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 dishes: Poulet roti, Tartine de jambon, Cassoulet
Must 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.
Address: 1933 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
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.
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 the bay.
Signature: Whole rockfish, Dungeness crab, Oysters Rockefeller
Order: The whole roasted rockfish with brown butter and capers, deboned tableside.
Tip: The two top by the kitchen pass is the best seat for solos; happy hour 16:00 to 18:00 with $2 oysters.
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 grill.
Signature: Dungeness crab, Whole roast fish, Octopus
Order: Dungeness crab in season, cracked over crushed ice, with a glass of Chablis.
Tip: Arrive by water on a Boatel from the Center for Wooden Boats for the most Seattle of dinners.
Communion in Seattle's Central District is Kristi Brown's Seattle Soul kitchen: catfish, hood sushi, berbere chicken, all served from the Liberty Bank Building since 2020.
Signature: Smoky berbere chicken, Catfish and grits, Hood Sushi
Order: Smoky berbere chicken, half-portioned over jollof rice with a side of greens.
Tip: Sunday family-style: one prix fixe for the room with a menu that changes weekly.
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 and crudo.
Signature: Hamachi crudo with nuoc cham, Wagyu carpaccio, Pho risotto
Order: Hamachi crudo with nuoc cham, herbs and lime to start, then the pho risotto.
Tip: Wednesday and Sunday early seatings have the chef at the pass; ask for the bar to watch the line.
Salty's on Alki in Seattle's West Seattle is the across-the-bay waterfront seafood grill: the Sunday brunch buffet has run since the 1980s, with the skyline as a backdrop.
Signature: Sunday brunch buffet, Crab legs, Smoked salmon
Order: Sunday brunch buffet with the prime rib carving and chilled crab legs.
Tip: Take the King County Water Taxi from Pier 50; it docks a five-minute walk from the front door.
