Phnom Penh Noodle House in Seattle's International District is the Sam family's 1987 Cambodian kitchen: hu tieu, bai sach chrouk and cha houy teuk, back open after the pandemic.
Signature dishes: Hu tieu Phnom Penh, Bai sach chrouk, Cha houy teuk
Must order: The hu tieu noodle soup with pork and prawn, and the bai sach chrouk grilled pork rice plate.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday; the lunch crowd lines up at 11:00 and the kitchen sells out of bai sach chrouk by 14:00.
Address: 913 S Jackson St, Suite A, Seattle, WA 98104
Toulouse Petit in Seattle's Lower Queen Anne is the city's largest Cajun-Creole kitchen: 200 covers, beignets and chicory coffee at breakfast, full French Quarter at dinner.
Signature: Bouillabaisse, Jambalaya, Beignets
Order: The bouillabaisse with the Mardi Gras jambalaya for the table, or just 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.
Damn the Weather in Seattle's Pioneer Square is the cocktail-driven gastropub since 2013: a brick-walled room, a 24-seat bar, kitchen open until midnight on weekends.
Signature: Burger and bourbon, Wood-grilled fish, Cocktails
Order: The cheeseburger and a Sazerac, in that order; the kitchen runs late on a Sunday.
Tip: Mondays the cocktail list goes half price after 21:00; Sundays the kitchen takes the day off.
Taylor Shellfish Oyster Bar in Seattle's Pioneer Square is the on-counter outpost of the 135-year Samish Bay farm: half-shells, geoduck crudo, manila clams, all from one supplier.
Signature: Half-shell oysters, Geoduck crudo, Manila clams
Order: A dozen Olympias and Kumamotos from the farm, with a glass of grower's Champagne.
Tip: Happy hour 16:00 to 17:00 drops the oysters to $1.75 each; the Occidental location is the largest and quietest of the three.
Taylor Shellfish Oyster Bar Melrose in Seattle's Capitol Hill is the Capitol Hill outpost inside Melrose Market: a marble bar, Samish Bay oysters, a clam pot on every other table.
Signature: Half-shell oysters, Steamer clams, Shucked geoduck
Order: Half-shell oyster flight with the steamed manilas in white wine, butter and parsley.
Tip: Walk in for the marble bar; the back room books on Tock and turns slower.
Wataru in Seattle's Ravenna is the 2015 edomae omakase counter: aged nigiri, Toyosu-sourced fish, and a 10-seat bar that runs two seatings a night, Wednesday to Sunday.
Signature: Edomae omakase, Aged nigiri, Toyosu fish
Order: The 14-course omakase at the bar; Wataru flies the centrepiece fish from Toyosu Market in Tokyo.
Tip: Tock booking opens at midnight three weeks out; the second seating at 19:30 is easier than the 17:00.
Canlis in Seattle is the city's enduring fine-dining room: Aisha Ibrahim's five-course menu, a 1950 cedar lodge above Lake Union, and Food and Wine's number two restaurant in America for 2025.
Signature: Aged sea bream in dashi, Walla Walla onion, Canlis salad
Order: The five-course chef's menu with Aisha Ibrahim's Filipino-tinged Walla Walla onion course.
Tip: Tuesday and Wednesday open with quieter dining rooms and the same kitchen; the bar pours the same wine list at half the formality.
