One of the best ways to discover new food is through TV shows like Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations, or newer streaming options such as Chef’s Table. So whether you’re a Seattle native or traveling to the city, you might be wondering which food TV shows have swung through the city.
We’ve got you covered with some of our favorite Seattle restaurants featured on TV. Trust us when we say, you’ll be drooling by the time you get to the end of this list!
What Restaurants Did Anthony Bourdain Visit in Seattle?
Anthony Bourdain pioneered the “travelogue” TV show that explores an area through its food. His catalog of shows includes No Reservations, Parts Unknown, and The Layover, all of which stopped in Seattle. Let’s dive into these shows one by one.
No Reservations in Seattle
No Reservations stopped in Seattle in season 3 episode 3 for an episode titled “The Pacific Northwest.” It should be noted this episode was filmed in 2007, making it the oldest entry on this list.
The episode was split between Portland and Seattle, but Anthony Bourdain eventually made his way to Pike’s Place Market where he made cheese at Beecher’s, had a pastry at Piroshky Piroshky, visited a hidden restaurant at a private residence (which was named Gypsy and is sadly closed now), dug for geoduck, and finished up his trip with a trek to Salumi for a sandwich.
The Layover Seattle Episode
While Bourdain’s trip to Seattle in No Reservations only featured a few stores, he made up when he visited the city for his TV show The Layover. The episode in Seattle is season 2 episode 10 and is a whirlwind tour across the city. For breakfast, Bourdain hit Seatown in Pike Place (now rebranded as Seatown Rubshack & Fishfry) and Nook in the University District for biscuits (which is now closed but you can visit Morsel to get similar biscuits).
After breakfast, the show moved to Melrose Market on Capitol Hill and focused on a meat shop (Rain Shadow Meats) and a cheese shop (The Calf & Kid). After that stop, Bourdain popped into Ballard’s The Walrus and Carpenter where he dined on oysters, steamed clams, and prawn crudo and finished the day with an upscale dinner at Canlis. Other stops included Rainier Restaurant and BBQ where Bourdain tried their signature dish: sour seafood soup.
The Layover showcased many restaurants where Bourdain wasn’t filmed dining but were suggestions for travelers to the Emerald City. These included Salty’s on Alki, French restaurant Le Pichet, greasy spoon Five Point, Carnival-themed bar Unicorn, Seattle hot-dog stand Comet Tavern, sandwich spot Paseo, cocktail bar Sun Liquor, whisky bar Canon, and Belltown bar Shorty’s.
Parts Unknown in Seattle
The last TV show Anthony Bourdain worked on before his passing was Parts Unknown. The show focused less on restaurants than either The Layover or No Reservations, but it still featured some Seattle classics.
Bourdain stopped in at Fremont’s Pacific Inn Pub, sampled several Korean dishes at Revel, and stopped into Middle Eastern restaurant Mamnoon after visiting a dispensary. Other stops included Taylor Shellfish in Pioneer Square, a trek to Greenwood for a drink at North Star Diner, and Bourdain finished his trip at Ballard’s Ocho.
A Complete List of Restaurants Anthony Bourdain Visited in Seattle
- Pike Place Market
- Beecher’s Cheese
- Piroshky Piroshky
- Seatown Rubshack & Fishfry
- Salumi
- Nook (Now closed, visit Morsel instead)
- Melrose Market
- The Walrus and Carpenter
- Canlis
- Salty’s On Alki
- La Pichet
- Sitka & Spruce (Closed in 2019)
- Quinn’s Pub
- Rob Roy
- Five Point
- Unicorn
- Comet Tavern
- Tilikum Place Cafe
- Paseo
- Rainier BBQ
- Little Uncle (closed in 2019)
- Shorty’s
- Ivar’s (Seatac location)
- Anthony’s (Seatac location)
- Pacific Inn Pub
- Revel
- Mamnoon
- Taylor Shellfish
- North Star Diner
- Ocho
Seattle Restaurants in Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives
Another popular TV food show is Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives (DDD). The show is hosted by Guy Fieri and features more under-the-radar restaurants. That is to say, you’re much more likely to find a greasy spoon joint on than a Michelin-starred restaurant on an episode of DDD.
The show has been on air since 2007 and has made several stops in Seattle.
Every Seattle Restaurant Features on Diners, Drive-In & Dives
- Voula’s Offshore Cafe: The U District Diner was featured in season 1 episode 8 of Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives. Guy samples the Greek Hobo scramble and the diner’s “Chinese Pancake,” which is a pancake with ham and a cracked egg inside.
- Mike’s Chili Parlor: Mike’s is a Ballard institution that’s been open for over 100 years. Guy visited the restaurant in the second season (October 2007) and tried several of their dishes including the chili burger.
- Bizarro Cafe: Guy didn’t make his way back to Seattle until season 6 when he visited Bizarro Italian Cafe in 2009. He tried their linguini and clams and complimented the ‘tenderness’ of their elk bolognese. This funky Wallingford restaurant is still open and doesn’t take reservations.
- Slim’s Last Chance Chili Shack & Watering Hole: After stopping in at Bizarro Cafe, Guy visited another Seattle dive just four episodes later in season 6. Slim’s is famous for their chili verde and jalapeno mac and cheese.
- Georgia’s Greek Restaurant & Deli: Georgia’s is perfect for DDD because it’s a converted auto repair shop near Lake City Way. Guy dined on lamb sliders and fried cheese (saganaki).
- Pam’s Kitchen: In season 7, Guy returned to Seattle to try Pam’s Kitchen on 45th St. The cuisine at Pam’s is Caribbean, and he sampled the spicy jerk chicken and pelau. If you’ve never tried pelau, it’s a specialty from Trinidad and includes rice, beef, coconut milk, and peas.
- Wood Shop BBQ: DDD returned to Seattle to once again visit Voula’s in 2014, but didn’t sample a new restaurant in the city until season 28 in 2018. The first episode back in Seattle went to Wood Shop BBQ on Jackson St. Don’t overthink your order here, pork spare ribs and brisket are the orders of choice.
- Pizzeria Credo: Another Seattle stop in season 28 was Pizzeria Credo. This restaurant will take you to West Seattle but Guy came for something other than pizza. He raved about their chicken sous vide Vallee d’Auge which comes with fresh vegetables and pasta.
- The Red Door: Unfortunately, the Red Door is now closed. Guy visited the Fremont bar in season 28 for fish and chips, but the Red Door served its last meal in 2020.
- Sisters and Brothers Bar: The fourth Seattle restaurant DDD visited in season 28 was Sisters and Brothers Bar. Located just north of downtown on Eliott Avenue, Sisters and Brothers is a top spot to head to if you’re craving Nashville hot chicken in Seattle.
- Piroshki on 3rd: We’ve already seen Russian pastries on this list, Anthony Bourdain stopped at the famous Piroshky Piroshky bakery in Pike Place in No Reservations. Piroshki on 3rd contains a more expansive menu. Guy raved about their chicken-filled dumplings in a broth.
- Bok a Bok: The sixth and final stop DDD made in season 28, Bok a Bok serves wings, sandwiches, and bowls. Guy tried the soy sesame garlic chicken sandwich. Another outstanding dish is the “Bow of Shame,” a kimchi mac and cheese with tots, fried chicken, cheese sauce, hot sauce, garlic, and a soft poached egg.
