I have been exploring Seattle’s vibrant culinary scene since moving here in 2020 and am always on the lookout for good people serving great food. This list is just the tip of the iceberg, but it’s a place to start, and I’ll be updating it regularly.
Less🦪 Peak-Summer Pick: If throwing back oysters and bubbly while basking in the late-day sunlight of those perfect Seattle summer evenings on the water sounds like your idea of a good time, there's no better place to do it than Westward, Renee Erickson's seafood spot tucked into a cove in north Lake Union. (That deck is the perfect place to take in the fourth of July fireworks, though the cove nearby works if you can't nab a spot.)
🍦 Peak-Summer Pick: "This cannot be this crispy," was the first thought that went through my head when I bit into the fried-chicken sandwich from Milk Drunk, closely followed by "How is this so juicy," and "Why does this taste so good?" in quick succession. As I swallowed, my brain said to me "Good thing it's so big." I agreed. Milk Drunk's fried-chicken sandwiches are spectacular, but so is their soft serve, so choose wisely. (This means get both.)
🍻Peak-Summer Pick: The sunny, family-friendly outdoor patio at Fremont Brewing is a great place to find yourself on a summer day when the misters are on, you've picked up some teriyaki from nearby I Love Teriyaki (one of the best teriyaki spots in town), and you've got a freshly-poured beer on the picnic bench in front of you. Want to keep your afternoon acohol-free? They've got one of the finest non-alcoholic beers on the market (and a nearby waterfront to enjoy them on).
🦐 Peak-Summer Pick: I love walking the bridges and foot paths that lead from Goose Beach, past the Museum of History and Industry, to the Center for Wooden Boats in South Lake Union. From there it's a short hop over to the water to sit down for a basket of fish and chips or a dozen shucked oysters at the White Swan Public House or its waterfront fish shack, The 100 Pound Clam. It's a rare South Lake Union spot where the food (usually) matches the view. Stick with raw or gently-cooked seafood!
🏝️ Peak-Summer Pick: Do you like Caribbean-themed restaurants built in former gas stations? How about man-made sandy beaches in the middle of the city? What are your thoughts on really excellent fried plantains, juicy Cuban shredded beef, and generous portions of rice and black beans? Hitting Bongos, with its walled-in, sand-filled patio, is like taking a lunch break–sized vacation. I encourage eating the gloriously crusty and messy roast pork sandwich while stretching your toes in the sand.
Nobody would say that Ba Bar—with locations in Capitol Hill, South Lake, and U Village—flies under the radar, but the slow-roasted duck suprème, served with broken rice, pickled carrots and daikon, pineapple, and nuoc cham, may well be one of the best deals in town. Few restaurants serve duck as juicy and crisp, let alone for only $21. The whole menu is packed with value, but the bún bò huế (spicy beef noodles) and chewy caramelized pork floss cookies are extra special.
Bar Del Corso in Beacon Hill is simply outstanding in every way. The pizza is crisp, leopard-spotted, and lightly chewy like the best in Naples; the baccala fritters are whipped and light as a feather; and the prosciutto is properly aged and sliced paper thin so it melts in your mouth. Come in the summer and sit on the back patio to sip perfect Negronis while eating bits of charred octopus and whatever the seasonal vegetable specials are.
With a menu that ranges from very dry-aged to extremely dry-aged, a peek-inside showcase dry-aging room, and a chalkboard menu that offers virtually every tender cut on the steer, Bateau is like no other steakhouse I’ve been to. I enjoy sitting at the bar (where I’ve never needed a reservation) and taking my time to linger over the beef-heavy tasting menu (think: beef lardo melting over brown butter barley). They have an especially good NA cocktail program.
This is a fantastic butcher shop where the butchers truly know the meat, from the cut, to the diet, to the breed, to the aging process (many months long in some cases!). If you’re the type who likes a steak with character (and are willing to pay for it), this is the shop for you. For a more hands-off experience, book a table at The Peasant, a posh, meat-focused restaurant inside the shop (open Thursday–Sunday) that handily dispels the notion that British food is bland.
Billiard Hoang looks like a pool hall from the outside, but walk in, and you'll find that half the space is a restaurant worth visiting. I love the rich, gelatinous oxtail pho (I'm a sucker for all things oxtail), with extra-thin and bouncy rice noodles and lots of fresh herbs, as well as their grilled pork banh mi. It's a classic version with juicy strips of grilled pork (with plenty of crispy caramelized bits) and fresh vegetables stuffed into a crisp rice-flour baguette.