Seattle restaurants do not get nearly enough credit for their quality, originality, and ability to appropriately represent regional cuisine. Being the closest big U.S. city to the rich fishing waters of Alaska, the seafood in Seattle is exceptional. Salmon, halibut, and king crab are just a few of the delicious species that make their way from the bountiful north Pacific into the kitchens of the city’s fine dining establishments. The shores of Washington yield some of the country’s finest oysters and Washington state’s productive farms provide high quality red and white meats, along with fresh organic produce.
Dining in Seattle is an incredibly rewarding culinary experience. From original and locally-sourced seafood spots like Matt’s on the Market in Downtown and the Walrus and Carpenter in Ballard to the Pacific Northwest-inspired Art of the Table in Wallingford, there are a plethora of praiseworthy fine dining establishments throughout town. The city also excels at cuisine from further afield, with the soul food from Kingfish on Capitol Hill and Ethiopian at Chef Cafe in the Central District. It’s also hard to beat some of the city’s comfort food, like sandwiches from Paseo in Fremont or pho from the multitude of Vietnamese food purveyors in the city.
Whether it’s choice Copper River salmon in an elegant waterfront restaurant or a hot dog with cream cheese and spicy peppers from a street vendor, eating in Seattle is an epicurean delight. The Seattle food scene is incredibly diverse and a lot of fun to explore. It is possible to locate almost any type of ethnic cuisine somewhere in town. It is also possible to find delicious eats from street-level all the way up to the best tablecloth and candlelight establishments. Seattle might not have the food reputation of New York or New Orleans, but that suits Seattleites just fine.