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French BistroPike Place Market
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.
OrderPoulet roti for two, ordered on arrival; it needs 60 minutes from the oven.
TipThe bar is first-come first-served from 16:00; ask for the corner two-top in the window.
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Cajun CreoleQueen Anne
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.
OrderBouillabaisse with the Mardi Gras jambalaya for the table, or beignets at the bar.
TipThe 09:00-11:00 breakfast service is the secret deal: beignets and eggs cardinal, fewer than 12 covers full.
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SeafoodBelltown
Shaker + Spear in Seattle's Belltown is the Kimpton Palladian seafood room: a kitchen working off the Pike Place fishmongers and Hood Canal growers down.
OrderThe whole roasted rockfish with brown butter and capers, deboned tableside.
TipThe two top by the kitchen pass is the best seat for solos; happy hour 16:00-18:00 with $2 oysters.
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SeafoodWallingford
Westward in Seattle on Lake Union's north shore is Renee Erickson's seafood room with a fire pit, deck chairs and the city's best whole fish off the wood.
OrderDungeness crab in season, cracked over crushed ice, with a glass of Chablis.
TipArrive by water on a Boatel from the Center for Wooden Boats for the most Seattle of dinners.
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Seattle SoulCentral District
Communion in Seattle's Central District is Kristi Brown's Seattle Soul kitchen: catfish, hood sushi, berbere chicken, all served from the Liberty Bank.
OrderSmoky berbere chicken, half-portioned over jollof rice with a side of greens.
TipSunday family-style: one prix fixe for the room with a menu that changes weekly.
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Modern VietnameseCapitol Hill
Ramie in Seattle's Capitol Hill is the Nguyen siblings' 2024 modern Vietnamese room: Ba Sa veterans channelling pho and nuoc cham into Wagyu carpaccio.
OrderHamachi crudo with nuoc cham, herbs and lime to start, then the pho risotto.
TipWednesday and Sunday early seatings have the chef at the pass; ask for the bar to watch the line.