417 Best Restaurants in Washington, USA

Located in a long red building designed to resemble an old-time, one-room schoolhouse, this craft brewpub sits between the town's main drag and the Chewuch River. While waiting for a burger or a bowl of chili, sip an Epiphany Pale, Hooligan Stout, or Ruud Awakening IPA. Live music plays on the outdoor stage in the riverbank beer garden on summer weekend nights. In winter, make a reservation to dine outdoors in the heated Geodomes with your family or small group for a unique experience. Other locations of the brewery in nearby towns are the Old Schoolhouse Taproom in Twisp and the Mazama Public House in Mazama.

Epicureans flock to this bustling, high-ceilinged deli and specialty market in the heart of downtown for delicious  sandwiches, salads, and charcuterie and cheese plates featuring the best goods from Portland's famed Olympia Provisions and Seattle's vaunted Salumi. The muffaletta sandwich with pistachio-flecked mortadella, salami, ham, provolone, and olive salad, served on a baguette from renowned Bread Farm bakery, is a favorite. The shelves lining the dining room are stocked with hard-to-find imported and regional wines, plus fine sauces and chocolates.

A charming small café with bountiful planters of flowers and artsy touches like a gorgeous forest-scene stained glass window, the relatively new Olga Rising has become a neighborhood fixture quickly. (Note: Despite the name, it's in Eastbound, not the tiny hamlet of Olga.)

Stop by this sleek downtown coffee roastery with big windows for stellar espresso and java drinks, from rich mochas to nitro ice coffee, made with expertly roasted beans. Light snacks and baked goods are also on offer.

Opened by two women with extensive experience cooking Thai food, this casual spot in downtown Wenatchee turns out some of the best Southeast Asian cuisine in the region. Traditional khao soi egg noodles, pineapple fried rice, stir-fried seafood, and hot and sour soups are among the most popular dishes from the extensive menu.

Pressed-tin ceilings, vintage photographs, and a century-old bar with ornate columns evoke the past at this former saloon and pharmacy, enthusiastically serving American fare for decades. There are more than a dozen sandwiches and burgers on the menu, along with heartier dishes like pot roast dinner, two kinds of fish-and-chips, wild Alaskan salmon, and sirloin steak. For sharing, there's the baked Cougar Gold cheese dip with flatbread and a decadent warm chocolate chip cookie for dessert. Area 51 Taphouse is located inside the restaurant and offers 51 beverages on tap.

Cozy and eclectic, this little gem tucked away on a downtown side street uses locally sourced, organic ingredients in its flavorful portobello banh mi sandwiches, lamb kofta kebabs, pork belly burritos, and dinner salads. A colorful owl mural on the back wall watches over a dining room decorated with plants, patterned tablecloths, and local works of art.

Located near the tip of the Point Brown Peninsula, this stylish contemporary bistro with ample seating in a festive courtyard draws discerning diners from up and down the coast. The eclectic cuisine relies heavily on local produce and seafood and includes thin-crust pizzas, blackened ahi with seasonal veggies, and hand-cut rib-eye steaks topped with grilled wild prawns or scallops.

Above the shore on a steep, wooded bluff in the northern reaches of Bow, this intimate restaurant is famous for having one of the best marine views of any Washington restaurant. People come here to dine on refined seafood, wild game, and steaks while watching the sun disappear behind the San Juan Islands to the west or the full moon reflect off the waters of Samish Bay.

With its clubby interior, huge wine list, and proximity to downtown attractions, it's easy to see how this flashy restaurant is a favorite for special occasions and high-end business meals. Here you can expect a menu of contemporary variations on seafood and steak, including Columbia River steelhead with a maple-balsamic glaze and New York strip with red-flannel hash and a red-wine sauce; vegetarians shouldn't pass up the unusual roasted cauliflower "steak" served with olive gremolata, tomatoes, orange, and capers.

This warmly lighted, inviting downtown spot for Pacific Northwest–inspired Spanish tapas is adjacent to similarly excellent Burrata Bistro and is popular for its afternoon and late-night happy hours as well as for lunch and dinner. Paella is the big star here—it's studded with fresh local seafood, but you could easily make a meal of delicious tapas, including achiote-marinated beef short ribs over polenta, and roasted brussels sprouts with pancetta and manchego cheese.

This small restaurant brings together the flavors and techniques of Korean cuisine and cutting-edge global style to create a unique, innovative combination. The concise menu features intriguing combinations such as pistachio cream and lettuce, along with new spins on comforting classics, like the beloved house fried rice with squid ink. Though portions are on the light side, that just makes it easier to order everything you want to try, and all of the dishes come to the table looking like works of art.

Hungry travelers and townsfolk have been fueling up in this rollicking Old West tavern with period wallpaper and pressed-tin ceilings since 1892, tucking into plates of old-school pub fare. The nachos, fish-and-chips, and steaks are reliably good, and a handful of specialties—especially the sirloin steak with coconut prawns and open-faced chili burgers—keep regulars coming back again and again. Portions are generous, especially at breakfast, and there's a sizable kids' menu. 

This Seattle classic has been bringing the flavors of the Caribbean to the city for more than two decades, since the owner moved to town and grew frustrated with the lack of dishes like roti, curry, and jerk that she missed from home in Trinidad. Open only a few days each week, and only for a few hours, people clamor to get in and grab Pam's aloo pies, flaky breads, and tender curry goat. Keep an eye out for specials featuring her famous doubles and wash everything down with a glass of sorrel. 

This serene teahouse on the ground floor of the historic Panama Hotel has tons of personality and a subtle Asian flair that reflects its former life as a Japanese bathhouse. The space is lovely, with exposed-brick walls, shiny hardwood floors, and black-and-white photos of old Seattle (many of them relating to the history of the city's Japanese immigrants). Kick back with an individual pot of tea—there are dozens of varieties—or an espresso, along with a plate of small Japanese confections. This is a good place to bring a book, as it's usually calm and quiet. A clear panel in the floor shows the room still full of luggage left by Japanese Americans forced into internment camps during World War II.

Grilled meats, sandwiches, salads, and soft drinks are served daily from May through early October and on weekends and holidays the rest of the year.

Tall windows in this historic timber lodge provide terrific views of Rainier, and the warm glow of native wood permeates the large dining room, where hearty Pacific Northwest fare is served. The lunch menu is simple and healthy—burgers, sandwiches, salads, and the like; for dinner, the seasonal menu might include wild salmon, trout, red-wine braised short rib, and one or two meatless entrées. There's also a café in the inn that serves lighter fare all day.

The centerpiece of this Cuban-influenced menu is the mouthwatering Famous Caribbean Roast sandwich: marinated pork topped with sautéed onions and served on a chewy baguette. It's doused with an amazing top-secret sauce that keeps folks coming back for more. The entrées are also delicious, from fresh fish in garlic tapenade to prawns in a spicy red sauce. There are a few tables, but Paseo gets so busy the line usually snakes way out the door, and most people opt for takeout.

PCC Community Markets, an upscale food co-op, has all the fixings you need for a picnic along the canal, including sandwiches and salads. You can also order fresh coffee from the deli.

Pegasus is a Bainbridge Island fixture with all the best coffeehouse characteristics: a crackling fire, cozy seating, fresh java, and a clientele of artsy locals. The charming ivy-covered brick building is the original location for longtime roaster Pegasus, which is sold all over the region.

Part café and part love letter to Vietnamese coffee tradition, all the drinks here are brewed on the small metal filter from which the coffee shop takes its name. The commitment to quality shows in the house-made condensed milks (dairy or oat) used for the cà phê sữa—classic Vietnamese coffee—and various related drinks. The lush greenery and soft colors of the walls give it a serene, peaceful feel that invites you to sit down and enjoy one of the impressively bright green pandan waffles from the food menu.

Most of the seats in this third-floor restaurant at the Adrift Hotel offer panoramic views of the dunes and the ocean beyond, making this a popular—though sometimes a bit crowded—place for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in summer and on weekends. It's worth persevering for a reservation, though, as the creative renditions of classic beach fare are consistently excellent, from roasted mushroom-and-chèvre crepes and sticky salted-caramel buns in the morning to roasted half chicken with smoked-honey jus and charred-broccoli pizzas with roasted squash and smoked provolone later in the day.

With its Post Alley entrance and meager signage, the Pink Door's speakeasy vibe draws Pike Place Market regulars almost as much as its savory, seasonal Italian food does. The food is good, and the pappardelle al ragù Bolognese and cioppino are reliably standout entrées, but people come here mostly for the atmosphere (which includes tasteful cabaret acts) and shaded outdoor deck with views of Elliott Bay.

Large windows look out on Elliott Bay in this cozy spot tucked behind a meat vendor in Pike Place Market's main arcade. In nice weather, open windows let in the fresh salt breeze. Flowers brighten each table, and the staff is warm and welcoming. Despite its name, this restaurant has only a few French flourishes on an otherwise American/Pacific Northwest menu. Go for the rich oyster stew, the sea scallops with rosé hampagne beurre blanc, Dungeness crab (in season), poussin with barley risotto, or the fish of the day. Local microbrews are on tap, and the wine list is thoughtfully compact, but if you want to feel more like you're in France, sip a pastis as you gaze out the window.

Langley's most popular gathering spot occupies a second-story space on 1st Street, right above the Star Store Grocery. Northwest-inspired French cuisine is the headliner here; classic bistro dishes like steak frites, salade nicoise, and confit of duck leg are favorites.

A pantry full of carefully curated groceries, a bar with a notable beer and spirits list, and a chill neighborhood bistro with a postindustrial look and a large patio, Provisions successfully plays multiple roles as a destination for excellent food and drink. The locavore-minded menu changes seasonally, but might feature curried cauliflower with a dill-lemon sauce, grilled kale and Italian sausage pizza, and down-home fried chicken with mashed potatoes, brown gravy, and sautéed corn. It's on the east side, a couple of miles from downtown.

Quick and sleek, this bubble tea and banh mi shop makes it easy to pop in for a customized beverage or flavorful sandwich. The screen menu shows the extensive tea and coffee options, including pink salt cheese crema. The food menu also includes vermicelli bowls, pho, and a few small bites if you're sticking around at the indoor tables or the parking lot patio.

What began as an effort to clear the fridges during a pandemic shutdown resulted in a new concept for this small Ballard café. Some of the city's best bagels come stacked into towering sandwiches slathered with traditional toppings like cream cheese and lox, and creative originals like scallion cheddar spread with baked egg, kale, and king oyster mushrooms. The one-pound breakfast burritos all start with scrambled eggs and include fresh salsas that show the restaurant's commitment to making everything from scratch starting with excellent ingredients.

You can order ahead online so you won’t experience the heartbreak of an empty bakery case---doughnuts go fast here. Tucked into the ground floor of one of the Central District’s newest multi-use developments, Raised Doughnuts and Cakes turns out simple but perfectly airy classics like a basic glazed, maple and chocolate bars, and creative monthly specials with seasonal flavors and a mochi-flour gluten-free option. They also make raised cakes that fall somewhere between Asia’s light and fruity cakes and American-style, oil-based cakes–they’re sold by-the-slice on weekends.