3 Places to Try in Seattle This Weekend

Welcome back to Eater Seattle's Something for the Weekend column. Every Friday, you probably ask the same question: Where should I eat and drink this weekend? Covering brunch, dinner, and everything in between, here, now, three places to try.

January 27, 2017

LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION

Get down to the International District for the annual Lunar New Year Celebration. On Sunday, there's a $3 food walk featuring bites from an array of neighborhood restaurants. It's a great way to sample from a range of cuisines and test out restaurants you haven't tried before. On the menu this year: matcha green tea flan from Fuji Bakery, honey-glazed chicken wings from Iron Steak, and pork dumplings from Szechuan Noodle Bowl.

LOWERCASE BREWING

Lowercase Brewing's new Georgetown taproom (6235 Airport Way S) just threw a party for the brewery's third anniversary, but there's still plenty reason to visit if you missed the party. The taproom still has several of its celebratory collaboration beers on tap, including the enticing coffee Bière de Garde produced in conjunction with Counterbalance Brewing.

CHINA PIE

Yes, the eyebrow-raising combination of pizza and dumplings does work, and China Pie (125 N 36th St) proves it. Vuong Loc of Pomerol pulls it off at his new venture in Fremont, with outlandish pizzas featuring the likes of fish sauce caramel or clams and bacon and luscious béchamel. Side dishes like the chili oil-baked oysters and octopus and the chicken pho soup dumpling are among the other unusual but successful highlights.

January 20, 2017

BATHTUB GIN AND CO.

Assuming you're going to need a drink or several this weekend, head over to Bathtub Gin & Co, the hideaway in a Belltown alley serving some of the best cocktails in the city. Get there before it opens at 5 p.m., as the small bar fills up quickly, especially on weekends. Discounted signature cocktails are poured for the first hour, or you can put your taste buds in the expert bartender's hands and drink something crafted to your specifications. Then, wallow away in the candlelit former hotel basement and boiler room.

FIGUREHEAD BREWING

Belgian- and English-inspired beers rule the tap list at Figurehead Brewing, a well done addition to the miniature brewery district bubbling up around the Interbay/Fishermen's Terminal. These easy-drinking beers are a welcome change from the abundance of hop-heavy options in the area, though there's still an IPA on tap if you can't get enough.

HAZLEWOOD

Squeeze into Ballard's Hazlewood for excellent cocktails worth the often-standing-room-only inconvenience. Still, the elegant space is welcoming, and the bartenders are miraculously patient and warm as patrons elbow their way to the bar. The extensive list of house cocktails is a great place to start, but you can get cheap beer and wine, too.

January 13, 2017

DINO'S TOMATO PIE

Purposeful quirks aside, Dino's Tomato Pie offers deeply satisfying pizzas in round and rectangular pies with ingredients like Zoe's bacon and pickled jalapeños. Whether you have experience with angular thick crust Jersey-style pizza or not, it's hard not to love Dino's.

THE CAN CAN

Pike Place Market's subterranean cabaret lounge and bar, The Can Can, now offers brunch shows on weekends, where you can pair your eggs Benedict with one hell of a performance. Or, hit up the nighttime show, when things turn a little more raunchy. Either way, the cocktails are well made and the food is always reliably good, with ingredients sourced from Pike Place Market vendors.

REALFINE COFFEE

West Seattle's unassuming cafe Realfine Coffee pulls perfect espresso. It also concentrates its sourcing locally, with local beer, sandwiches from Molly's, pastries from Standard Bakery, and Herkimer beans. Mostly a grab-and-go set-up with minimal seating, this cafe is a must-stop if you're driving on Fauntleroy.

January 6, 2017

NEW LUCK TOY

A magical combination of Skee ball, tropical cocktails, and updated twists on Americanized Chinese dishes, New Luck Toy is a welcome addition to West Seattle — and it's definitely worth the trip if you don't live in the neighborhood. The General Tso's fried chicken is the runaway favorite, with perfectly crisped, thick-battered chicken and lick-the-plate-good sauce.

NO BONES BEACH CLUB

Plant-lovers rejoice, but you need not abstain from animal products to enjoy the all-vegan menu at No Bones Beach Club. Enormously portioned dishes like eggplant fries, sizzling lettuce wraps, and jackfruit flautas are deeply satisfying, particularly when paired with the tasty Tiki-themed cocktails.

PINTXO

Belltown hideaway Pintxo is quietly serving up excellent Spanish fare. The paella is solid, and a supporting cast of tapas round the meal out. The fact that they're all made in a micro-kitchen makes meals here all the more impressive. Don't overlook the cocktails, as they're just as good as the food.