Seattle Restaurants
Great Seattle Restaurants
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. Seattle has hundreds of amazing restaurants spread across the city which feature the flavors and design of the Northwest. SeattleTravel publishes our annual list of Seattle’s Top Ten Best restaurants based on multiple selective criteria.
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.
615 19th Avenue East / 206-325-2111
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
Great food and reasonable prices – but surly service makes Crave a devil’s bargain. The tiny space is located in an “interesting” Capitol Hill spot next to the government-run liquor store; across from the Police impound lot; and right down the street from the Police station. The restaurant takes up about one-third of the Capitol Hill Community Arts Center – it’s quite a small place. The food is very good – natural ingredients prepared well for comfort food. We tried lamb chops and a pork chop with golden beets and a cheese plate. The pork chop was great – the lamb chops very fatty, and with very little meat. The vegetables with both plates were excellent. Service was laden with bad attitude and many diners have reported the same experience. Our total bill was about $75 before tip for two people. We’d recommend you can find the same food elsewhere and avoid the bad service experiences. The atmosphere / space is also not the most relaxing or well kept. Crave is often recommended by other reviewers – we’d recommend you take a pass.
1621 12th Avenue (Capitol Hill) near East Pike Street 206-388-0526
If you’re looking for more dining choices and restaurant reviews– Coffee.net is a local web portal that specializes in Seattle restaurant reviews. They review both fine dining and “hole-in-the-wall” restaurants for a more adventurous food experience in Seattle. The site also includes food articles, news, and local chef interviews.