Urbanspoon Picks Five Local "Fine Dining" Restaurants

[Photo: S. Pratt]

Urbanspoon's new list of the "most popular fine dining" spots in the nation includes five Seattle stalwarts: Ray's Boathouse, Matt's in the Market, Lark, Canlis, and Book Bindery.

Invented in Seattle by a young programmer named Ethan Lowry, Urbanspoon has had its ups and downs over the years, but it was quick to develop an app that searched nearby restaurants by price and cuisine. Urbanspoon began expanding across the country and was soon acquired by IAC Interactive. Now, it's released a roster of eateries with "new, more modern settings and a variety of cuisine ranging from ethnic to local farm-to-table fare."

Leading the Seattle list is Ray's Boathouse, the venerable temple to fresh salmon on the shores of Shilshole Bay. Chef Wayne Johnson recently left the building, and there's no verdict yet on the new guy, Paul Duncan.

Matt's in the Market, with its iconic view of the Meet the Producer sign, is an always-crowded favorite.

Capitol Hill's Lark has been in the news a lot lately, with a James Beard nomination for chef John Sundstrom and an IACP award for his cookbook. Sundstrom spoke with Eater about three upcoming projects in the Central Agency building.

It's no surprise that Canlis is on the list; it's been Seattle's beacon of quality for three generations. Chef Jason Franey brings a touch of East Coast sophistication to his palate of Northwest ingredients.

Finally, Book Bindery on the banks of the Ship Canal, where the ministrations of chef Shaun McCrain make you forget you're in the built-out end of a wine warehouse at the foot of the Fremont Bridge.
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