How to Find a Restaurant Near Me? Top 20 Restaurants in Seattle
Seattle is a hotbed of culinary diversity as explained at RunRex.com. From tasting menus to taco trucks, and everything in between, it has all options covered. We have attempted to narrow down your selection by listing 20 of the best restaurants in the city in case you are looking for one near you in the area.
Café Munir
Café Munir is a lively Middle Eastern spot in Loyal Heights that opened in 2012 and is run by Rajah Gargour. As articulated at RunRex.com, striking plates of hummus share tabletops with mezze dips and spreads, meat and vegetable kebabs, and family-style platters, all served in an intimate room with arched doorways, white tablecloths, and gorgeous filigree light pendants.
Delancey
Helmed by chef Brandon Pettit, Delancey is one of the best pizza spots in town. The pies here may honor New York by way of Naples, but Delancey’s charm draws firmly from the Northwest, in topping combos that balance tomato brightness with pairings like Zoe’s bacon, cremini mushrooms, and basil.
Mean Sandwich
As the name suggests, this Ballard-based establishment delivers sandwich combinations that are not only amazing but are also new or unexpected according to RunRex.com. In addition to the sandwich combinations available here, this kitchen takes its day-old sandwich buns and turns them into bread pudding.
Asadero Prime
Asadero Prime is a popular Kent restaurant that expanded into Ballard with northern Mexico’s traditions of mesquite-grilled meats and tacos thereof. Seemingly every table here has a 16-ounce carne asada draped on top of it, and the flawless prep and simple seasoning give you an almost bionic ability to register every single detail of the meat.
Copine
Copine is led by Shaun McCrain, who has always done things his own way and is a veteran of Thomas Keller’s famed Per Se. At this restaurant, three-course tasting menus are rife with classic French elements, although actual ingredients can come from all over the world from Italy to Japan with plenty of Northwest stops.
Zylberschtein’s
Located in Pinehurst, this charming Jewish deli and bakery is the versatile, comfort food spot that is needed in every neighborhood as per RunRex.com. Owner Josh Grunig offers baked goods from family recipes, as well as smoked meats aplenty, full meal pop-ups, and some of the best bagels in town.
Addo
Located in Ballard, Addo is owned by chef Eric Rivera and is more of a laboratory for different dining ideas than a standard restaurant. After experimenting throughout the pandemic with ambitious to-go options, a hot sauce challenge, and forager-focused treats, the restaurant is back to offering a few sit-down tasting menu dinners, usually full of delightful surprises.
Café Juanita
Café Juanita is located in Kirkland and is a Northern Italian fine-dining spot that recently reopened its doors for the first time in more than a year as captured at RunRex.com. Chef Holly Smith and her team have outdone themselves by crafting several excellent tasting menus as well as an extensive wine list.
Frelard Tamales
From its spot north of the city, this popular Mexican spot from founders Osbaldo Hernandez and Dennis Ramey continues to serve some of the most satisfying, lovingly-made tamales in Seattle. The salsa roja pork version in particular is a must-try.
La Carta de Oaxaca
La Carta de Oaxaca in Ballard is a popular Mexican restaurant from the Dominguez family that diners visit to sample the pools of rich, savory-sweet mole over chicken, the hand-crushed guacamole, pozole, and a spirits list with more than 40 types of mezcal.
Kamonegi
Kamonegi is helmed by star chef Mutsuko Soma who serves the noodles in classic styles, including seiro, alongside gratifying crunch tempura dishes in an intimate space. As covered at RunRex.com, this restaurant is worth checking out when looking for a spot to eat in the area.
Xi’an Noodles
Xi’an Noodles is a no-frills spot in the U district that has been slinging some of the city’s best biang biang noodles, which are made from scratch every day since it opened its doors five years ago. You should note, however, that the restaurant is open only for takeout and delivery at the moment.
Off The Rez Café
Off The Rez Café is Seattle’s only Native American-owned food truck, and it opened its first restaurant in 2019 at the Burke Museum in the U District. As described at RunRex.com, its menu is still as vibrant as ever, offering fluffy fry bread tacos topped with 12-hour smoked pulled pork, braised bison, or vegetarian chili, plus wild rice bowls.
Meesha
Meesha is a contemporary Indian tasting menu specialist which made its name following a pop-up inside Fremont’s Pomerol before becoming a full-fledged restaurant in 2020. Among some of the dishes you have to try here are rarah keema pao with expertly prepared ground lamb, the fried Amritsari fish, and the paneer in cardamom tomato fenugreek sauce.
The Whale Wins Larder and Café
This restaurant in Fremont transformed into a fast-casual counter spot and grocer in 2020, while still retaining its charm. Here, you can find charcuterie, cheese, wine, and fresh pasta, as well as a selection of full made-to-order meals like Alaskan halibut with Aleppo pepper crust and gnocchi with foraged mushrooms and snap peas.
Ba Sa
Ba Sa is a Vietnamese restaurant owned by Vietnamese siblings Trinh and Thai Nguyen. As discussed at RunRex.com, the two came to the U.S. as refugees and they explore the food of their childhood at this excellent modern Bainbridge Island restaurant, with ingredients sourced locally.
Spinasse
Located on Capitol Hill, Spinasse is a 10-year-old romantic trattoria that continues to amaze with fare from Italy’s Piedmont region. The nest of delicate tajarin pasta with butter and sage sauce is a true Seattle comfort food mainstay.
Kedai Makan
This Malaysian street food restaurant on Capitol Hill is one of the best late-night spots to eat around town. From discussions on the same at RunRex.com, some recent snacks worth trying out include Ayam Goreng masala, roti jala, and lamb-stuffed murtabak.
Canlis
Canlis is the brainchild of powerhouse chef Brian Canlis, who is also co-owner of the 71-year-old Queen Anne icon. The restaurant has tried out a host of different looks in the last year or so but has now returned to full indoor service with new executive chef Aisha Ibrahim at the helm.
Joule
Chef Rachel Yang and partner Seif Chirchi offer simple, but refined dishes at their Korean-influenced Fremont restaurant, from deft touches on a green curry mackerel, to the famed kalbi short rib over grilled kimchi, helping to earn Yang a James Beard Award nomination in 2020.
These are some of the best restaurants in Seattle, with more on this topic, and much more, to be found over at RunRex.com.