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A white bowl containing tajarin with butter and sage,
The tajarin with butter and sage at Spinasse, one of the restaurant’s signature dishes.
Spinasse [Official Photo]

25 Essential Capitol Hill Restaurants

Highlights from one of the the PNW’s best food and nightlife destinations

by Gabe Guarente, Mark Van Streefkerk, and Jade Yamazaki Stewart Updated
View as Map
The tajarin with butter and sage at Spinasse, one of the restaurant’s signature dishes.
| Spinasse [Official Photo]
by Gabe Guarente, Mark Van Streefkerk, and Jade Yamazaki Stewart Updated

Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood (the city’s historically queer neighborhood that's still a hotspot for LGBTQ activism and nightlife) has long inspired a vibrant scene of adventurous chefs, pop-ups turned brick-and-mortar, and some of the finest restaurants in the city. Before the pandemic, Capitol Hill was probably Seattle’s most rapidly growing dining area. This year has seen a resurgence in exciting restaurant openings in the neighborhood, with a Galician tapas bar serving up gussied-up versions of Spanish classics and Kōbo, star chef Shota Nakajima’s new restaurant in Redhook Brewlab offering karaage-topped pizza, among other chaotic fusion munchies. Meanwhile, Seattle institutions like John Sundstrom’s fine-dining restaurant Lark and Italian staples Spinasse and Artusi are still going strong in the neighborhood. It’s looking like the Hill will remain one of of best dining neighborhoods in Seattle, offering a level quality and range across cuisines and dining styles not found elsewhere.

As usual, this list is not ranked; it’s organized geographically. Know of a spot that should be on our radar? Send us a tip by emailing seattle@eater.com.

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Monsoon Seattle

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Monsoon, which has locations in Capitol Hill and Bellevue, is arguably the best Vietnamese restaurant in Seattle for a special occasion, sourcing meat from local ranches and serving Chinese-influenced Vietnamese dishes not commonly found in the area. Excellent appetizers include super-crispy imperial rolls, salad rolls made with raw ahi tuna and avocado, or a perfectly balanced green papaya salad. The wokked lamb — made with beans co-owner and chef Sophie Banh ferments in the kitchen — is fragrant with cumin and packed with umami, and the grilled pork belly is a perennial favorite. Check out sister restaurant Ba Bar closer to the center of Capitol Hill for a more casual experience and a satisfying oxtail pho.

615 19th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112
(206) 325-2111
(206) 325-2111
A grey ceramic plate loaded up with vermicelli, imperial rolls sliced diagonally, matchsticks of pickled radish and carrot, lettuce, and fresh herbs.
The vermicelli bowl with imperial rolls at Monsoon restaurant in Capitol Hill.
Courtesy of Monsoon

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Rione XIII

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Ethan Stowell’s Capitol Hill restaurant dedicated to the cuisine of Rome serves well-executed renditions of classic pasta dishes like spaghetti carbonara and cacio e pepe. But the restaurant also offers more creative dishes, like tagliarini with uni butter, Fresno chili peppers, and smoked trout roe. Tavolàta, another Ethan Stowell restaurant with locations in Belltown, Capitol Hill, Spokane, and on Stone Way in Fremont, serves similar pasta dishes, including a bucatini dish with bits of pork belly adorned with a shimmering egg yolk. 

401 15th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112
(206) 838-2878
(206) 838-2878

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Spice Waala

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Uttam Mukherjee and Aakanksha Sinha’s Indian street food business, which started as a farmer’s market stall and now has two locations, in Capitol Hill and Ballard, serves kathi rolls made with roti wrapped around piles of paneer, potato, spicy chicken, and juicy lamb kebabs, whose rich flavors pair perfectly with a tangy mango lassi. Though it might seem like the obvious choice, the chicken kathi roll stands out for its complex, balanced flavors. The business also serves a variety of chaat, out of which the aloo tikki chaat with tangy-sweet sauces made with yogurt, cilantro, and tamarind, is a must-try. Spice Waala also recently started serving soft-serve ice cream with Indian-inspired flavors like rose-cardamom and pistachio-cardamom at both of its locations.

340 15th Ave E #202, Seattle, WA 98112
(206) 466-5195
(206) 466-5195

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Rondo Japanese Kitchen

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This Capitol Hill izakaya mainly focuses on rice bowls and noodles, but, like many izakayas in Japan, it offers a little bit of everything. A highlight here is the presentation, with the various chirashi bowls and sashimi platters looking like jewel boxes, decked out with various fish roes, uni, and pieces of fresh, fatty fish. Rondo also doesn’t let tradition get in the way of serving delicious food, bringing a vegan PNW-ethos to dishes like the maze-udon with kale and garlic puree and fried tofu.

224 Broadway E, Seattle, WA 98102
(206) 588-2051
(206) 588-2051

Also featured in:

Taneda

Copy Link

This intimate sushi counter tucked away inside Capitol Hill’s Broadway Alley has an array of offerings besides seafood for its artful multicourse tasting menu, but master chef Hideaki Taneda’s Edomae-style sushi preparations are the main event. Each seasonal dish is lovingly crafted and presented like mini gifts, a one-of-a-kind experience in a city with plenty of competition.

219 Broadway E #14, Seattle, WA 98102
(206) 457-8921
(206) 457-8921

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Carmelo’s Tacos

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Hiding inside Capitol Hill’s Hillcrest Market, this Mexico City-style taqueria is a true gem, with a full-fledged restaurant on First Hill now. Among the highlights are the campechano, featuring chorizo, steak, and potato, as well as a satisfying vegan taco with mushrooms, refried beans, and guajillo chili.

110 Summit Ave E, Seattle, WA 98102
(206) 659-0159
(206) 659-0159

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Blotto

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After building a strong following for its naturally leavened sourdough creations, this former pop-up has set down more permanent roots with a cozy restaurant and corner market on 12th Avenue. While the menu changes often, it’s hard to go wrong with the simple cheese pie, served hot out of the oven with aged mozzarella and just the right amount of grease. Don’t sleep on the retail, which include rare items from local purveyors, plus a great selection of beer and wine.

1830 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 403-1809
(206) 403-1809

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Kedai Makan

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Kedai Makan offers some of the only Malaysian food in the Seattle area, and the small, turquoise-walled dining room in Capitol Hill is packed late into the evening with diners scooping curry with roti and sharing piles of spicy fried chicken wings. Owner Kevin Burzell was entranced by the funk and spice in Malaysian cooking when he traveled to Southeast Asia; he opened a takeout window in 2013, then opened the current space in 2015, staying true to the strength of those flavors. Cut the spice with cocktails made with Southeast Asian ingredients, like the lime-leaf gin and tonic or a bourbon drink made with green tea and pandan limeade. Reservations aren’t accepted, and a wait should be expected.

1802 Bellevue Ave E, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 555-5555
(206) 555-5555

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Ltd Edition Sushi

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This 10-seat Capitol Hill sushi counter, which opened during the pandemic focused on kaiseki-style takeout boxes, offers an exquisite omakase experience ($120 when seated at a table and $140 at the sushi counter). It also offers a $48 sake pairing. Seattle Times food critic Bethany Jean Clement recently described Chef Keiji Tsukasaki’s sushi as “incredible,” and said that the otoro made her cry because of how good it is.

1641 Nagle Pl Suite 006, Seattle, WA 98122

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Spinasse

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More than 10 years in, and this romantic trattoria on Capitol Hill continues to entrance diners with food from Italy’s Piedmont region. The nest of delicate tajarin pasta with butter and sage sauce is a Seattle comfort food mainstay, but every pasta dish from chef Stuart Lane is memorable. Those who want to extend their meals should head over to sibling apertivo bar Artusi for a nice nightcap.

1531 14th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 251-7673
(206) 251-7673

Also featured in:

Omega Ouzeri

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This airy, boisterous Greek restaurant offers a variety of wonderful seafood dishes, including whole grilled Mediterranean sea bass and octopus, plus killer tzatziki (and a wonderfully flaky baklava for dessert). Many of the plates can be shared family-style, with generous portions, and drinkers who don’t mind a little kick should order up some ouzo to round out the experience.

1529 14th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 257-4515
(206) 257-4515
A closeup of grilled octopus on a white plate on a bed of red sauce.
Grilled octopus.
Courtesy of Gather

Also featured in:

Taurus Ox

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Expertly-made Laotian dishes shine at this Capitol Hill counter service restaurant from three chefs, Sydney Clark, Khampaeng Panyathong, and Jenessa Sneva, with strong Seattle dining pedigrees. Items such as thom khem and chicken laap utilize produce from local farms and a whole-animal approach to butchery, and the Lao pork sausage, fragrant with lemongrass and lime leaf, is not to be missed. Meanwhile, the smash burger made with pork jowl bacon and jaew tomato sauce may be the best patty in the city.

1523 E Madison St suite 101, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 972-0075
(206) 972-0075

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Karachi Cowboys

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This Indo-Pakistani-Texan food pop-up landed a brick-and-mortar location in Capitol Hill in 2021. Chef Nasir Zubair and his wife Nicole Greenwald have filled out the dinner menu with offerings like aloo sliders, tadka dahl, and kheema — halal ground beef simmered with spices and sweet green peas. The menu is inspired by Zubair’s Pakistani and African American ancestry and his upbringing in Texas. Follow Karachi Cowboys’ Instagram account for the most current specials.

1517 12th Ave #100, Seattle, WA 98122

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Terra Plata

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Colorful, vibrant dishes fill the menu at chef Tamara Murphy’s farm-to-table restaurant, from the pan roasted morel mushrooms with grilled asparagus and duck egg to the roast pig with manila clams. There’s paella on Mondays, and a partnership with the Food Is Love Project to feed those in need. Those who are able to nab a seat on the lush rooftop are in for some great scenery, too.

1501 Melrose Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 325-1501
(206) 325-1501

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Mamnoon

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Melrose Avenue’s Middle Eastern restaurant (with a fast-casual offshoot called Mamnoon Street) features dishes influenced by owner Wassef Haroun’s Lebanese upbringing. The pitas are among the city’s best, the baba ganoush is sublime, and the cocktails hit the spot.

1508 Melrose Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 906-9606
(206) 906-9606

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Meet Korean BBQ

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While the Seattle area is starting to get its fare share of Korean barbecue joints, Capitol Hill’s Meet Korean Barbecue is the destination for those looking to enjoy high-end meats in the KBBQ style. The restaurant offers all kinds of American and Japanese wagyu and Kurobata pork cuts, as well as dry-aged USDA Prime steaks and sides like Korean beef tartare with pine nuts and Asian pear.

500 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 695-2621
(206) 695-2621

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Stateside

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Chef Eric Johnson, who’s worked at Michelin-starred restaurants with some of the world’s best chefs, cooks casual but elegant dishes at his Capitol Hill restaurant specializing in Southeast Asian cuisine. Since opening in 2015, he’s won over Seattle diners with dishes like chili cumin pork ribs, fried master stock chicken, and crispy duck fresh rolls. In addition to reopening for dine-in, Stateside is also bottling some sauces for retail (the Sriracha made with Alvarez Farms chilis should be a staple in any pantry), and the well-conceived cocktails, featuring Southeast Asian ingredients like galangal and lime leaf, typically pack a punch.

300 E Pike St #1200, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 557-7273
(206) 557-7273

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Taku

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Star chef Shota Nakajima’s base of operations in Capitol Hill focuses on karaage, twice-fried and served with a variety of Japanese-influenced dry seasonings and sauces, all packed with umami. There’s a late night menu, too, with dishes including a spicy fried chicken sandwich with pickled cucumbers and habanero powder and an oyakodon, made with karaage and egg over rice.

706 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 829-9418
(206) 829-9418

Also featured in:

Ooink

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The low-key ramen counter above the QFC on Harvard Avenue serves some seriously terrific bowls of soup, with silky broths and noodles that soak up the flavor nicely. The shoyu variety is a favorite, but for those that don’t mind a little more heat, the spicy kotteri ramen certainly delivers — with spice level customizable.

1416 Harvard Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 568-7669
(206) 568-7669
A bowl of spicy ramen in a reddish broth topped with scallions
Ooink serves some of the best ramen in town.
Ooink Ramen

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La Dive

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La Dive is the only place in Seattle (or probably in any city) where you can down a champagne bong (chambong) full of French brut or sip on a glass of local pet-nat while snacking on potato and onion dumplings with red chili walnut butter, then moving on to glass after glass of espresso martini slushy. Just like the neighborhood around it, it’s eclectic, hedonistic, and refined all at the same time. Beyond being a bar and restaurant, La Dive also offers one of the best bottle selections of natural wine in the Seattle area.

721 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122

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Plum Bistro

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Capitol Hill’s vegan restaurant from celebrated chef Makini Howell is as versatile as it is magnificent. Some of the biggest hits include “chicken” fried seitan, a mac and cheese spin called Mac and Yease (made with plant milk), and sweet potato gnocchi.

1429 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 838-5333
(206) 838-5333

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Osteria la Spiga

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This cozy Italian restaurant located inside a former auto body serves rustic Emilia-Romagna-influenced dishes from chef Sabrina Tinsley. The gnocco fritto (fried bread puffs) are the perfect start to a meal, best followed with the tagliatelle in a white truffle butter sauce. The tiramisu, a family recipe, is one of the best in the city, with a simultaneously rich and light velvety texture.

1429 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 323-8881
(206) 323-8881

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Bateau

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Chef Renee Erickson’s Frenchified steakhouse is a prime destination for meat lovers, with a dedication to whole animal butchery and local sourcing. The airy, Parisian bistro vibe is also a welcome departure from the stodgy steakhouses of the past, and neighboring Boat Bar (formerly called Bar Mesuline) is not a bad spot to grab a pre- or post-dinner drink. The restaurant got a shoutout in The New York Times last year for its sustainable sourcing from Carman Ranch in Oregon and for dry-aging unusual cuts of meat to make them palatable, reducing waste in the process.

1040 E Union St, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 900-8699
(206) 900-8699

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Lark Restaurant

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Lark’s chef, John Sundstrom, is an elder statesman of Seattle’s fine dining scene, and many of his former employees (including Off Alley’s Evan Leichtling) have gone on to open their restaurants. Lark was closed for a full two years during the pandemic, but returned this year with a renewed focus on the PNW fine-dining style, with a new $120 four-course tasting menu each month with dishes like seared A5 wagyu striploin and Peking-style guinea hen with sesame cabbage slaw and scallion pancakes. Diners at the bar can order a la carte.

952 E Seneca St, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 323-5275
(206) 323-5275

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MariPili Tapas Bar

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This new Galician tapas bar in Capitol Hill offers gorgeous, gussied-up takes on classic Spanish dishes. The owner, Grayson Corrales, was the pastry chef at JuneBaby before spending a couple of years training at a two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Spain. The menu includes Spanish cured meats and cheeses, Spanish pork steak cooked with Galician cider sauce, braised oxtail with broken spaghetti, and of course, patatas bravas and croquettes. The wine comes from Spain and Washington, the cocktails are intricate, and Estrella Galicia beer flows from the tap.

1117 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 328-7920
(206) 328-7920

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Monsoon Seattle

615 19th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112

Monsoon, which has locations in Capitol Hill and Bellevue, is arguably the best Vietnamese restaurant in Seattle for a special occasion, sourcing meat from local ranches and serving Chinese-influenced Vietnamese dishes not commonly found in the area. Excellent appetizers include super-crispy imperial rolls, salad rolls made with raw ahi tuna and avocado, or a perfectly balanced green papaya salad. The wokked lamb — made with beans co-owner and chef Sophie Banh ferments in the kitchen — is fragrant with cumin and packed with umami, and the grilled pork belly is a perennial favorite. Check out sister restaurant Ba Bar closer to the center of Capitol Hill for a more casual experience and a satisfying oxtail pho.

615 19th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112
(206) 325-2111
(206) 325-2111
A grey ceramic plate loaded up with vermicelli, imperial rolls sliced diagonally, matchsticks of pickled radish and carrot, lettuce, and fresh herbs.
The vermicelli bowl with imperial rolls at Monsoon restaurant in Capitol Hill.
Courtesy of Monsoon

Rione XIII

401 15th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112

Ethan Stowell’s Capitol Hill restaurant dedicated to the cuisine of Rome serves well-executed renditions of classic pasta dishes like spaghetti carbonara and cacio e pepe. But the restaurant also offers more creative dishes, like tagliarini with uni butter, Fresno chili peppers, and smoked trout roe. Tavolàta, another Ethan Stowell restaurant with locations in Belltown, Capitol Hill, Spokane, and on Stone Way in Fremont, serves similar pasta dishes, including a bucatini dish with bits of pork belly adorned with a shimmering egg yolk. 

401 15th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112
(206) 838-2878
(206) 838-2878

Spice Waala

340 15th Ave E #202, Seattle, WA 98112

Uttam Mukherjee and Aakanksha Sinha’s Indian street food business, which started as a farmer’s market stall and now has two locations, in Capitol Hill and Ballard, serves kathi rolls made with roti wrapped around piles of paneer, potato, spicy chicken, and juicy lamb kebabs, whose rich flavors pair perfectly with a tangy mango lassi. Though it might seem like the obvious choice, the chicken kathi roll stands out for its complex, balanced flavors. The business also serves a variety of chaat, out of which the aloo tikki chaat with tangy-sweet sauces made with yogurt, cilantro, and tamarind, is a must-try. Spice Waala also recently started serving soft-serve ice cream with Indian-inspired flavors like rose-cardamom and pistachio-cardamom at both of its locations.

340 15th Ave E #202, Seattle, WA 98112
(206) 466-5195
(206) 466-5195

Rondo Japanese Kitchen

224 Broadway E, Seattle, WA 98102

This Capitol Hill izakaya mainly focuses on rice bowls and noodles, but, like many izakayas in Japan, it offers a little bit of everything. A highlight here is the presentation, with the various chirashi bowls and sashimi platters looking like jewel boxes, decked out with various fish roes, uni, and pieces of fresh, fatty fish. Rondo also doesn’t let tradition get in the way of serving delicious food, bringing a vegan PNW-ethos to dishes like the maze-udon with kale and garlic puree and fried tofu.

224 Broadway E, Seattle, WA 98102
(206) 588-2051
(206) 588-2051

Taneda

219 Broadway E #14, Seattle, WA 98102

This intimate sushi counter tucked away inside Capitol Hill’s Broadway Alley has an array of offerings besides seafood for its artful multicourse tasting menu, but master chef Hideaki Taneda’s Edomae-style sushi preparations are the main event. Each seasonal dish is lovingly crafted and presented like mini gifts, a one-of-a-kind experience in a city with plenty of competition.

219 Broadway E #14, Seattle, WA 98102
(206) 457-8921
(206) 457-8921

Carmelo’s Tacos

110 Summit Ave E, Seattle, WA 98102

Hiding inside Capitol Hill’s Hillcrest Market, this Mexico City-style taqueria is a true gem, with a full-fledged restaurant on First Hill now. Among the highlights are the campechano, featuring chorizo, steak, and potato, as well as a satisfying vegan taco with mushrooms, refried beans, and guajillo chili.

110 Summit Ave E, Seattle, WA 98102
(206) 659-0159
(206) 659-0159

Blotto

1830 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

After building a strong following for its naturally leavened sourdough creations, this former pop-up has set down more permanent roots with a cozy restaurant and corner market on 12th Avenue. While the menu changes often, it’s hard to go wrong with the simple cheese pie, served hot out of the oven with aged mozzarella and just the right amount of grease. Don’t sleep on the retail, which include rare items from local purveyors, plus a great selection of beer and wine.

1830 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 403-1809
(206) 403-1809

Kedai Makan

1802 Bellevue Ave E, Seattle, WA 98122

Kedai Makan offers some of the only Malaysian food in the Seattle area, and the small, turquoise-walled dining room in Capitol Hill is packed late into the evening with diners scooping curry with roti and sharing piles of spicy fried chicken wings. Owner Kevin Burzell was entranced by the funk and spice in Malaysian cooking when he traveled to Southeast Asia; he opened a takeout window in 2013, then opened the current space in 2015, staying true to the strength of those flavors. Cut the spice with cocktails made with Southeast Asian ingredients, like the lime-leaf gin and tonic or a bourbon drink made with green tea and pandan limeade. Reservations aren’t accepted, and a wait should be expected.

1802 Bellevue Ave E, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 555-5555
(206) 555-5555

Ltd Edition Sushi

1641 Nagle Pl Suite 006, Seattle, WA 98122

This 10-seat Capitol Hill sushi counter, which opened during the pandemic focused on kaiseki-style takeout boxes, offers an exquisite omakase experience ($120 when seated at a table and $140 at the sushi counter). It also offers a $48 sake pairing. Seattle Times food critic Bethany Jean Clement recently described Chef Keiji Tsukasaki’s sushi as “incredible,” and said that the otoro made her cry because of how good it is.

1641 Nagle Pl Suite 006, Seattle, WA 98122

Spinasse

1531 14th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

More than 10 years in, and this romantic trattoria on Capitol Hill continues to entrance diners with food from Italy’s Piedmont region. The nest of delicate tajarin pasta with butter and sage sauce is a Seattle comfort food mainstay, but every pasta dish from chef Stuart Lane is memorable. Those who want to extend their meals should head over to sibling apertivo bar Artusi for a nice nightcap.

1531 14th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 251-7673
(206) 251-7673

Omega Ouzeri

1529 14th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

This airy, boisterous Greek restaurant offers a variety of wonderful seafood dishes, including whole grilled Mediterranean sea bass and octopus, plus killer tzatziki (and a wonderfully flaky baklava for dessert). Many of the plates can be shared family-style, with generous portions, and drinkers who don’t mind a little kick should order up some ouzo to round out the experience.

1529 14th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 257-4515
(206) 257-4515
A closeup of grilled octopus on a white plate on a bed of red sauce.
Grilled octopus.
Courtesy of Gather

Taurus Ox

1523 E Madison St suite 101, Seattle, WA 98122

Expertly-made Laotian dishes shine at this Capitol Hill counter service restaurant from three chefs, Sydney Clark, Khampaeng Panyathong, and Jenessa Sneva, with strong Seattle dining pedigrees. Items such as thom khem and chicken laap utilize produce from local farms and a whole-animal approach to butchery, and the Lao pork sausage, fragrant with lemongrass and lime leaf, is not to be missed. Meanwhile, the smash burger made with pork jowl bacon and jaew tomato sauce may be the best patty in the city.

1523 E Madison St suite 101, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 972-0075
(206) 972-0075

Karachi Cowboys

1517 12th Ave #100, Seattle, WA 98122

This Indo-Pakistani-Texan food pop-up landed a brick-and-mortar location in Capitol Hill in 2021. Chef Nasir Zubair and his wife Nicole Greenwald have filled out the dinner menu with offerings like aloo sliders, tadka dahl, and kheema — halal ground beef simmered with spices and sweet green peas. The menu is inspired by Zubair’s Pakistani and African American ancestry and his upbringing in Texas. Follow Karachi Cowboys’ Instagram account for the most current specials.

1517 12th Ave #100, Seattle, WA 98122

Terra Plata

1501 Melrose Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

Colorful, vibrant dishes fill the menu at chef Tamara Murphy’s farm-to-table restaurant, from the pan roasted morel mushrooms with grilled asparagus and duck egg to the roast pig with manila clams. There’s paella on Mondays, and a partnership with the Food Is Love Project to feed those in need. Those who are able to nab a seat on the lush rooftop are in for some great scenery, too.

1501 Melrose Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 325-1501
(206) 325-1501

Mamnoon

1508 Melrose Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

Melrose Avenue’s Middle Eastern restaurant (with a fast-casual offshoot called Mamnoon Street) features dishes influenced by owner Wassef Haroun’s Lebanese upbringing. The pitas are among the city’s best, the baba ganoush is sublime, and the cocktails hit the spot.

1508 Melrose Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 906-9606
(206) 906-9606

Related Maps

Meet Korean BBQ

500 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122

While the Seattle area is starting to get its fare share of Korean barbecue joints, Capitol Hill’s Meet Korean Barbecue is the destination for those looking to enjoy high-end meats in the KBBQ style. The restaurant offers all kinds of American and Japanese wagyu and Kurobata pork cuts, as well as dry-aged USDA Prime steaks and sides like Korean beef tartare with pine nuts and Asian pear.

500 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 695-2621
(206) 695-2621

Stateside

300 E Pike St #1200, Seattle, WA 98122

Chef Eric Johnson, who’s worked at Michelin-starred restaurants with some of the world’s best chefs, cooks casual but elegant dishes at his Capitol Hill restaurant specializing in Southeast Asian cuisine. Since opening in 2015, he’s won over Seattle diners with dishes like chili cumin pork ribs, fried master stock chicken, and crispy duck fresh rolls. In addition to reopening for dine-in, Stateside is also bottling some sauces for retail (the Sriracha made with Alvarez Farms chilis should be a staple in any pantry), and the well-conceived cocktails, featuring Southeast Asian ingredients like galangal and lime leaf, typically pack a punch.

300 E Pike St #1200, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 557-7273
(206) 557-7273

Taku

706 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122

Star chef Shota Nakajima’s base of operations in Capitol Hill focuses on karaage, twice-fried and served with a variety of Japanese-influenced dry seasonings and sauces, all packed with umami. There’s a late night menu, too, with dishes including a spicy fried chicken sandwich with pickled cucumbers and habanero powder and an oyakodon, made with karaage and egg over rice.

706 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 829-9418
(206) 829-9418

Ooink

1416 Harvard Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

The low-key ramen counter above the QFC on Harvard Avenue serves some seriously terrific bowls of soup, with silky broths and noodles that soak up the flavor nicely. The shoyu variety is a favorite, but for those that don’t mind a little more heat, the spicy kotteri ramen certainly delivers — with spice level customizable.

1416 Harvard Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 568-7669
(206) 568-7669
A bowl of spicy ramen in a reddish broth topped with scallions
Ooink serves some of the best ramen in town.
Ooink Ramen

La Dive

721 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122

La Dive is the only place in Seattle (or probably in any city) where you can down a champagne bong (chambong) full of French brut or sip on a glass of local pet-nat while snacking on potato and onion dumplings with red chili walnut butter, then moving on to glass after glass of espresso martini slushy. Just like the neighborhood around it, it’s eclectic, hedonistic, and refined all at the same time. Beyond being a bar and restaurant, La Dive also offers one of the best bottle selections of natural wine in the Seattle area.

721 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122

Plum Bistro

1429 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

Capitol Hill’s vegan restaurant from celebrated chef Makini Howell is as versatile as it is magnificent. Some of the biggest hits include “chicken” fried seitan, a mac and cheese spin called Mac and Yease (made with plant milk), and sweet potato gnocchi.

1429 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 838-5333
(206) 838-5333

Osteria la Spiga

1429 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

This cozy Italian restaurant located inside a former auto body serves rustic Emilia-Romagna-influenced dishes from chef Sabrina Tinsley. The gnocco fritto (fried bread puffs) are the perfect start to a meal, best followed with the tagliatelle in a white truffle butter sauce. The tiramisu, a family recipe, is one of the best in the city, with a simultaneously rich and light velvety texture.

1429 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 323-8881
(206) 323-8881

Bateau

1040 E Union St, Seattle, WA 98122

Chef Renee Erickson’s Frenchified steakhouse is a prime destination for meat lovers, with a dedication to whole animal butchery and local sourcing. The airy, Parisian bistro vibe is also a welcome departure from the stodgy steakhouses of the past, and neighboring Boat Bar (formerly called Bar Mesuline) is not a bad spot to grab a pre- or post-dinner drink. The restaurant got a shoutout in The New York Times last year for its sustainable sourcing from Carman Ranch in Oregon and for dry-aging unusual cuts of meat to make them palatable, reducing waste in the process.

1040 E Union St, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 900-8699
(206) 900-8699

Lark Restaurant

952 E Seneca St, Seattle, WA 98122

Lark’s chef, John Sundstrom, is an elder statesman of Seattle’s fine dining scene, and many of his former employees (including Off Alley’s Evan Leichtling) have gone on to open their restaurants. Lark was closed for a full two years during the pandemic, but returned this year with a renewed focus on the PNW fine-dining style, with a new $120 four-course tasting menu each month with dishes like seared A5 wagyu striploin and Peking-style guinea hen with sesame cabbage slaw and scallion pancakes. Diners at the bar can order a la carte.

952 E Seneca St, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 323-5275
(206) 323-5275

MariPili Tapas Bar

1117 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

This new Galician tapas bar in Capitol Hill offers gorgeous, gussied-up takes on classic Spanish dishes. The owner, Grayson Corrales, was the pastry chef at JuneBaby before spending a couple of years training at a two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Spain. The menu includes Spanish cured meats and cheeses, Spanish pork steak cooked with Galician cider sauce, braised oxtail with broken spaghetti, and of course, patatas bravas and croquettes. The wine comes from Spain and Washington, the cocktails are intricate, and Estrella Galicia beer flows from the tap.

1117 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 328-7920
(206) 328-7920

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