Lark in Seattle's Capitol Hill is John Sundstrom's 20-year Pacific Northwest dining room: a James Beard winning kitchen plating local ingredients in unhurried, small-plate cadence.
Signature dishes: Foie gras terrine, Bigeye tuna tartare, Wagyu strip
Must order: John Sundstrom's foie gras terrine, the only dish that has not left the menu in 20 years.
Tip: The bar runs an early happy hour 17:00 to 18:30 with the foie gras at $14 instead of $26.
Address: 952 E Seneca St, Seattle, WA 98122
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 herbed crudo.
Signature: Hamachi crudo with nuoc cham, Wagyu carpaccio, Pho risotto
Order: The 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 if you want to watch the line.
Communion in Seattle's Central District is Kristi Brown's Seattle Soul kitchen: catfish, hood sushi, berbere chicken, served from the Liberty Bank Building since 2020.
Signature: Smoky berbere chicken, Catfish and grits, Hood Sushi
Order: The smoky berbere chicken, half-portioned over jollof rice with a side of greens.
Tip: Sundays are family-style: a single price prix fixe for the room with one menu that changes weekly.
Sushi Kashiba in Seattle's Pike Place Market is Shiro Kashiba's bar: the chef who opened Seattle's first sushi counter in 1970, now back behind glass at 86 Pine since 2015.
Signature: Omakase nigiri, Geoduck sashimi, Toro
Order: The 14-piece omakase at the bar with Shiro Kashiba himself if you can get the seat.
Tip: The omakase is bar-only and takes 90 minutes; book the 17:00 seating on a Wednesday for the chef and a quieter room.
Matt's in the Market in Seattle is the Pike Place Corner Market room with windows over the clock: a Pacific Northwest kitchen sourcing five floors down at the stalls every morning.
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 quickly; dinner needs a reservation, especially for window tables.
The Pink Door in Seattle's Pike Place Market is the unmarked Post Alley Italian room: a 1981 institution with Elliott Bay views, nightly cabaret and proper red-sauce cooking.
Signature: Lasagne alla Bolognese, Ricotta gnocchi, Cioppino
Order: The Bolognese lasagne with a glass of Sangiovese on the deck overlooking Elliott Bay.
Tip: The deck takes reservations only April through October; aerial cabaret runs Thursday to Saturday at 21:30.
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 herbed crudo.
Signature: Hamachi crudo with nuoc cham, Wagyu carpaccio, Pho risotto
Order: The 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 if you want to watch the line.
Atoma in Seattle's Wallingford is the chef-driven Craftsman-house kitchen named Seattle Met's Restaurant of the Year 2024 and a James Beard New Restaurant semifinalist for 2025.
Signature: Seasonal tasting, Wood-fired vegetables, Northwest fish
Order: The chef's tasting; the menu changes every two weeks with the Washington harvest.
Tip: Reservations open four weeks out at 09:00 and book inside an hour; the bar seats four for walk-ins.
