56 Best Restaurants in USA

Since the early '90s, this cheerful art-filled spot has been a go-to on the peninsula for celebrating special occasions and simply enjoying stellar comfort food with locally sourced ingredients. Consider kicking off your meal with goat cheese fondue or a half pound of Willapa Bay clams steamed in white wine, before graduating to flash-fried razor clams with seasonal vegetables, or ravioli stuffed with wild mushrooms and topped with tomato sauce. Rich chocolate rum truffle cheesecake is a popular dessert.

Look to this easygoing, art-filled restaurant for inventive, locally sourced, and mostly organic dishes, including pizzas from the wood-fired oven with creative toppings like pesto, truffled goat cheese, and pickled onions. The menu's sustainably harvested seafood selections highlight whatever is in season and also get the wood-fire treatment. Even the bacon-wrapped meat loaf features local grass-fed beef, along with buttermilk mashed potatoes and greens.

From the custom wine cellar that forms the back wall of the dining room to the rows of bottles in the front window, the emphasis on viticulture is clear the minute you walk into this intimate bistro known for its seasonally sourced Pacific Northwest cuisine. The menu—available à la carte or as a four-course prix fixe—changes daily according to availability but might feature local king salmon or a duck plate for two.

With a dining room and spacious terrace overlooking the downtown's Waterfront District and Bellingham Bay, this spacious craft cider taproom is an inviting, family-friendly place to sample the rotating selection of small-batch sippers. This is a legit dining option, too, with a kitchen that turns out well-crafted contemporary Northwest fare, from pan-roasted diver scallops with gnocchi to pork tenderloin with rosemary spaetzle and a mustard cream sauce. There's also an impressive selection of beer, wine, and cocktails. 

A sylvan hilltop overlooking the Methow Valley sets the scene for an extraordinary dining experience featuring upscale Pacific Northwest cuisine with local and often organic ingredients, artfully presented and served in an elegant yet unpretentious, wood-filled setting. Highlights include chicken curry soup, mushroom strudel, prime beef tenderloin, and Columbia River steelhead. Desserts vary by the season: apple pie with house-made ice cream is a fall favorite, while pavlova with sugared cranberries is refreshing in winter. Beignets make an appearance on the breakfast menu, along with a tasty BLTA croissant. The 3,500-bottle wine cellar is one of the best and most extensive in the region.

A favorite spot for special occasions, this intimate downtown bistro is highly regarded for its deftly prepared, European-influenced Northwestern cuisine, such as Spanish-style octopus a la plancha with harissa and kalamata olive oil emulsion, and cocoa-and-chile-rubbed New York strip steak with red wine honey. Elements is also one of the best brunch spots in town—consider the Dungeness crab Benedict.

In a vintage brick building in downtown Chehalis, a 10-minute drive south of Centralia, you'll find the region's most sophisticated restaurant, a source of consistently imaginative, fresh Pacific Northwest fare at reasonable prices. The seasonally driven menu changes daily but might feature a starter of cheddar ale fondue with apple, artisan bread, and sausage, followed by Parmesan-crusted whitefish with a light lemon-dill sauce, or sliced duck breast with a black-cherry-and-walnut reduction—it's pretty urbane fare for this laid-back, down-home part of Washington.

Book ahead several days—or even weeks for Friday and Saturday—for the chance to dine at this intimate prix-fixe restaurant that features the modern, farm-to-table culinary masterpieces of young and extraordinary chef-owner Josh Dorcak. Feasts generally of 6 to 10 courses are available, with the seats at the cozy and lively chef's counter the most desirable—wine and sake pairings are available. Recent plates have included cured trout with nasturtium and roe and local quail with preserved fruits. 

Matia Kitchen quickly garnered national accolades for its outstanding seasonal cuisine that focuses on local ingredients, creative flavor combinations, and artistic presentation. Many of the dishes are vegetable-focused—such as an ancient grain panisse with mushrooms and carrot dumplings with pumpkin-seed pesto—but you'll also find options like a lamb pancake with gochujang creamed cabbage and king salmon with apricot confit and Szechuan chili crisp. Located in Eastsound's former Firehall, the vibe at Matia is polished but casual, and with just six seats at the chef's counter, advance reservations for the ten-course chef's tasting menu are a must. Reservations are also offered for the six-course menu in the dining room, and walk-ins can enjoy snacks, fresh pasta, house favorites, and drinks in the lounge. Visiting during the off-season is a great option too, since Matia Kitchen stays open all year.

One of the most beloved of Pike Place Market's restaurants, Matt's is all about intimate dining, fresh ingredients, and superb service. You can perch at the bar for pints and the signature deviled eggs or be seated at a table—complete with vases filled with flowers from the market—for a seasonal menu that synthesizes the best picks from the restaurant's produce vendors and an excellent wine list. Dinner entrées always include at least one catch of the day—perhaps a whole fish in saffron broth or Alaskan halibut with pea vines. Your first dinner at Matt's is like a first date you hope will never end. It is owned by Dan Bugge, a bit of a celebrity himself, having appeared on TV shows with Martha Stewart, Anthony Bourdain, and Bobby Flay.

On a breezy, sunny day, it's hard to find a more inviting spot for lunch or dinner than the deck of this upscale farm-to-table restaurant overlooking the pleasure boats chugging along downtown La Conner's Swinomish Channel. Whether you dine inside or out, expect a menu of stellar Pacific Northwest fare, perhaps lightly fried local oysters with lemon aioli to start, followed by a bone-in Kurobuta pork chop with stone-ground mustard demi-glace. 

Throughout the day, this eclectic art-filled café with a sunny brick patio is Manzanita's favorite spot for a caffeine pick-me-up, featuring coffee from Cannon Beach's famed Sleepy Monk roastery, as well as casual lunches of meatloaf sandwiches and oyster po'boys. In the evening, however, Offshore Grill turns into a legit dinner house, serving up artfully plated moules frites, pan-seared duck breast with bok choy and an orange-chili sauce, and hazelnut-crusted local rockfish topped with a ginger-cranberry coulis. 

Tucked in an alley near downtown theaters and nightlife, this cozy and romantic neighborhood bistro serves first-rate Northwest-influenced Italian fare, including bounteous salads and creative grills. It's worth seeking out this art-filled space with exposed-brick walls for such delectable fare as twin duck breasts with an apple-port reduction and cherries, and slow-cooked pork loin Bolognese with house-made pappardelle pasta. 

A couple of blocks from the river on a bluff with expansive views of the village, this homey restaurant with a rustic dark-wood interior serves superb seafood, including clams steamed in white wine with smoked tomatoes and bacon, and seared sea scallops with creamed-leek risotto. There are also always a few well-prepared French-inspired classics, such as baked escargots and dry-aged rib eye with confit potatoes and foie gras–anchovy butter. 

It's worth the half-hour drive around the harbor to historic downtown Aberdeen to dine at the region's most sophisticated restaurant, where seasonal, locally sourced ingredients appear in artfully plated creations like black cod with buttered oyster sauce, and braised rabbit with ricotta gnudi. Rediviva means renewed or revived, and much of the material—wood, metal, and glass—in the interior has been upcycled for a refined effect. There's also a great selection of Northwest wines and craft cocktails.

"Serious food in a not-so-serious place" is the slogan of this casual roadhouse with a surprisingly sophisticated menu—it's been a locals' favorite since it opened back in the mid-'90s. For a joint many miles from the coast, the 'Vous sure does a nice job with seafood, turning out appetizing plates of sautéed shrimp, Willapa Bay oysters, Dungeness crab, and sake-glazed wild salmon. Steaks, burgers, and salads round out the menu. Grab a seat on the leafy patio in warm weather. In the adjacent taproom, ask about the seasonal, house-infused spirits, including vodkas and gins.

Immensely gifted chef-owner Justin Wills presents a short but memorable menu of creatively prepared, modern, Pacific Northwest cuisine each night in this romantic, contemporary dining room at the Whale Cove Inn. The menu changes regularly, with chef Wills sourcing largely from local farms, ranches, and fisheries, but you might start with an elk crepinette with chanterelle mushrooms and Asian pears, followed by pheasant breast with kalamata olives, brown-butter crumbs, and beet-pickled leeks. Save room for dessert; it's impressive here, with the apple pie tart topped with hard-crack caramel and candied almonds a particular standout. 

Located on the first floor of Populus Hotel, Salt Harvest echoes the hotel's commitment to sustainability and the local ecosystem; its menu is an ode to the flavors of Washington's land and seas. Dine on green marble tables enveloped by draping plants and bold paintings, tasting your way through seasonal plates sourced from local farms. Meats, fish, and some vegetable dishes are wood-fired, subtly infusing the food with hints of smoke from local woods. The cocktail menu is equally as enticing, drawing on seasonally-sourced herbs and fruits to inspire its libations. While dinner steals the show, breakfast and lunch aren't to be overlooked, with dishes like breakfast fried rice, Turkish eggs, and a crispy fish sandwich. 

The dark-wood-paneled walls, floor-to-ceiling stained-glass windows, and marble café tables inside this venerable spot attest to its history of feeding locals and visitors for more than a century. Although it calls itself a pub, the Shelburne has a casually sophisticated look and vibe, and stellar yet reasonably priced Pacific Northwest fare to go with it—consider the miso-cured sablefish with bok choy and pickled shiitakes, or crispy braised pork with polenta and a blackberry gastrique (a sauce that's sweet and sour). Brunch is a popular affair on weekends. The restaurant is inside a small boutique hotel with comfy rooms.

This enchanting dining room, set in an old brick and tile factory with a high ceiling, exposed beams, a fireplace, and many windows, shares its space with Eden Hall performance venue. The menu changes often, but favorites that tend to appear regularly include Marcona almond–crusted seared salmon with harissa and seasonal grilled vegetables and Northwest bouillabaisse with a lemongrass-saffron-tomato broth.

A rotating menu at this fine bistro in Albany's historic downtown changes monthly and features flavorful cuisine at reasonable prices. The restaurant strives to ensure that most of the ingredients, including the lamb, eggs, and vegetables, are raised within 10 miles. The wine list includes worldwide classics, but is strong on local Oregon wines, too.

Oysters don’t get any fresher than this: Taylor, a fifth-generation, family-owned company, opened its own restaurant to serve their products in the manner most befitting such pristine shellfish. The simple preparations—raw, cooked, and chilled—are all designed to show off the seafood with light broths, sauces, and a few accoutrements. This is the place to come for a true sense of the Pacific Northwest’s “merroir”—taste of the local waters, including the (in)famous local giant clam, the geoduck, which is mostly known for its unique, somewhat lewd shape. Proximity to the stadium makes this the perfect destination for Seattle’s local tailgaters, who often prefer a dozen fresh-shucked bivalves to chili or barbecue.

One of the latest upscale farm-to-table restaurants to put the San Juan Islands on the culinary map, Ursa Minor is helmed by Nick Coffey, formerly of the now-closed Sitka & Spruce in Seattle. He celebrates the Islands' incredible bounty with a creative seasonal menu featuring seafood, foraged mushrooms, and produce from island farms.

From Westport, it's a scenic 20-mile drive down the coast to reach the much-buzzed-about eatery that is inside the historic and offbeat Tokeland Hotel and run by young restaurateurs who had operated the original Wandering Goose in Seattle before relocating here in 2018. Folks come from all over to sample the fluffy scratch-made biscuits and Japanese-style oyakodon omelets (eggs with chicken), but dinner is the star attraction—and duck confit slow-simmered for six hours is the most celebrated dish. In addition to a thoughtfully curated wine and cocktail list, the restaurant has interesting nonalcoholic drinks, from natural sodas to drinking vinegars. A team of cute resident cats and dogs often amble about the dining room visiting with patrons.

As diners enjoy a romantic view of Haystack Rock, this luxe hotel's sophisticated, supremely romantic dining room prepares a new menu nightly, crafting exquisite dinners using fresh, local ingredients. Diners can expect dishes such as cedar plank–roasted salmon, rack of lamb with chanterelle risotto, and a lemon-curd tart with wild berry sauce. You can order à la carte or opt for the four-course prix-fixe, with or without wine pairings. There's an extensive regional and international wine list. The view, cuisine, and attentive service combine to make it one of the finest dining experiences in the Pacific Northwest.

Locally sourced farm-to-table meals are the draw in this airy, casually elegant restaurant on the edge of downtown Winthrop. Notable examples of the deftly plated, sophisticated fare you might find here include braised lamb shank with lemon farro, grilled pork chop with savory pear sauce, lemon and feta risotto, and mushroom cassoulet. The starters and mains on the shorter bar menu are equally ambitious 

Vaulted wooden beams and a wood-plank floor, handcrafted furniture, handwoven drapes, and a lion-sized stone fireplace set the scene in Timberline Lodge's esteemed restaurant, from which views of neighboring mountains are enjoyed, except when snow drifts cover the windows. The atmosphere is traditional and historic, and the menu emphasizes local and organic ingredients in dishes like Oregon razor clam ceviche with yuzu and cilantro, and confit of duck and pork belly with a hominy and red-chili broth. The daily breakfast and lunch buffets highlight different seasonal ingredients and purveyors each week.

Refined and relaxing, this high-ceilinged restaurant in a contemporary downtown building is popular both for dinner and enjoying a glass of local wine in the bar. Notable examples of the kitchen's deftly crafted Pacific Northwest fare, which emphasizes seasonal ingredients, include homemade gnocchi over cauliflower puree, roasted delicata squash, and parsnips and pan-roasted black cod with Asian greens, roasted radishes, and a huckleberry-sherry sauce.

The 16th-story, panoramic views of Downtown, Elliott Bay, and Smith Tower make Charlotte one of Seattle's top special-occasion destinations. While dinner service is definitely a splurge—Charlotte offers a la carte options but the four-course prix fixe menu of creative Pacific Northwest fare is their calling card—the restaurant also serves a lovely breakfast with dishes including Dungeness crab toast and kimchi grilled cheese. On the top floor of the luxury hotel Lotte (Charlotte is pronounced "Char-lot-tay"), the blonde-wood-heavy, mid-century-inspired dining room has a handful of spaced-out tables right by the floor-to-ceiling windows, making for a spectacular perch at sunset if you're lucky.

Situated in a restored and windowed corner building, Chasing Sage sets the stage for just about any dish to look good, but the seasonal cooking here would probably taste just as good in the dark. (In fact, when the restaurant's opening was delayed for one year by the pandemic, its vibrant to-go program proved as much.) Order as many vegetable-forward small plates as you can.