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 dishes: Dungeness crab, Whole roast fish, Octopus
Must 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.
Address: 2501 N Northlake Way, Seattle, WA 98103
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.
Mike's Noodle House in Seattle's International District is the city's most enduring Cantonese noodle counter: wonton soup, brisket noodles, congee, every day until 21:00.
Signature: Wonton noodle soup, Beef brisket noodle, Congee
Order: Wonton noodle soup with beef brisket and a side of choy sum.
Tip: Cash and card; the queue moves fast and there is no reservation policy.
Damn the Weather in Seattle's Pioneer Square is the cocktail-driven gastropub since 2013: brick walls, 24-seat bar, kitchen open until midnight Friday and Saturday.
Signature: Cheeseburger, Wood-grilled fish, Cocktails
Order: The cheeseburger and a Sazerac, in that order; kitchen runs late on weekends.
Tip: Mondays the cocktail list goes half price after 21:00; Sundays the kitchen takes the day off.
Phnom Penh Noodle House in Seattle's International District is the Sam family's 1987 Cambodian kitchen: hu tieu, bai sach chrouk, cha houy teuk, back open after the pandemic.
Signature: Hu tieu Phnom Penh, Bai sach chrouk, Cha houy teuk
Order: Hu tieu noodle soup with pork and prawn, plus a bai sach chrouk grilled-pork rice plate.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday; lunch crowd lines up at 11:00 and bai sach chrouk sells out by 14:00.
