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 dishes: Lasagne alla Bolognese, Ricotta gnocchi, Cioppino
Must 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.
Address: 1919 Post Alley, Seattle, WA 98101
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.
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.
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.
