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Canon
Canon
Photo: S. Pratt

12 After-Hour Seattle Chef Hangouts

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Canon
| Photo: S. Pratt

Detailed evidence of where chefs like to eat and drink when they're off the clock seems to be all the rage these days, with apps like ChefsFeed and the totally not cryptic book, Where Chefs Eat. Like a hunter on safari, a quick informal poll of some of Seattle's favorite hardworking chefs reveals some very unsurprising facts: they like good unfussy food, prepared simply and quickly without a lot of pomp and circumstance. And cocktails. They like their cocktails.

Here, in alphabetical order, are the spots you're most likely to find some of your favorite chefs when they're left to their own devices after punching out.

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Bastille Café & Bar

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Robin Leventhal, Local 360: "After work I love to grab a late night snack at Bastille. I especially love (chef) Jason Stoneburner's falafel and lamb sausage banh mi."

Big Mario's Pizza

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Brendan McGill, Hitchcock: "If I'm going out after work in Seattle, it's either: Quinn's for their burger, dark ale and/or a bourbon; Caffe Presse for tartare and frites; Green Leaf in Belltown for duck and cabbage salad, mung bean pancakes, 33 beer; Big Mario's for pizza and whiskey, and shitty beer, obviously; and Pike Street Fish Fry for a fried oyster sandwich and a Rainier."

Bitterroot BBQ

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Sam Crannell, LloydMartin: "I love the burger at Bitterroot BBQ."

Jason Franey, Canlis: "Canon is my favorite late night spot. Andrew Cross is doing innovative pub food and Jamie Boudreau's cocktails are unprecedented."

Brandon Kirksey, Rione XIII: "I like to go to Canon and have a High West on the rocks with ginger ale. Their ginger ale is really good."

Café Presse

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Kim Mahar, pastry chef, RN74: "Quinn's for sour beer and the best burger in town and Cafe Presse for the best fries and best steak tartare."

Delancey

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Renee Erickson, Whale Wins/Walrus & the Carpenter: "Generally I end up at Essex or Delancey if I get out of work early enough. I love the cocktails and, of course, the pizza. This time of year, (chef) Brandon (Pettit) is making my favorite treviso radicchio salad."

Green Leaf

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Charles Walpole, Blind Pig: "I go to Green Leaf in Belltown for duck congee, Tiger beer and a shot of Jameson."

Green Leaf

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Eli Dahlin, Walrus & the Carpenter: "I usually eat at the Belltown Green Leaf if I go out after service. I've never been there and not bumped into another cook. My favorites are the Vietnamese pancake and the green papaya salad."

Quinn's Pub

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Jason Stratton, Spinasse: "I often end up at Quinn's for a burger and a beer. It's a midway point to home and I have several dear friends I love to see. The bartenders at Oddfellows see me at least once a week. They generally start making my Negroni without asking. I like to hang out and read for an hour before heading home. It's a beautiful space to zone out and decompress."

Sea Garden

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Jason Stoneburner, Bastille: "Sea Garden in the ID is my go-to late night spot. I always order the salt and pepper squid, green onion ginger noodle and a Kirin Ichiban beer."

Dana Tough, Spur/Coterie Room/Tavern Law: "The pork and clam broth ramen at Showa."

Spinasse

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Aleks Dimitrijevic, La Bete: "When, and if, I do go out to eat on those rare occasions, I go to the bar at Spinasse for some snacks if I feel like treating myself to a really good meal. I have always liked that place and the people who work there. The food is always solid and reminds me more of what I grew up eating. I also go to Big Marios Pizza for a slice on the way home from work; Lil' Woody's for the mexican burger (add avocado and bacon for a solid snack); taquitos or tamales at Rancho Bravo; and Quinns for a burger, salad, and a good cold beer or whiskey to wash it down."

Uneeda Burger

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Maria Hines, Tilth/Golden Beetle/Agrodolce: "I like Uneeda for the Sonoran Burger. I love the spice of the jalapeños after a long night in the kitchen."

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Bastille Café & Bar

Robin Leventhal, Local 360: "After work I love to grab a late night snack at Bastille. I especially love (chef) Jason Stoneburner's falafel and lamb sausage banh mi."

Big Mario's Pizza

Brendan McGill, Hitchcock: "If I'm going out after work in Seattle, it's either: Quinn's for their burger, dark ale and/or a bourbon; Caffe Presse for tartare and frites; Green Leaf in Belltown for duck and cabbage salad, mung bean pancakes, 33 beer; Big Mario's for pizza and whiskey, and shitty beer, obviously; and Pike Street Fish Fry for a fried oyster sandwich and a Rainier."

Bitterroot BBQ

Sam Crannell, LloydMartin: "I love the burger at Bitterroot BBQ."

Canon

Jason Franey, Canlis: "Canon is my favorite late night spot. Andrew Cross is doing innovative pub food and Jamie Boudreau's cocktails are unprecedented."

Canon

Brandon Kirksey, Rione XIII: "I like to go to Canon and have a High West on the rocks with ginger ale. Their ginger ale is really good."

Café Presse

Kim Mahar, pastry chef, RN74: "Quinn's for sour beer and the best burger in town and Cafe Presse for the best fries and best steak tartare."

Delancey

Renee Erickson, Whale Wins/Walrus & the Carpenter: "Generally I end up at Essex or Delancey if I get out of work early enough. I love the cocktails and, of course, the pizza. This time of year, (chef) Brandon (Pettit) is making my favorite treviso radicchio salad."

Green Leaf

Charles Walpole, Blind Pig: "I go to Green Leaf in Belltown for duck congee, Tiger beer and a shot of Jameson."

Green Leaf

Eli Dahlin, Walrus & the Carpenter: "I usually eat at the Belltown Green Leaf if I go out after service. I've never been there and not bumped into another cook. My favorites are the Vietnamese pancake and the green papaya salad."

Quinn's Pub

Jason Stratton, Spinasse: "I often end up at Quinn's for a burger and a beer. It's a midway point to home and I have several dear friends I love to see. The bartenders at Oddfellows see me at least once a week. They generally start making my Negroni without asking. I like to hang out and read for an hour before heading home. It's a beautiful space to zone out and decompress."

Sea Garden

Jason Stoneburner, Bastille: "Sea Garden in the ID is my go-to late night spot. I always order the salt and pepper squid, green onion ginger noodle and a Kirin Ichiban beer."

Showa

Dana Tough, Spur/Coterie Room/Tavern Law: "The pork and clam broth ramen at Showa."

Spinasse

Aleks Dimitrijevic, La Bete: "When, and if, I do go out to eat on those rare occasions, I go to the bar at Spinasse for some snacks if I feel like treating myself to a really good meal. I have always liked that place and the people who work there. The food is always solid and reminds me more of what I grew up eating. I also go to Big Marios Pizza for a slice on the way home from work; Lil' Woody's for the mexican burger (add avocado and bacon for a solid snack); taquitos or tamales at Rancho Bravo; and Quinns for a burger, salad, and a good cold beer or whiskey to wash it down."

Uneeda Burger

Maria Hines, Tilth/Golden Beetle/Agrodolce: "I like Uneeda for the Sonoran Burger. I love the spice of the jalapeños after a long night in the kitchen."

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