The New York Times recently released its third annual “The Restaurant List,” which features 50 restaurants that writers and editors in its food section are most excited about. Most of these restaurants are new, having opened in recent years.
The list has a wide-ranging assortment of restaurants, including relative unknowns in cities like Juneau, Alaska, and Livingston, Montana. As you can expect, cities like New York City, Philadelphia, and Los Angelese are also represented.
But perhaps most exciting if you’re living in Seattle, there is a new entry from Seattle, another Washington state restaurant, and three restaurants nearby in Oregon. Let’s look at each choice!
Ltd Edition Sushi Makes the List
Ltd Edition Sushi is located on Capitol Hill across from Cal Anderson Park. The New York Times selected them in part because “none of the fish is frozen and much of it is local.” It’s important to note that Ltd Edition is only an eight-seat counter and accommodates just 32 diners a day. This is to ensure they can serve only the highest-quality ingredients, but it also means that reservations will fill up quickly after they make a list with as much prestige as New York Times “The Restaurant List.”
The good news if you miss Ltd Edition is that Seattle has many wonderful sushi options with Sushi Kashiba being a top option. HIgh-level sushi restaurants with locally-sourced omakasse menus have even made their way outside Seattle city limits with Takai by Kashiba opening in Bellevue.
Bar Bacetto Also Named to N.Y. Times “Restaurant List”
The restaurant scene in Walla Walla has been booming thanks to huge levels of wine tourism. So while a couple of decades ago a nationally acclaimed restaurant in nearby Waitsburg would have been unthinkable, today it’s part of a thriving culinary region.
Seattle residents might be familiar with the restauranteur behind Bar Bacetto. It’s Mike Easton, who created the city’s beloved (and sadly gone) restaurant Il Corvo. Bar Bacetto is Italian, but be advised that it only has space for 12 patrons at a time and serves a limited menu. However, the menu it serves is excellent. A recent night (menu embedded above) featured wood fire braised beef, wild porcini chanterelle cream thyme, and lingusia sausage taleggio as entrees.
If you’re heading to Walla Walla on a wine trip, Bar Bacetto does take reservations through Open Table.
Oregon Places Three Restaurants on “The Restaurant List”
Finally, Northwest neighbor Oregon is well-represented on the list. They placed three different restaurants:
- Okta: Opened in July 2022 and located in McMinnville (another popular wine destination). Okta has a tasting menu that features Pacific Northwest ingredients. Their chef once cooked at Noma, and its evident in the presentation of meals and the use of local ingredients.
- Lilia Comedor: Opened in October 2022, this Portland restaurant blends Northwest ingredients with Mexican recipes. If the idea of halibut with mole and falkes of rice chicharron is up your alley, then Lilia Comedor should be on your list.
- Cafe Olli: Finally, we end with an all-day-cafe. Opened in December 2021, Cafe Olli serves food that’s seasonally focused and locally sourced. Weekdays feature classics like breakfast sandwiches (made with a milk bun, fried egg, and homemade sausage patty), frittatas, and whipped ricotta and toast while brunches expand the offering to heartier options like breakfast plates, french toast, and steak & eggs.
