Ba Bar Capitol Hill in Seattle is Eric Banh's 2011 Vietnamese street-food room: pho running until 02:00 weeknights, 03:30 weekends, banh mi at the front counter.
Signature dishes: Pho ga, Bun cha, Banh mi
Must order: Pho ga at 02:00 with a side of bun cha and a Vietnamese iced coffee.
Tip: Late-night menu after midnight is shorter and faster; the front counter does banh mi to-go.
Address: 550 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
Kedai Makan in Seattle's Capitol Hill is the Malaysian street-food kitchen rebooted at 15th and Pine: nasi lemak, char kway teow and roti canai with kaya butter.
Signature: Nasi lemak, Char kway teow, Roti canai
Order: Nasi lemak with the rendang, plus an order of char kway teow for the table.
Tip: The Belltown second location at 2234 1st Avenue opened May 2025 and is calmer at lunch.
Kedai Makan in Seattle's Capitol Hill is the Malaysian street-food kitchen rebooted at 15th and Pine: nasi lemak, char kway teow and roti canai with kaya butter.
Signature: Nasi lemak, Char kway teow, Roti canai
Order: Nasi lemak with the rendang, plus an order of char kway teow for the table.
Tip: The Belltown second location at 2234 1st Avenue opened May 2025 and is calmer at lunch.
The Pink Door in Seattle's Pike Place is the unmarked Post Alley Italian since 1981: red-sauce kitchen, Elliott Bay deck, nightly cabaret on Thursday to Saturday.
Signature: Lasagne alla Bolognese, Ricotta gnocchi, Cioppino
Order: The Bolognese lasagne with a glass of Sangiovese on the deck overlooking Elliott Bay.
Tip: The deck takes Resy only April through October; aerial cabaret runs Thursday to Saturday at 21:30.
Matt's in the Market in Seattle is the Pike Place Corner Market room with windows on the clock: a Pacific Northwest kitchen sourcing five floors down at the stalls.
Signature: Catfish sandwich, Salmon plate, Half-pound mac
Order: The catfish sandwich at lunch, on Macrina sourdough with house remoulade.
Tip: Lunch counter seats walk in at 11:30 and turn fast; dinner needs a reservation for window tables.
Cafe Campagne in Seattle's Pike Place is the city's foremost French bistro since 1994: zinc bar, Post Alley address, cassoulet and croque madame.
Signature: Cassoulet, Steak frites, Croque madame
Order: Croque madame at brunch with a glass of Sancerre; cassoulet on a rainy night.
Tip: Brunch from 09:00 weekends fills first; walk in at 08:30 Saturday for a window table.
Le Pichet in Seattle near Pike Place is the unhurried French bistro since 2000: tile floor, zinc bar, slate boards and a kitchen that does poulet roti as well as anywhere.
Signature: Poulet roti, Tartine de jambon, Cassoulet
Order: Poulet roti for two, ordered on arrival; it needs 60 minutes from the oven.
Tip: The bar is first-come first-served from 16:00; ask for the corner two-top in the window.
Toulouse Petit in Seattle's Lower Queen Anne is the city's largest Cajun-Creole kitchen: 200 covers, beignets at breakfast, full French Quarter at dinner.
Signature: Bouillabaisse, Jambalaya, Beignets
Order: Bouillabaisse with the Mardi Gras jambalaya for the table, or beignets at the bar.
Tip: The 09:00 to 11:00 breakfast service is the secret deal: beignets and eggs cardinal, fewer than 12 covers full.
