, we liked Etta's Seafood, but our mouths are still watering for Lola!

Can't wait to try Delancy myself, as I've been a fan of Molly's blog Orangette for some time.

El Puerco Lloron, on the back steps of the Pike Place Market has good home-style Mexican food. I also agree with both Cactus in Madison Park and Aqua Verde in Wallingford.

If you like traditional Spanish cuisine, Taberna del Alabardero is an outpost of a Seville restaurant that serves food of the kind I've never seen in Seattle before.

We had a delicious lunch there today sharing peppers stuffed with spinach and shrimp, squid served in their ink with rice, ham croquets, fish and shellfish soup, cod in green sauce with shrimp, spice cake with chocolate and fennel orange chutney, and coffee.

Everything was delicious--beautifully prepared and served. A memorable meal.

Correction: ham "croquettes."

HTTY

Check out the "Critic's Picks" section of the Seattle Weekly dining guide. I think it's a reliable list of what's good now (some of these online or magazine lists can be quite dated).

http://www.seattleweekly.com/restaur...=1&pageSize=75

A couple places that aren't in that guide that I'd recommend reading up about (great food and fairly unique Seattle experiences) are Art of the Table and Elemental. The Corson Building is in there, and since you're interested in Sitka and Spruce, that might be worth a visit if you don't mind a fixed menu, family style and communal tables (I enjoyed the experience but am generally not blown away by Matt Dillion's cooking at either Corson OR Sitka--that's just my personal taste though). Also Mashiko for sushi that's very highly regarded and all sustainable.

Branzino is my favorite Italian downtown (I haven't tried Tavolata though). There actually IS very good Mexican in the Seattle area these days, but you generally have to go north or south for it. I'm not sure I'd send a tourist on a taco truck crawl though if you're interested in that, there's lots of blogs and reviews online. One exception is La Carta de Oaxaca, which is on Ballard Ave (a hotbed of restaurant dining these days!). Senor Moose is also good Mexican and nearby to Ballard Ave.

I just found this list of the year's 10 best (and 40 best-same author, link on the right) restaurants, and I think it's quite good also:

http://www.seattlemet.com/eat-and-dr...aurants2-1009/

This is a great list for locals too! I just looked at the "Top 10" and found we haven't dined at a single one.

But we have been to Taberna del Alabardero, and loved it. Good food, a pleasant (not noisy) atmosphere, professional service, and not too pricy.

We have also been to the corson Building, for brunch, and it was very good, but I'm glad someone else was paying!

And now we'll have to try Branzino.

You all are amazingly insightful! Thank you. So ready to try these spots!