Seattle Travel Guide

Restaurants in Seattle, Washington

Restaurants
Gastronomic

Brasa
Seattle's best celebrity spotting venue offers rich clients as well as rich Northwest/Mediterranean cuisine, including superb gnocchi with morels and oyster mushrooms, roasted pig with house-made chorizo and clams or duck breast with strawberry gastrique. Warm earth tones and soft banquettes give an understated villa atmosphere to the dining area, as does the copper bar with its padded elbow rests. The entrance sits enticingly behind a heavy wrought-iron gate.

2107 Third Avenue
Tel: (206) 728 4220.
Website: www.brasa.com
Price: $$$$

Canlis
Seattle's classiest restaurant since the BreakfastatTiffany's era never fails to impress. Diners enter through an antique Japanese door and find impeccable service, a stunning view across Lake Union and the house's own venerable recipes - the Canlis salad and Peter Canlis prawns, truffle fries, and Dungeness crab legs are recommended. Canlis specializes in Northwest classics, such as steak, game, salmon and oysters, including Washington-grown Kobe-style beef, all served in an Asian-modern atmosphere. Add to that a piano bar and a vast wine list. If you can't get a reservation, don't fret. It is possible to enjoy Canlis' appetizers and truffle fries at the bar. No lunch. Closed Sunday.

2576 Aurora Avenue North
Tel: (206) 283 3313.
Website: www.canlis.com
Price: $$$$

IlTerrazzoCarmine
This discreet, highbrow Florentine restaurant, run by Carmine Smeraldo since 1984, is where the locals have chosen to return over and over again, partly for the understated classical guitar music and first-rate service. Waiters wear white tuxes and tables are set with white linen under shimmering chandeliers. Starters might include calamari affogati or venison ravioli, while main courses could be beef filet in Barolo, or ossobuco (veal shank with wine). There is a spectacular Italian wine list and outdoor seating in summer. Closed Sunday; no lunch Saturday. Complimentary valet parking after 1700.

411 First Avenue South
Tel: (206) 467 7797.
Website: www.ilterrazzocarmine.com
Price: $$$$

LeGourmand
The funky district of Ballard is one of Seattle's best-kept secrets and this French favorite, set unprepossessingly in a shop front, features local, seasonal produce in high style on a fixed-price menu. Starters include rabbit liver pâté or sole and shrimp mousseline. The organic beef tenderloin in Merlot-pressings butter is renowned, as is the rabbit in apricot sauce, the venison in elderberry and pinot noir stock and the salmon poached in champagne. There is house-made ice cream, crème brulée or local cheeses to finish with. The restaurant is small, cosy and romantic, with white tablecloths and a candlelit hush-hush ambience of understated French elegance. Closed Sunday to Tuesday.

425 NW Market Street, Ballard
Tel: (206) 784 3463.
Price: $$$$

Rover's
Thierry Rautureau is one of the city's most famous chefs and his imaginative take on traditional French cuisine is stunningly presented in this restaurant. Set in a small house with private gardens, Rover's has a very French country style, with secluded courtyard seating and a simple but cheery décor. Depending on available fresh ingredients, the menu, which is either is fixed-price or à la carte, changes on a daily basis. Every night, the kitchen produces three tasting menus of six or nine small courses, one of which is vegetarian. There is a superb wine list and garden dining in summer. Closed Sunday and Monday. No lunch.

2808 East Madison Street, North Seattle
Tel: (206) 325 7442.
Website: www.rovers-seattle.com
Price: From $$$

Business

DahliaLounge
Despite its fame after featuring in SleeplessinSeattle (1993), chef Tom Douglas has lost none of his culinary edge and the Dahlia Lounge remains a gastronomic institution as well as the place to impress business guests. The Chinese red walls, industrial ceilings and low-lit lanterns are still there, along with a banquet service for up to 45 diners and personalised menus. Appetisers lean to Japanese-inspired seafood specialties, although the meat dishes from the rotisserie are often hunters' favorites, such as barbecued pork loin, Washington strip steak or wood-grilled king salmon. The coconut cream pie and other desserts are legendary, especially since the restaurant has its own bakery.

2001 Fourth Avenue, Belltown
Tel: (206) 682 4142.
Website: www.tomdouglas.com
Price: $$$$

TheGeorgian
Seattle's most opulent restaurant is also a splendid setting for power breakfasts, lunches and clinched-deal celebrations. Vast ceilings are hung with antique chandeliers and service is reminiscent of a bygone era. Executive Chef Gavin Stephenson is a former winner of the Acorn Award for the best British chef. The luxurious menu is geared toward European classics, including truffle and foie gras, as well as duck, veal, rack of lamb and venison, all gorgeously presented. Guests can also take brandy and cigars on the terrace, after dinner. The Georgette Petite room can be booked for business groups and private parties. Closed Sunday and Monday.

Fairmont Olympic Hotel, 411 University Street
Tel: (206) 621 7889.
Website: www.fairmont.com/seattle
Price: $$$$

HuntClub
The Hunt Club offers a gentleman's club atmosphere (brick walls, deep red leather, mahogany and plush seating) as well as some of the most divine steaks in town. Other options include pheasant, duck dishes and of course, seafood. Much of the seasonal menu is Pacific Northwest style with Mediterranean influences, and features dishes such as beef carpaccio and scallop fettuccini. Chef Jason Dallas grows many of the herbs used in the food preparation. Dessert, coffee, cognac or port and truffles can be taken in the Fireside Room, which also features piano music and card games. Service is impeccable. Brunch is served at the weekend.

Sorrento Hotel, 900 East Madison Street
Tel: (206) 343 6156.
Website: www.hotelsorrento.com/dining-hunt-club.php
Price: $$$$

MetropolitanGrill
Appropriately situated in the heart of the financial district and famous for its power-sized, custom-aged, mesquite-broiled steaks and antique sports bar atmosphere, this is one of the most popular stops for celebrities, stockbrokers and other big-money clientele. Macho food and portions, from the oysters and caviar starters to the red meat and sea bass, are all washed down with no-nonsense martinis. No lunch at weekends.

820 Second Avenue
Tel: (206) 624 3287.
Website: www.themetropolitangrill.com
Price: $$$$

Tulio
Warm woods, white tablecloths and an open kitchen make this friendly bistro inviting and cosy. Service is good and the menu runs the gamut of Italian dishes, from pizza and pasta to seafood and meat. All is creatively presented, but the star of the menu is the sweet potato gnocchi. Even those who think yams are yucky give it raves. There is a small counter by the open kitchen for those who want to get up close and personal with the chefs.

1100 Fifth Avenue
Tel: (206) 624 5500.
Website: www.tulio.com
Price: $$$

Trendy

Boka
Because a friendly atmosphere permeates this cosy venue, it is a place where the locals come to have dinner, a drink or ‘urban bites' like crab cupcakes. The huge glass, bamboo sculpture in the middle of the restaurant, glass wall sculptures and lights behind the bar and toward the back that slowly change colors add a touch of drama. Comfortable grey banquettes are accented with warm woods. Well presented, popular dishes on the tasty, ever-changing menu are confit duck, some sort of salmon, and scallops. Located next to the Hotel 1000.

1010 First Avenue
Tel: (206) 357 9000.
Website: www.bokaseattle.com
Price: $$$

CafeLago
A cheery, informal trattoria, Cafe Lago boasts some of the best antipasti, wood-fired pizza and house-made pasta in town - worth every penny. The restaurant produces noteworthy lasagne conmelanzane (aubergine) and ravioli, as well as an extensive list of Italian wines. No lunch. Reservations accepted.

2305 24th Avenue East, Montlake (near Arboretum)
Tel: (206) 329 8005.
Website: www.cafelago.com
Price: $$$

FishClub
The setting is simple - an open kitchen, wood-trimmed walls and accents of muted reds, oranges, purples and greens. It is here that Todd English, an east coast celebrity chef and acclaimed TV personality, has brought his culinary skills. Many of his dishes have a Mediterranean flair, and some sort of flatbread is usually featured on the frequently changing menu. Expect friendly and competent service.

2100 Alaskan Way (next to the Marriott)
Tel: (206) 256 1040.
Website: www.fishclubseattle.com
Price: $$$$

FlyingFish
Exotic and photo-worthy fish specialties, mostly Asian-inspired, are served at one of trendy Belltown's most famous landmarks, Flying Fish. Platter dishes are huge and meant to be shared by large parties - these are ordered by the pound weight and include tasty novelties such as barracuda. The spacious restaurant is strikingly colorful with a contemporary, geometric design. There is street dining in summer and the private dining room seats 36 or has reception space for 70. Reservations recommended. Open until 0100 for dinner; bar open until 0200.

2234 First Avenue, Belltown
Tel: (206) 728 8595.
Website: www.flyingfishseattle.com
Price: $$$$

Marazul
Think Indo-Asian cuisine fused with Cuban and Caribbean flavors in a minimalist setting and you have Marazul. Amid an exposed pipe ceiling, mahogany-colored woods, woven chairs and accents like a Buddha, a samurai, fish and leaves, you can sup on such interesting delicacies as Havana-style pad thai, churrasco skirt steak, Jamaican jerk satay or Caesar salad with cashew nuts. The menu offers ‘small plates' and large plates to share as well as a variety of rum drinks, martinis and sake.

Pan Pacific Hotel, 2200 Westlake Avenue
Tel: (206) 654 8170.
Website: www.marazulrestaurant.com
Price: $$$

ThePinkDoor
Famed for its off-beat cabaret bar as well as hearty Italian food, this fashionable hideaway also offers great views of Puget Sound and the Market from its festively lit roof terrace. The décor could easily be described as gay as in flamboyantly flowered tablecloths on the outdoor tables, fun Italian kitsch and bistro lighting. Roasted garlic and tapenade are prime starters, while the cioppino and lasagne are legendary. Salads feature the Market's organic produce.

1919 Post Alley, Pike Place Market
Tel: (206) 443 3241.
Website: www.thepinkdoor.net
Price: $$$

Budget

AlibiRoom
This young, artsy spot attracts film industry wannabes and has a view of the Puget Sound sunset. Décor and ambience are laid-back New York, with low-budget lounge lizard effects in its darkly painted, dimly lit and cheaply furnished interior. Diners can linger over the hummus or brie and apple plate starters before digging into ravioli, salmon or steak. Vegetarian lasagne is excellent. Script readings, film screenings or live music occur some evenings. Open for brunch and stay open until 0200.

85 Pike Street, Post Alley, Pike Place Market
Tel: (206) 623 3180.
Website: www.seattlealibi.com
Price: $$$

EmmettWatson'sOysterBar
This unpretentious bolt-hole specializes in live oysters direct from the Market, served aunaturel, fried, baked or stewed. Some think they serve the best fish and chips in town. Beer is fresh and cold and cosy booths face a small flower-filled courtyard. The salmon soup and fish and chips are excellent. Cards accepted. No dinner Sunday.

1916 Pike Place (Pike Place Market, Soames Dunn building)
Tel: (206) 448 7721.
Price $$

Mama'sMexicanKitchen
One of Seattle's best California-Mexican restaurants and also one of the cheapest, Mama's Mexican Kitchen has a lazy, bustling atmosphere that attracts the hip and the business suits alike. Fajitas and chicken burritos are recommended - diners should be sure to pick up a big dish of the super house-made salsa.

2334 Second Avenue, Belltown
Tel: (206) 728 6262.
Website: www.mamas.com
Price: $$

Siam
This tiny, authentic favorite is the closest Seattle comes to a Bangkok street stall and is widely credited with the best tomkahgai (spicy chicken, lemongrass and coconut milk soup) in the city. Diners can decide upon their preference for chilli from items with heat rating indicated by one to four stars. No lunch at weekends.

616 Broadway, Capitol Hill
Tel: (206) 324 0892.
Price: $$

Specialty Cafe & Bakery
This is the perfect place to grab a fresh sandwich, soup or delicious spinach and bacon salad. The smell of fresh baked goods permeates the restaurant, so it is a popular place for breakfast, a huge brownie or chocolate chip cookie. Open for breakfast and lunch; closed Saturday and Sunday.

1023 Third Avenue (Third & Spring)
Tel: 1 888 533 2253.
Website: www.specialtysdirect.com
Price: $, no alcohol

Other branches at:
701 Fifth Avenue (Fifth & Cherry)

505 Fifth Avenue South (Between King & Weller)

2690 NE Village Lane (University Village)

1400 Fifth Avenue (Fifth & Union)

Personal Recommendations

Andaluca
This dimly lit European-style restaurant is quiet and sophisticated enough for private business meals, sexy enough for a tête-à-tête and also a great place to dine solo. Food is light but satisfying Mediterranean-inspired fare, made of fresh Northwest ingredients. Specialties include a towering full-meal Dungeness crab salad, as well as excellent paella, zarzuela, Carbrales steaks and the finest mussels in town. Andaluca also offers a selection of fine sherries and Spanish and local wines.

Mayflower Park Hotel, 407 Olive Way
Tel: (206) 382 6999.
Website: www.andaluca.com
Price $$$$

CafeFlora
Vegetarian food so exquisite carnivores will not notice the difference. The setting is a sophisticated Asian-style atrium, boasting a fountain and natural stone. A seasonal menu features new-age renditions of pizzas, like grilled peach pizza with cilantro pistou, goat's cheese and toasted pecans. Also on the menu are tacos stuffed with spicy potato and cheese. The Portobello Wellington mushroom must be tried. Weekend brunch features berry and ginger cream beignets and breakfast quesadilla (a filled tortilla turnover). Reservations accepted for eight or more.

2901 East Madison Street, Madison Valley, North Seattle
Tel: (206) 325 9100.
Website: www.cafeflora.com
Price: $$$

Etta's
This unpretentious eatery near Pike Place is a favorite with locals. Yellow walls and funky lights are about the only decorations. The restaurant, by Tom Douglas (Seattle's star restaurateur), features fresh seafood, fish and, for lunch, inspired cuisine like Thai fried chicken salad with kumquats, peanuts and nuocchum. The crab cakes rule.

2020 Western Avenue
Tel: (206) 443 6000.
Website: www.tomdouglas.com
Price: $$$$

Izumi
This is a true Japanese, suburban family restaurant with a simple menu and friendly service. But it is so popular that it is not unusual for hopeful diners to have to sit by the door, watching children and their grandparents practising origami before a table is finally set free. The sushi bar is superb, the teriyaki salmon delicate and the tempura perfect - the house special has all of the above and more, served in a big lacquer box. Closed Monday.

12539 116th Avenue North East, Kirkland
Tel: (425) 821 1959.
Price: $$$

Lola
Another Tom Douglas winner, this cosy, Mediterranean-inspired bistro is the kind of place where good friends would meet for dinner. Simple décor with high, industrial ceilings (which doesn't help with noise control), black banquettes, bare wood floors, and art deco chandeliers gives the place a kind of 1940s look. Foodies love the homemade, warm pitta and Jackie's Greek salad that comes with a big chunk of barrel-aged feta. For the main course, there are specialty tajines, lamb ravioli and a variety of kebabs, but save room for the loukoumathes, little doughnuts with cinnamon, honey and chopped walnuts.

2000 Fourth Street
Tel: (206) 441 1430.
Website: www.tomdouglas.com
Price: $$$

Serious Pie
This restaurant is as popular with the locals as it is with the tourists. This time Tom Douglas has created a friendly pizza parlour complete with stone tile walls, communal tables and wood-beamed ceilings. The open kitchen has a wood burning oven that produces the scrumptious, serious pizza pies. Some are quite unique like the one with lobster, soft egg and arugula or the clam, pancetta and lemon thyme pie. For traditional eaters there is pie with a buffalo cheese and tomatoes. To finish off the meal, try tiramisu with bing cherries or chocolate spumoni. Open for lunch and dinner. No reservations.

316 Virginia Avenue
Tel: (206) 838 7388.
Website: www.tomdouglas.com
Price: $$

ShanghaiGardenRestaurant
Everything from the conventional to the bizarre can be found at this top Chinese family restaurant, which is large, airy and bright pink inside with a big bubbling fish tank feature. The menu offers mu shu pork and ostrich meat, as well as meals that will delight the vegetarian, such as bean curd hot pot. Highly recommended are the house special hand-shaved green noodles and the fried ice cream dessert. Open daily.

524 Sixth Avenue South, International District
Tel: (206) 625 1688.
Price: $$$

Thai Ginger
Located across from the Benaroya Hall, Thai Ginger is the place to find multi-regional Siamese cuisine. The décor, accented with touches of black, is simple, with pipe-exposed ceilings, light wood tables and woven chairs. There is a bar for single diners or, when a table is unavailable, for small groups. The ever-changing menu is dependent on whatever is available in the morning but it always offers tasty specialties like wok-fried barbecued prawns with hoisin sauce, peanuts, garlic and scallions or satay tofu skewers with chilli sauce. Sweet and sour, a mixture of stir-fried onions, cucumbers, tomato, pineapple and bell peppers with a choice of chicken, pork, tofu or beef, is a specialty of the house. Service can be spotty. This is a popular place so reservations are suggested even for lunch.

600 Pine Street
Tel: (206) 749 9100.
Website: www.thaiginger.com
Price: $$$$

Nightlife

Seattle is a city of youth and numerous fashionable districts (from the Pioneer Square and Belltown neighborhoods downtown to University District, Capitol Hill and Ballard), which are dominated by clubs, bars, coffee houses, cinemas and eccentric eateries. Due to the strictly enforced minimum drinking age of 21 years, a number of ’all ages’ live music venues in the city center do not serve alcohol to minors but offer a wide range of the latest in local music. The restriction is strictly enforced and it is essential to bring photo identification.

Most Seattle bars are open 1100 til 0200. Entertainment listings can be found in free tabloids such as Seattle Weekly (website: www.seattleweekly.com) and The Stranger (website: www.thestranger.com/seattle/home). There is also NWsource Seattle (website: www.nwsource.com), SeattleInsider (website: www.seattleinsider.com) and City Search (http://seattle.citysearch.com).

Bars: Several chic lounges have opened in the city recently. Vessel, in the old Skinner Building, 1312 Fifth Avenue, melds the old with the fashionable, while Marazul, 2200 Westlake Avenue (in the Pan Pacific Hotel), is a fusion of Asia and the Caribbean. Purple Cafe and Wine Bar has opened a new location in the heart of downtown Seattle at 1225 Fourth Avenue. The comfortable Boka, 1010 First Avenue next to the Hotel 1000, is where you are likely to find more locals than tourists.

The Alibi Room, 85 Pike Street, is a trendy cocktail bar tucked away in Post Alley, under the Pike Place Market, with a lovely view of Puget Sound. The BluWater Bistro, 1001 Fairview Avenue North, has a remarkable array of colorful cocktails, while Cascadia, 2328 First Avenue, Belltown, is perhaps the classiest bar in town, famed for its Gershwin-geared pianist, carved glass window/waterfall and Pacific Northwest wine list.

The Cha Cha Lounge, 506 East Pine Street, Capitol Hill, offers dimly retro décor with Chinese red walls and an artsy clientele. Conor Byrne’s, 5140 Ballard Street North West, is a hip and authentic Irish pub that has live Celtic music on weekends. Doc Maynard’s, 610 First Avenue, Pioneer Square, is a rowdy, rock-and-roll bar, restored from the turn of the century. Linda’s Tavern, 707 East Pine Street, is famed for the latest music trends. Manray, 514 East Pine Street Capitol Hill, is a 1970s retro chic space pod done up in stark white décor, while The Pink Door, 1919 Post Alley, in the Pike Place Market, serves legendary violet martinis and has a great view over Puget Sound.

For more serious dark and smoky dives, try Comet Tavern, 922 East Pike Street, the oldest bar on Capitol Hill, or Tini Bigs, 100 Denny Way, famed for its over-sized martinis and cigar haze. Its massive dance floor and a variety of DJs have made Trinity, 111 Yesler Way, one of hottest bars in the city.

Clubs: The Baltic Room, 1207 East Pine Street (website: www.thebalticroom.net), is a stylish alternative rock, hip hop and jazz nightclub. Dance to anything from hip hop to Top 40 tunes at The War Room’s rooftop deck, 722 East Pike Street (website: www.thewarroomseattle.com). A gay and straight crowd packs into the Last Supper Club, 124 South Washington Street, Pioneer Square (website: www.lastsupperclub.com).

Live Music: The Crocodile Cafe, 2200 Second Avenue and Blanchard Street (website: www.thecrocodile.com), was the original home of Seattle’s grunge music scene (from Pearl Jam to Mudhoney and the Posies) and is still a cutting-edge, live music venue. However, it is rapidly being overtaken by Showbox, 1426 First Avenue, Belltown (website: www.showboxonline.com), due to its massive 1,100 capacity, domed ceilings and red velvet curtains. Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, 2033 Sixth Avenue, Downtown (website: www.jazzalley.com), is a sophisticated jazz club that consistently features internationally known acts, while Tula’s, 2214 Second Avenue, Belltown (website: www.tulas.com), is a low-key local jazz bar with an older clientele.