2 Best Restaurants in Ballard, Seattle

Looking like a cross between a truck-stop diner and a Tex-Mex restaurant, this tiny café has outstanding breakfast options—including traditional favorites from every region of Mexico. Wait for a space in the tiny dining room, belly up to the counter, or just watch the frenetic activity as everything from soup to salsa is made from scratch. Lunch and dinner are just as good as breakfast (served daily from 9 to 3). Try delectable pork carnitas; chorizo from the state of Michoacán; mole negro over pork or chicken; rockfish with cinnamon and guajillo chiles; and mouthwatering chilaquiles—tortilla chips cooked in green or red salsa and topped with cream.

Stylish and swimming in light, the oak paneling, dark accents, and wide windows onto bustling Ballard Avenue give this quasi-Italian joint an exciting vibe. The menu keeps one foot firmly rooted in Italy, with sections for pizza and pasta on the menu full of Mediterranean sensibilities. But it also pays heed to Northwest ingredients like Hama Hama clams in the soup and local mushrooms on pizza. Astute eaters will also find hints of global influence: gojuchang, poblano peppers, and fish sauce. The excellent bar boasts, in addition to traditional drinks, a wide variety of nonalcoholic cocktails.