The fish that defines Seattle's table from May through September: copper river king, sockeye from Bristol Bay, and the silver coho that close the season in October.

Salmon was the staple food of the Coast Salish for thousands of years before Seattle existed. The Duwamish, Suquamish and Muckleshoot ran weirs and traps on the rivers that drain into Puget Sound. The first cannery on the Columbia opened in 1866; by 1900 Washington was canning more salmon than any other state. The 1974 Boldt decision restored treaty fishing rights to 20 Washington tribes. The most prized run today is the copper river king, which arrives at Sea-Tac airport in mid May to a press cycle that has run uninterrupted since 1983. Local kitchens treat the first fish like a vintage release: Anthony's HomePort, Canlis and Westward all program around the arrival. The Pike Place fishmongers throw the fish for the cameras; that began at Pike Place Fish Market in 1986 when the staff started tossing salmon across the counter to speed orders.

4 editor picks for Pacific salmon in Seattle, ranked by editorial score. All Seattle signature dishes · Pacific salmon across every city.