417 Best Restaurants in Washington, USA

The restaurant at this stylish, contemporary inn just a mile from Eastsound offers among the most memorable dining experiences on the island. Tucked into a renovated 1869 farmhouse, the dining room and bar serve food that emphasizes local, seasonal ingredients. Island greens, fruits, and seafood are served alongside a regionally focused wine list, and the results are spectacular. Notable dishes include sea scallops with bacon-potato hash and lemon aioli, and local roasted pork with creamy garlic farro, sweet onions, rhubarb, and wilted greens. Even the bread is memorable; the restaurant serves house-made sourdough from a starter that's more than 100 years old.

A favorite of Lopez locals, Isabel's sources its coffee from fair trade suppliers and its creamy dairy from the mainland's small Fresh Breeze Organic Dairy Farm. Housed in a charming rustic building in Lopez's tiny "downtown," the café also serves light fare like pastries and sandwiches.

New Yorkers say this family-owned place comes close to the pizza they know and love, with thin crusts and just the right proportions of red sauce and cheese.

This long dining room facing Lake Union has original Northwest Indian artwork collected by the restaurant's namesake founder. It's touristy, often gimmicky, and always packed. You are paying for the setting here: a building designed as a loose replica of a traditional longhouse with terrific views of Lake Union and Downtown. Try to snag a table on the deck.

The flagship location of this outstanding local roaster is in the trendy Wine Cellar building, and it doubles as a cute mercantile stocked with artisan chocolates, local maple syrup, and other goodies. There's no seating, but it's a perfect spot to pick up an expertly crafted espresso drink for your stroll around town. There's a second location by Front Street Park.

This is a longtime favorite for dim sum enthusiasts, who also come for fluffy barbecue pork buns, walnut shrimp, chive dumplings, congee, and sticky rice. The waits are long and the atmosphere is lacking, but when you're craving dim sum, this is the place to go. Avoid the mad rush at lunchtime and go to the Wing Luke Museum while everyone else is eating, then try for a table closer to 2 pm. They serve the full dim sum menu until 4, then switch to a partial one alongside the dinner menu.

Head to this cheerful hole in the wall in downtown Sunnyside for perfectly seasoned whole grilled chicken along with a nice variety of Mexican-American favorites, including birria tacos and carne asada fries. The original, slightly larger location is in Grandview and is also excellent. 

Married chef-owners Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi have wowed Seattle diners with their French-fusion spins on Asian cuisine. Joule's nouvelle take on a Korean steak house serves meat options like Wagyu bavette steak with truffled pine nuts and short rib with Kalbi and grilled kimchi. Nonmeat menu items include Chinese broccoli with walnut pesto and mackerel with green curry cilantro crust and black currant. The weekend brunch buffet goes slightly more mainstream with a fruit and pastry buffet, as well as entrées like oatmeal-stuffed porchetta.

Specializing in soba noodles, this tiny spot feels like it was dropped stateside from Japan, but the menu also embraces local ingredients and creative riffs on classics. Seasonal starters might include zucchini coins dusted with Japanese “happy powder”—the sweet and salty flavoring from rice crackers—and small plates like duck meatballs and tempura. The soba menu offers a few different styles, including noodles in hot broth or chilled. For true Japanese-American fusion try the Oreo tempura for dessert. 

Come for the giant dosas, stay for the sweet service at this delightful South Indian restaurant tucked into a suburban strip mall. Rich colors adorn the walls and the plates, the latter in the form of vibrantly flavored chutneys, masalas, and curries. Many of the specialties come from the state of Kerala, but the deep vegetarian menu and exciting seafood options bring in dishes from around India. Waits can get long on days that don't take reservations, so either come earlier in the week with a reservation or earlier in the evening on a weekend.

This tiny, unpretentious neighborhood espresso bar has a classic coffeehouse vibe, with red walls, eclectic local art, a comfy worn sofa, and a few small tables. You'll find standard coffee drinks here along with homemade pastries, quiches, and sandwiches.

This simple spot serves the best Chinese barbecue in the I.D. Large cuts of meat hang in the window, enticing customers to try the famous BBQ pork. Plenty of Cantonese noodle, rice, and vegetable dishes round out the menu.

The deli counter at Ken's turns out surprisingly good sandwiches, like an Italian stuffed with cured meats and a chicken banh mi loaded with pickles, all made on fresh bakery rolls, plus a smash burger on Thursdays. The small, nicely stocked neighborhood grocery store also offers a good selection of local baked goods (doughnuts, muffins), coffee, and beer, wine, and canned cocktails.

This outstanding sushi restaurant quietly nestled in Green Lake brings diners in droves. Fresh sushi is the mainstay, along with signature rolls such as the Green Lake variety, with salmon, flying fish eggs, asparagus, avocado, and marinated seaweed, or the Wallingford, with yellowtail, green onion, cucumber, radish, sprouts, and flying fish eggs. Definitely spring for the omakase (chef's menu), which can include anything from fatty tuna, shrimp, octopus, and albacore to salmon, yellow tail, hammer jack, and unagi. Straightforward decor and ambiance make it easy to concentrate on the delicious food in front of you. Regulars swear by the agedashi tofu. Non-sushi entrées are also available, including teriyaki and a tempura dinner with prawns. 

A contemporary, upbeat Mexican restaurant and tequila bar that's perfect for post-beach sipping and noshing, this airy, high-ceilinged space with reclaimed-wood walls offers plenty of classics, from chicken flautas to prawn tacos. But it's the fusion-y twists, including ahi-chipotle poke bowls, chorizo burgers, and seafood pasta, that really stand out, along with an extensive list of premium tequilas and mezcal. 

True to its name, this low-key, bustling Ballard favorite serves traditional Mexican cooking with Oaxacan accents. The mole negro is a must, served with chicken or pork; another standout is the albóndigas (a spicy vegetable soup with meatballs). The menu is mostly small plates, which works to your advantage because you won't have to choose just one savory dish. The small, casual space has an open kitchen enclosed by a stainless-steel bar, the walls are covered in gorgeous black-and-white photos. It gets very crowded on weekends and stays busy until late, though if you have a small party you usually don't have to wait too long for a table.

Part of the original 1916 lodge, the fir-paneled dining room overlooks the lake; you won't find a better spot for sunset views. Dinner entrées change seasonally and might include wild salmon, brown butter–basted halibut, pot roast, and mushroom polenta; the lunch menu features burgers, inventive salads, and a variety of sandwiches. For breakfast, biscuits and gravy, omelets and scrambles made with cage-free eggs, and marionberry pancakes are some of the tasty selections. Note that meals are offered only during set hours and dinner reservations are recommended, but a more casual menu of appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, and desserts is available from the lounge all day for dining in the lobby or out on the Sun Porch.

The Central Agency Building, a converted 1917 warehouse, is the setting for mouthwateringly delicious set menus with seasonally inspired main dishes. The expert servers can help you choose from an impressive wine list, and will happily help you decide two or three options for each course. Dishes may include chicken-liver parfait with grilled ramps; carpaccio of yellowtail with preserved lemons; veal sweetbreads with black truffle; and poached organic egg with chorizo, but they change each season to reflect what's happening in gardens and ranches locally.

Tucked into a strip mall in south Spokane near the Creek at Qualchan Golf Course, this neighborhood restaurant serves a wide-ranging menu that changes frequently. Some standards include salmon with asparagus and fingerling potatoes, seared scallops, bistro salad with gorgonzola and figs, and rich desserts. For a sweet ending to your meal, try the seasonal fruit cobbler, peanut butter chocolate cake, or the "bucket of love" (gluten-free flourless mini-chocolate cakes dusted with spices). Sunday brunch features varied choices, from English-toffee-banana-pecan French toast to corned-beef hash with apples.

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.

Just stepping in to this cozy corner coffeehouse awakens the senses. Lighthouse Roasters roasts its beans on-site in a vintage cast-iron roaster, filling the space with a heady aroma. Appreciated for dark chocolate flavors, hints of sweet toffee, and just the right amount of bite, the full-bodied coffee tastes as good as it smells here. The neighborhood spot, which has a small counter lined with red swivel bar stools, opened in 1993, giving it three decades of Seattle coffee cred.

Already a familiar name in the Seattle wine scene, Locus Wines recently debuted a bright, modern tasting room that showcases food-and-wine pairings. The small menu features flights served with a small bite that perfectly complements each pour—like a caramelized onion and lamb pastry square matched with the signature Locus Red—although Locus also offers wine by the glass and a few light snacks, including a kale salad and pillowy meatballs, as well as a brunch on weekends.

Tom Douglas dishes out his signature Northwest style, spiked with Greek and Mediterranean touches—another huge success for the local celebrity chef. Try a spice-rubbed lamb chop or the eggplant shakshuka, which elevates the humble eggplant to new heights. Also on the menu: a variety of kebabs (including a halloumi cheese-and-fig version for vegetarians) and scrumptious spreads including hummus, tzatziki, and harissa (a red-pepper concoction). Booths are usually full at this bustling, dimly lit restaurant, which anchors the Hotel Ändra. The weekend brunch is also fabulous; save room for the doughnuts.

You'll find inventive approaches to classics here, from grass-fed beef burgers to duck with kumquat marmalade. Salmon charcuterie, coconut curry prawns, and oxtail sliders are good choices from the small plates menu. The luscious desserts are worth a visit on their own—especially the Grand Marnier beignets, cookies and cream layer cake, and house-made gelato. There's a curbside menu if you want to enjoy your meal in another setting; it includes some family-style options for salads and small plates.

One of Seattle's favorite bakeries is also popular for breakfast and brunch and an excellent place to take a delicious break on your way to or from the Olympic Sculpture Park. With its perfectly executed breads and pastries—from Nutella brioche and ginger cookies to almond croissants and dark chocolate, sugar-dusted brownies—it's become a true Belltown institution. You can also wait for a table and have a larger breakfast or lunch—sandwiches, quiches, and salads are all fresh and expertly made.

Situated on the Eastsound waterfront, this pub-style eatery serves classic Northwest cuisine: pan-fried local oysters, Dungeness crab cakes, Angus beef burgers, and grilled wild Coho salmon. But what really stands out here is the atmosphere. A vaulted ceiling with exposed wooden beams gives the little space some serious personality, a small patio is ideal during warm summer nights, and a rotating cast of microbrews on tap complement the restaurant's spectacular water views.

The vibe is friendly and upbeat at this downtown taproom offering a menu of made-from-scratch Caribbean dishes, with an emphasis on healthy organic ingredients, along with notable Northwest wines and a well-curated selection of local brews and ciders on tap. Dishes like Cuban-style borscht, smoked tofu with pineapple kraut, and king salmon po'boy sandwiches burst with flavor.

Before ordering dessert from whichever Bellingham restaurant you're dining in, keep in mind that this stellar artisan ice-cream parlor is open until 10 or 11 every night, and the thick, creamy concoctions here are seriously superb. The team has come up with literally hundreds of rotating flavors over the years, from coconut latte to burned sugar to black currant–mulled wine.

The oldest Japanese restaurant in Seattle, Maneki is no longer a hidden gem catering to in-the-know locals and chefs, but that doesn't mean the food is any less impressive. Though the James Beard American Classic winner serves good sushi, it's better known for home-style Japanese dishes, which can be ordered as small plates and accompanied with sake. Try the miso black cod collar or the delicious daily fish specials. Rice-paper lamps and screens add a bit of old Japan to the otherwise plain main dining room, but parties of four to ten can reserve a charming tatami room. Maneki is always packed, especially on weekends, so don't even think about coming without a reservation.

For a special-occasion dinner, it's worth the drive to this grandly romantic dining room inside the historic main inn at Rosario Resort, known for polished service, sweeping bay views, and Northwest cuisine. The dishes are more classic than creative, like king salmon with risotto and a seared strip steak with potatoes au gratin, but made with high-quality ingredients (some sources are listed on the menu). Brunch is served daily, as well.