195 Best Restaurants in Seattle, Washington

This acclaimed Black-owned restaurant dishes up “Seattle soul" in a vibrant setting. Think exquisitely prepared soul food that pays homage to family traditions, alongside creative fare honoring Seattle's multicultural intersections, like the whole fried catfish topped with a Thai-inspired papaya salad. The cocktail menu is just as creative, featuring Seattle-meets-the-South cocktails concocted with bourbon, pecan liqueur, Jamaican rum, and apple brandy, to name a few. 

Even Seattleites who don't haunt Pioneer Square will happily hunt for parking to spend a few hours at this colorful local favorite. In one of Pioneer Square's great brick buildings, with high ceilings and a few artfully exposed ducts and pipes, Zeitgeist has a simple, classy look that's the perfect backdrop for the frequent art shows held here. If you're feeling hungry, Zeitgeist has a modest breakfast and lunch menu, featuring sandwiches, salads, and baked egg dishes. The roasted veggie topped with goat cheese on a local Macrina baguette is a fresh and filling lunch. 

This steak house gives high-quality beef a Mexican accent. Barley-fed Australian Angus and American, Japanese, and Australian Wagyu hit the grill, while USDA Prime meat goes into tacos and tortas. The salsa bar and appetizers, including handmade guacamole, are fresh and flavorful. There's a strong wine list to go along with all the beef, and the bar stocks a superb selection of mezcals.

Enormous bowls of handmade udon noodles in light, complex broths are the star of the show at this tiny shop just north of the Arboretum. Lunch specials and combination meals make it easy to sample multiple dishes, but if you only try one thing, make it the "signature beef" soup, with burdock root, pickled mustard, and those luxurious noodles. Along with noodle dishes, there's a surprisingly large menu of other Japanese specialties, including sushi rolls, salads, tofu, and rice bowls.

Sitting at the intersection of First Hill and Capitol Hill, Boon Boona blends the coffee culture of two worlds: Seattle and East Africa. The space is inspired by the founder's Eritrean roots, and serves as a place to slow down and enjoy coffee as a ritual and an opportunity to connect with family and friends. In an effort to support small coffee growers, Boon Boona serves coffee exclusively from Africa, roasting beans from Rwanda, Ethiopia, Burundi, and Kenya. Choose from a selection of hot and cold coffee drinks, a few teas and matchas, and a small selection of sandwiches and pastries. 

There are many ways for a pricey "destination restaurant" to go overboard, making itself nothing more than a special-occasion spectacle, but Café Juanita gets everything just right. This Kirkland space is refined without being overly posh, and the food—much of which has a northern Italian influence—is perfectly balanced. One bite of lauded chef Holly Smith's tender saddle of Oregon lamb with baby artichokes, fava beans, and lemon emulsion and you'll be sold. The multi-course tasting menu comes in omnivore, pescatarian, vegetarian, and vegan versions. The restaurant is extremely accommodating for gluten-free guests and other special requests. To top it all off, the restaurant has an excellent wine list.

There's an unassuming air to this family-run Lebanese restaurant: it's in a relatively remote north Ballard neighborhood, and there's nothing flashy about the dining room's white walls and tablecloths. But when you look at the menu, you start to sense that something special is going on. Dishes are described in tantalizing detail, promising traditional Middle Eastern flavors in creative combinations. It's all as good as it sounds. The grilled meat skewers are delicious, but you won't go wrong making a meal of mezzes—pears with tahini and pomegranate, eggplant with fresh cheese and honey, and lamb-filled phyllo "cigars" are a few of your many choices.

Crispy rice-based batter keeps the fried chicken at this tiny spot impressively tender. The kitchen experience of the accomplished chefs behind this simple concept shows in the quality and intriguing Filipino flavors of side dishes such as coconut collard greens and garlic rice. Order ahead of time to make sure to get your chicken, as they sell out most days.

One of the city’s neighborhood charmers, this beloved bakery churns out the best of French, British, and American pastry traditions, as well as their own unique treats. Mornings mean the espresso bar is busy and the croissants are flying off the shelves, while midday offers light salads, quiches, and their savory signature, the cretzel—a buttery, crisp, pretzel-knotted treat. Loose-leaf tea in the afternoon goes perfectly with their beautiful cakes, such as the stunning Victoria sponge. 

Attached to Serious Pie, this fragrant bakery will make you reconsider cookies as a valid breakfast choice. The coffee, fresh pastries, cinnamon rolls, and breakfast sandwiches here are delicious, but Dahlia is particularly famous for its peanut butter sandwich cookies. (According to lore, the late director Nora Ephron was such a fan of the peanut butter cookies while filming the iconic rom-com Sleepless in Seattle that she requested the recipe and briefly even had the sweet treat named for her.) The decadent coconut cream pie is also a local favorite. Lunch items, including sandwiches, soups, and salads are served until 3 pm.

Brandon Pettit spent years developing his thin-but-chewy pizza crust, and the final product has made him a contender for the city's best pies. Neighborhood families and far-flung travelers alike line up before opening time for seasonal pizzas topped with anything from fresh sausage to local clams to blistered padrón peppers. The wine list is is short but elegant; desserts are simple but inspired—the homemade chocolate chip cookie with sea salt is delicious. Long wait? Pop next door to charming Essex, the owners' artisanal cocktail bar.

An organic café with everything you need for a picnic to-go or a leisurely lunch, DERU Market has something for everything. The bright, modern space starts the day with excellent coffee and pastries, with filling brunches on weekends. Lunch brings pizza, sandwiches, and salads, plus a few larger plates, while dinner brings a few extra main dishes. Vegetable side dishes compete with excellent French fries for table space, and most diners save room for a slice of the layer cakes that sit temptingly on the counter.

Silky and ethereally light rice noodle dumplings star at this colorful hybrid counter service spot serving lesser-known Thai specialties. The bold and bright decor matches owner Pum Yamamoto’s bubbly personality, filling the room with joy and energy. Any of the rice-flour-based dishes show off the restaurant’s skills with the steamer, but particularly the signature pak mor; the supple, delightfully wrinkly handmade wrappers cradle chicken, pork, or tofu in a dish that rarely shows up on Thai restaurant menus in the U.S. because of the delicate work required to make it.

Ethically sourced meats, from steak cuts to gamier dishes such as bison, wild boar, and duck, headline the menu at FlintCreek, where floor-to-ceiling windows overlook a busy corner of Greenwood. A small-plates section features a cumin-dusted lamb tartare as well as mussels bathed in charred jalapeño-lime butter, while main-dish standouts include a brined pork chop on grits and a hanger steak topped with onion marmalade. The industrial-chic two-story lofted space, which has double-high ceilings and a lovely bar backed with modern yellow tile, is usually lively but not too loud, and the service is reliably solid.

One of Seattle’s top coffee roasters also runs this sleek, modern café just a few blocks from the Space Needle. The fifth-generation Costa Rican coffee farmer behind Fulcrum leads its adventurous sourcing, drawing beans not just from the usual regions but also from unexpected places like China, Myanmar, and Laos. Baristas here craft everything from classic espresso drinks to meticulous pourovers using single-origin beans, and the same care extends to the curated list of teas, beers, wines, and ciders. Breakfast and all-day sandwiches come on biscuits and breads from local bakers, alongside pastries and empanadas displayed temptingly in the glass case at the bar.

Starting out small and growing on word of mouth, Chera Amlag's bakery and bar sprouted from the desserts she made for her husband's Filipino pop-up dinners. A 2022 expansion grew this elegant I.D. space where she serves her dazzling purple ube cheesecake, alongside cafe foods with Filipino touches, like sandwiches on pan de sal bread. Their coffee program can compete with some of Seattle's best, using beans from the Philippines and around Southeast Asia to make pour-over, espresso, and specialty drinks.

Stepping foot into Lenox transports you from the streets of Belltown to the warm atmosphere of Puerto Rico and Cuba. Chef Jhonny Reyes draws on his roots in both islands and the flavors of his childhood, evident in the seasonal menu featuring tantalizing bites like snow crab hush puppies and seared halibut in an herbaceous coconut sauce, served with traditional sides like red beans and rice and plantains.

The best view of Downtown comes at an affordable price: the brightly colored Adirondack chairs outside this Korean-Hawaiian fish shack offer a panoramic view of the entire Downtown area and a close-up of the water taxi action at Seacrest Dock. Inside, you’ll find tacos filled with Korean beef or “sexy tofu,” Spam slider sandwiches, and a classic fish-and-chips served with kimchi tartar sauce. For dessert, the Hawaiian shave ice makes it the perfect place to begin or end a beach walk on Alki, or get a bag of malasadas to go.

Though it opened in 1994 as a typical neighborhood sushi joint, Mashiko quickly gained a reputation as one of the top spots in town for fresh fish, even before the then-owner committed to using solely sustainable fish. Now owned by his employees and mentees, it continues to uphold its reputation for both quality and a forward-thinking approach to the cuisine. As a product of both, the sushi here skips many classics that don't meet its standards and instead finds sustainable substitutes. But the resulting creativity makes for a unique, environmentally friendly meal, best eaten omakase-style: letting the chef choose the menu.

One of the most beloved of Pike Place Market's restaurants, Matt's is all about intimate dining, fresh ingredients, and superb service. You can perch at the bar for pints and the signature deviled eggs or be seated at a table—complete with vases filled with flowers from the market—for a seasonal menu that synthesizes the best picks from the restaurant's produce vendors and an excellent wine list. Dinner entrées always include at least one catch of the day—perhaps a whole fish in saffron broth or Alaskan halibut with pea vines. Your first dinner at Matt's is like a first date you hope will never end. It is owned by Dan Bugge, a bit of a celebrity himself, having appeared on TV shows with Martha Stewart, Anthony Bourdain, and Bobby Flay.

Tradition and creativity strike a smart balance at this polished Korean restaurant. The menu leans bold, with a dozen inventive small plates—most famously the fried rice tinted with squid ink and topped with bacon, kimchi, and a quail egg—and larger entrees of steak and seafood kissed by a wood-fired grill. Even the more adventurous dishes land on the right side of delicious, and the warm, attentive service keeps the experience relaxed rather than fussy. The dining room’s mix of marble and dark wood feels both modern and grounded, fitting for its sleek South Lake Union address at the base of an Amazon office tower.

Phở Bắc first brought its eponymous noodle soup to Seattle in the early 1980s; now, the children of the original owners proffer an equally pioneering Vietnamese restaurant. The recipes and flavors hew tightly to tradition, but the space and style come wholly from a young, modern perspective. The photogenic oversized beef ribs sticking out from an enormous bowl of noodles and broth have become iconic, as have the shots of whiskey served with hot pho broth. Multiple locations around town vary in menu; the benefit of this one is its prime location in Little Saigon, just across the parking lot from the boat-shaped original location—now a Vietnamese fried chicken restaurant from the same family.

Tucked into Post Alley, this hole-in-the-wall joint serves award-winning chowders. Skip the wait and order ahead for pick up, then snag a table in the outdoor section of the market and enjoy with a view. The smoked salmon chowder and crab and oyster chowder give the traditional New England chowder a run for its money. While most people come for the chowder, it also sells seafood rolls–brioche buns stuffed with fresh Dungeness crab or lobster. Few places draw longer lines than the Pike Place Starbucks—but Pike Place Chowder gives Seattle's flagship coffee shop some stiff competition. 

Traveling around Vietnam together led two friends to open Reckless, which taps Vietnamese and other Asian flavors for its inventive street food-style noodle and rice bowls, salads, and crispy rolls. The craft cocktail list is just as creative as the culinary offerings at this cozy spot with dark walls, rustic wood booths, and eclectic artwork that is a favorite for locals. Start with the crispy duck roll before digging into dishes that blend the flavors of Vietnam with coastal inspiration, such as the turmeric rockfish simmered in coconut cream atop vermicelli noodles and the lobster fried rice. 

Adventurous enough for the most committed gourmands but accessible enough to be a neighborhood favorite, Revel starts with Korean street food and shakes it up with a variety of influences, from French to American. Noodle dishes at this sleek industrial-chic spot with ample outdoor seating might feature smoked tea noodles with roast duck or seaweed noodles with Dungeness crab, while irresistibly spicy dumplings might be stuffed with bites of short ribs, shallots, and scallions, or perhaps chickpeas, roasted cauliflower, and mustard yogurt. Plates are small enough so that you can save room for one of the playful desserts riffing off Junior Mints or butterscotch pudding.

The stained glass saint over the door, holding wheat in one hand and a Japanese melonpan (bun) in the other, exemplifies this eccentric but excellent bakery perched above Portage Bay, just south of the UW campus. Scandinavian-style cardamom knots, classic French croissants, and fried egg sandwiches with Thai-style turkey sausage are great to start the day, and an intriguing array of grab-and-go salads and sandwiches are popular at lunch. The counter and kitchen take up the small indoor space, but a covered patio on the side keeps diners warm and dry.

Located on the first floor of Populus Hotel, Salt Harvest echoes the hotel's commitment to sustainability and the local ecosystem; its menu is an ode to the flavors of Washington's land and seas. Dine on green marble tables enveloped by draping plants and bold paintings, tasting your way through seasonal plates sourced from local farms. Meats, fish, and some vegetable dishes are wood-fired, subtly infusing the food with hints of smoke from local woods. The cocktail menu is equally as enticing, drawing on seasonally-sourced herbs and fruits to inspire its libations. While dinner steals the show, breakfast and lunch aren't to be overlooked, with dishes like breakfast fried rice, Turkish eggs, and a crispy fish sandwich. 

The lines are long for hearty, unforgettable sandwiches filled with superior house-cured meats and more at this shop, originally founded by famed New York chef Mario Batali's father Armandino. The oxtail sandwich special is unbeatable, but if it's unavailable or sold out (as specials often are by the lunchtime peak) order a salami, porchetta, or meatball sandwich with onions, peppers, cheese, and olive oil. Vegetarians can't go wrong with the eggplant parm sandwich. You can order whole or half sandwiches. Most people opt for takeout, or grab one of the tables in the packed dining room.

Founder Shiro Kashiba is no longer here (he's now at his namesake restaurant Sushi Kashiba in Pike Place), but this sushi spot is still the best in Belltown. Settle into the minimalist space for ultra-fresh fish and omakase service that's a bit more affordable than at other spots. The happy hour (4:30-6:00 pm Monday through Thursday) is a particularly good deal. 

Spinasse, focusing on the cuisine of the Piedmont region, is Capitol Hill's palace of pasta. The menu is short, simple, and elegant, and Spinasse pulls it off in true Italian style. The signature dish is tajarin con burro e salvia—thin-cut egg noodles with butter and sage. There are usually a couple of other pasta dishes sauced with meat ragu, and three or four antipasti and secondi; milk-braised pork is another specialty. Not surprisingly, the Italian wines and cocktails are top notch, and the ambience is as warm and welcoming as the food.