9 Best Restaurants in Queen Anne, Seattle

Art meets seasonal ingredients in the traditional multi-course kaiseki meal, and here, it also intersects with the bounty of the Pacific Northwest. Eight courses of local seafood, premium meat, and foraged treasures show off the chef's mastery of various techniques. Look for fresh nigiri, grilled Wagyu beef, and refreshing broths, served at the chef's counter or the tables, in a minimalist setting that keeps the focus on the quite attractive plates. 

Canlis has been setting the standard for opulent dining in Seattle since the 1950s, and the food, wine, practically clairvoyant service, and views overlooking Lake Union are still remarkable. Executive chef Aisha Ibrahim draws on local flavors and her own experience at Asia's top restaurants to flavor the finest meat and freshest produce. The prix fixe menu offers a choice of appetizer, entree, and dessert, but includes many more courses and plenty of surprises. Men are requested to wear a suit or sport coat and casual or athletic attire is not permitted.  If the dining room seems too formal, the bar menu is more wallet-friendly and you don't need a reservation.

You won't find a quicker or more affordable snack than a few burgers and a milkshake at this Seattle classic. The only location of the local chain (dating back to 1954) that offers indoor dining, its bargain-basement prices and late-night hours make it an enduring favorite. 

This tiny, 24-seat restaurant quietly turns out exciting and innovative food in the form of visually stunning small plates. Tables are seated beside wide windows overlooking the serene side of Queen Anne. Along with the a la carte menu, a five-course chef's tasting menu is always available and includes special local ingredients like geoduck (giant clam). The beautiful dishes always feature intriguing local ingredients and products such as licorice mint and black garlic maple butter. The chef’s signature dessert, “lick the bowl,” is an unmissable riff on cake batter made with foie gras.

If you're looking for something more casual, head to the kid-friendly sister restaurant, Big Max Burger Co., a block away.

This sleek eatery features fresh, artisanal ingredients. Starters run the gamut from cured-meat platters to roasted almonds, pork terrine, chicken-liver mousse, and arugula salad, while tasty mains focus on simple handmade pastas, like orecchiette with sausage, garlic, and ricotta.

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.

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.

A complete remodel changed the Seattle Center food court from an only-if-you're-desperate stop into a quick-bite destination. Several local restaurant groups have erected walk-up windows or shops here, from skillet burgers to Seattle fudge. The space, redesigned by Graham Baba Architects (responsible for several of the sleekest historic remodels around town), harkens back to the building's original use as a wartime armory, revealing big steel columns but opening up more light and space to enjoy your meal.