Seattle restaurants have incredibly fresh seafood and other delicious treats. The Pacific and Northwest are known for their blend of innovative seafood recipes and Asian influence. With so much water, great views are often a given.
Try a few of our favorites. We don't recommend just any place and this is a very short list for good reason. Our focused reviews for Seattle's booming and trendy Capitol Hill area have revealed a number of infamous "single name" restaurants competing for top diners with innovative, fresh food offerings.
Tavolata is the latest buzz from Seattle's creator of Union and heralded by Seattle Magazine as one of Seattle's best restaurants hands-down. An intimate space with excellent small plates in Belltown - Tavolata is a great place to try. It's billed as Italian, but the menu runs the gamut. The steak was to die for and the small English pea soup was great. The wine list is extensive, with
excellent choices from Europe and Washington wineries. Reservations often needed - it's a popular place near a variety of great nightclubs. 2323 2nd Avenue - Seattle 206-838-8008
Lark
Restaurant - Seattle's Capitol Hill
Lark Restaurant gives the feeling of a small town mountain lodge - even while
located in a warehouse district of Seattle. Small plate portions to share
make it a fun place to dine with friends, although portions can be small.
The menu by owner-chef Johnaathan Sundstrom is seasonal - and divided into
cheeses, vegetables, charcuterie, fish and meat. We enjoyed Osso Bucco,
Monk Fish (bone-in), lemon spinach, and marinated beets. The
incredible cheese collection makes a great starter with the restaurant's own
home-baked crackers. Service was very good and personalized to the diners
needs. No reservations are taken at Lark - a testament to the strong
demand for this high quality and unique restaurant. Our total bill
including dessert (a delicious fruit cobbler with home-made ice cream) and wine
was $75 per person. We recommend Lark as a unique place with high quality
food and service for special occasions with friends.
926 12th Avenue between Marion and Spring 206-323-5275 (Closed
Mondays).
Crow Restaurant and Bar
823
5th Avenue North (Lower Queen Anne) - Seattle 206-283-8800
What an incredible restaurant. A cozy, romantic setting, but with a
buzz in the room. Excellent and personal service - and fresh entrees like
lasagna, beef, and chicken. The food at this restaurant rivals any in
Seattle. Highly recommended by our editors.
Look for the TV towers on Queen Anne, and you've found Crow's "cousin" - Betty. With servers in Archie comics-like striped shirts (remember "Betty"!) - the prices are affordable - the setting is intimate and the food is excellent. I enjoyed a delicious lasagna combo with salad and dessert for $25. Parking can be challenging in this area - bring comfy shoes.
Betty - 1507 Queen Anne Avenue North 206-352-3773
Monsoon
Minimalist, personal, amazing Vietnamese food. Authentic recipes and flavors with stunning service. Monsoon is a neighborhood restaurant that dwarfs others in the category. Eric - the owner's personal service
and attention to food, menu, and service makes this a stunning find. The wine list is over three pages of carefully selected items. We tried a pork dish with both ground pork and side pork, plus a delicious lamb dish with snap peas / mushrooms. The variety of Vietnamese salads and fresh + crispy rolls is awesome. This is a great restaurant and reservations are definitely required. Consider a limousine
for your special evening out as parking can sometimes be tricky in this area. Around $50 per person excluding wine. Monsoon is world-class. Monsoon does not have a lunch menu outside of weekend brunch. 206-325-2111 / 615 19th Avenue East
Kingfish Cafe
Authentic, delicious, spicy down-home Southern-style food. Fried green tomatos,
amazing buttermilk fried chicken, crab cakes, griddled catfish, red beans & rice. The feeling of a Southern home cafe and comfort food like you've never tried. Very popular and right across the street from Monsoon in Capitol Hill. Recommended if you love comfort food.
602 19th Avenue East / 206-320-8757
Veil
Restaurant and Bar
Veil is a highly reviewed Seattle restaurant, but we found it pretentious and
annoying. From waiters pushing bottled water and wine - to the
ingredient by ingredient description of every very small portion placed in front
of you - Veil is a bit too much. Veil is committed to food as education,
and you can expect to learn more than you want to know about everything served.
The stark white interior is stylish to the point of parody, and the plastic
chairs a bit cheap. The portions are very small, but served on large
plates. The food looks great - but expect to leave hungry and with
little left in your wallet. Our waiter hovered over our table constantly
until we placed our order - we just wanted to relax and chat.
Recommended only for foodies on a diet.
555 Aloha Street, Seattle - Lower Queen Anne - 206-216-0600
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