417 Best Restaurants in Washington, USA

The name of this upbeat, contemporary downtown bistro reflects the kitchen's globally inspired approach in dishes from Thailand (clay pot prawns with glass noodles),  Italy (mushroom risotto), and the American South (shrimp and grits). Creative preparations, a full bar with an impressive wine and spirits selection, and knowledgeable service are further reasons this buzzy spot has found a loyal legion of fans.

The staff is friendly at this small, casual brewpub, which serves several house-brewed beers to go with the delicious wood-fired pizzas, sandwiches (the hot grinder is a specialty), salads, and soups. Local memorabilia is displayed throughout the restaurant, and the history of the Hanford Nuclear Site is depicted in photos on the walls. Dessert choices get clever names to match the nuclear theme, like the B-Reactor brownie.

A good bet for tasty bar food or a more substantial meal before or after visiting Bremerton's museums, this stylishly rustic gastropub with varnished wood tables, ample bar seating, and exposed ducts is just a couple of blocks from the USS Turner Joy battleship. Good bets from the kitchen, which specializes in American and Pacific Islander fare, include smoked kalua pork sliders, Wagyu beef loco moco, and Polynesian-style tempura fish tacos.

Widely considered one of the best bakeries in the city, Bakery Nouveau has perfected many things, including cakes, croissants, and tarts. Their chocolate cake, in particular, might make you swoon, though twice-baked almond croissants are so good you might think you're in France when you take a bite—and owner William Leaman did lead a U.S. team to victory in France's Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie. Sandwiches, quiches, and pizzas are also on offer if you need something delicious and substantial before a banana mousse, pistachio macaron, or chocolate éclair. Artisan breads round out the offerings. If you don't make it out to West Seattle, they have Capitol Hill and Burien locations as well.

Straddling an indoor space and outdoor patio of the large 400 Fairview building, this lobster specialist channels a Maine shoreline shack into an urban west coast landscape. Seafood is the star here, particularly in the lobster roll, but also in other sandwiches, a range of salads, and the clam dip. They serve craft beer on tap, a few wines, and slushy cocktails in the summer.

A tradition with hikers, bikers, fishermen, and scenic drivers out exploring the Gorge, especially for weekend breakfast but also at lunch and dinnertime, this colorful roadhouse in the center of town is festooned with license plates, vintage signs, and kitschy artwork. Grab a seat at the counter or in one of the high-back wooden booths, and tuck into a plate of smoked Columbia River sturgeon spread, home-style fried chicken with garlic-mashed potatoes, home-style meat loaf with seasonal vegetables, and other hearty, reasonably priced fare.

The most popular local saloon and brothel during Aberdeen's rough-and-tumble logging and seafaring years, this colorful tavern has a collection of prints recalling those bawdy days and remembering the life of the notorious original owner, Billy Ghol, who was rumored to have killed more than 100 men. The standard comfort fare includes steak and eggs, grilled local oysters, French dip sandwiches, and fish-and-chips. If you're looking for a challenge, try the Billy's Belt Buster, a burger with four patties, cheese, and bacon.

This Pullman spot has a loyal following of both local residents and out-of-towners, who come for the excellent bar and the Southern-inspired menu that also highlights WSU's locally produced cheese in such dishes as Cougar lobster mac and cheese and Pullman poutine. Gulf gumbo, Bayou catfish, shrimp/crab etouffe, and the "Rajin' Cajun Pasta" (which comes with chicken, shrimp, Andouille sausage, and a heat warning) give a decidedly Louisiana slant to the menu. The bar offers more than a dozen craft cocktails and groups them as "beginner," "intermediate," and "advanced" to reflect their sweetness and alcohol taste.

Drop by this urbane, high-ceilinged gastropub with an industrial-chic vibe for anything from creative cocktails and fine wines with a few snacks to a full dinner. The menu leans toward shareable appetizers—avocado fries, sautéed haloumi cheese with dates, flatbread with crab-artichoke gratin dip—and more substantial large plates, often with Latin American and Asian influences.

It's all about the fresh and flavorful tacos at this hip little tavern with exposed brick walls, a white tile and varnished wood bar, and a light-filled upstairs seating annex—oh, and the deftly poured cocktails. The hand-pressed soft tacos are available in about 10 flavors, both meat and veggie, and are served with house-made salsas. 

A great place to grab a cup of coffee and a snack before exploring the island, Blackbird serves rich pastries and cakes along with quiche, soups, and a good selection of teas and espresso drinks. Though there is some nice window seating that allows you to watch the human parade on Winslow Way, the place gets very crowded, especially when the ferries come in, so you might want to take your order to go.

In an area with precious few dining options, this casual tavern just a little south of downtown Forks is a sight for sore eyes and hungry stomachs, offering up big portions of reliably good pub food. After a day of hiking or beachcombing, tuck into the half-pound Mill Creek bacon cheeseburger, a rib-eye steak, or a platter of batter-fried local seafood.

Venture inside this endearingly dive-y diner with wood-paneled walls and nautical decor for formidable portions of stick-to-your-ribs breakfast and lunch fare. Consider the Dungeness crab omelet or fluffy biscuits and sausage gravy in the morning; top lunch offerings include New England–style clam chowder and the shrimp Louie salad.

Serious coffee aficionados and casual sippers all stop by this venerable roaster and café a mile southeast of Twisp. Blue Star produces a number of fine roasts and blends, which you can sample in a spacious new building that opened in 2021. The space gives customers a view of the coffee roasting action through wide windows. Decadent pastries and baked goods complement the coffee, and you can shop for coffee-making equipment to up your coffee game at home.

At this deliberately rustic waterfront eatery with impressive water views, diners share a casual, seaside camaraderie as they slurp up clam chowder, steamed clams, and mussels, plus larger plates of creatively prepared seafood grills and pastas—cioppino, chargrilled garlic prawns, and smoked-salmon linguine are some of the best bets. Sailors, who enjoy free boat moorage, arrive early for the popular weekend brunch.

Bubble tea shops exist around the world, but this just might be the only "farm-to-straw" boba shop. The owners source their tea and the produce to make all their flavors directly from farms, and make all the boba in-house, too. The creative coffee and tea concoctions change seasonally, and once a month the line stretches down the block as people line up for the coveted boba-stuffed doughnuts. 

Look past the drab setting of this unfussy bakery on a busy street in Sunnyside, as the kitchen turns out fresh and filling breakfast and lunch fare, from chicken-fried steak Benedicts and mascarpone-stuffed French toast in the morning to fettuccine Alfredo with smoked salmon and ham-gouda panini sandwiches for lunch. There's also a bakery case filled with sweet treats.

Welcome to the year-round beach party at this Caribbean barbecue and sandwich shop located in an old gas station—even though the water is only Green Lake and its across a six-lane highway. The neon-green building with hot pink and blue graffiti sets the tone and the sand-covered floor drives the message home that no matter the weather in Seattle, Bongos brings the island sunshine. The menu of sandwiches and casual plates includes Jamaican, Cuban, and Trinidadian flavors, like the Desi with citrus braised pork and caramelized onions, or the shrimp po'boy with chili sauce and mango slaw, while plantains and yuca fries are must-order sides. Make sure you dress appropriately: this beach party is all outdoors and the partial cover doesn't offer much protection from the elements.

An artificial cherry tree in full bloom rises over the brick-walled dining room of this superb ramen and cocktail bar on a historic block of downtown Everett. Warm your soul with a steaming bowl of vegetarian shoyu, pork tonkatsu, spicy miso, or seafood ramen. Tack on a couple of the tasty sides, like squid salad or pork belly buns.

Whether for a morning macchiato, a bagel breakfast sandwich, a lunchtime panini, or a late-afternoon slice of cake, this roomy coffeehouse with hardwood floors, comfy armchairs, and café tables works nicely for a quick pick-me-up or a more leisurely meal. Most evenings, the space becomes a casual dinner spot with beer and wine available, and on weekends there's often live rock, jazz, and country music.

This stunning gastropub is the quintessential neighborhood restaurant, built on warm service and great food. Seated in the white wooden chairs or on the bold turquoise benches, to eat here is to be welcomed into the dining room of a long-lost friend. The signature dish is their bread—thick cut and buttered, served as if it were a steak—which sets the tone for the simple-sounding, but impressively prepared menu items. The menu leans heavily on fresh seasonal vegetables and local seafood. When the weather is nice, the garden patio behind the dining room is one of the most coveted cocktail seats in town.

A popular neighborhood coffeehouse, Broadcast roasts its own ethically sourced coffee; many locals pick up bags of coffee beans here (purchase includes a free cup of drip coffee). Choose from well-made standard espresso drinks or more creative options like the Disco Pony (espresso with Perrier, half 'n' half, and a lemon twist over ice) as well as seasonal offerings. Broadcast also carries tasty pastries (try one of the croissant hybrids) from the Central District's Temple Pastries along with a few other light breakfast and lunch items. If there's no seating, check out the nice park right across the street.

You might make it a point to get to this wildly popular village bakery by late morning—come midafternoon, many of the best treats are sold out. Delectables here include flaky almond-coated bear paw pastries, rich croque monsieur sandwiches, hubcap-size "Sasquatch" cookies, Tuscan olive bread, and moist blueberry muffins. Dine on the garden patio on sunny days.

Brightly painted alebrijes (carved wooden animal figurines) and folk art lend warmth and authenticity to this friendly Old Town restaurant and bar that specializes in the richly complex cuisine of Oaxaca as well as artisan mezcal. Start with a few antojitos (snacks), such as prawn ceviche, braised chicken tostadas, and molotes (potato and chorizo pastries), before moving on to a platter of pork in a fragrant red mole sauce or chili-cheese tamales.

The vegetarian and vegan menu changes frequently at Café Flora, but the chefs tend to keep things simple, with dishes like black-bean burgers topped with spicy aioli, polenta with leeks and spinach, and the popular tacos dorados (corn tortillas filled with potatoes and four types of cheese). You can eat in the Atrium, which has a stone fountain, skylight, and garden-style café tables and chairs. Brunch is a big draw, too—try the fantastic waffles served with fresh seasonal fruits. The scene can get a bit hectic with the mass of families. 

Don't let the modest digs dissuade you: the Ethiopian cuisine here is delicious. Open all day, Cafe Selam serves specialties like beef or lamb tibs (cubed meat sautéed with onions and spices) and ketfo (steak tartare), but is particularly known for its ful, a spicy breakfast dish of lightly pureed fava beans topped with eggs, onions, peppers, and feta cheese, served with two fluffy French loaves.

Enjoy traditional Italian-style espresso, pastries, and paninis at this full-service wholesale roaster and flagship retail location for the local brand. Set in a historic brick building with indoor and sidewalk seating, the café also serves Italian beer and wine.