Spice Waala made its debut at the South Lake Union Saturday Market and parlayed its success there into a fast-casual restaurant on 15th Avenue in quick order (and a new Ballard location). It’s of the most underrated street food spots in town, offering wonderful budget-friendly kathi rolls, and sides like masala aloo and bhel puri.

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.

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.

Known pre-COVID as one of the better late-night spots around town, Capitol Hill’s Malaysian street food restaurant still conveyed its original vision through an eclectic takeout menu, and has recently returned to its bustling dine-in service (often with long lines). Some recent snacks worthy of the wait include ayam goreng masala, roti jala, and lamb-stuffed murtabak.

This cozy diner serves Eastern European comfort food such as blintzes, brisket, and dumplings. The main star, though, is the khachapuri, a boat-shaped pizza stuffed with fillings such as cheese, roasted eggplant, and polish sausage. Open for takeout only, and all orders must be placed online. Customers can also preorder frozen dumplings and picnic packs.

Ten years in, and this romantic trattoria 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, but every dish is memorable. Those who want to extend their meals should head over to sibling apertivo bar Artusi for a nice nightcap.

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.

Expertly-made Laotian dishes shine at this Madison Street restaurant from three chefs, Sydney Clark, Khampaeng Panyathong, and Jenessa Sneva, with strong Seattle dining pedigrees (including Herbfarm and Poppy). Items such as thom khem and chicken laap utilize produce from local farms and a whole animal approach to butchery. Meanwhile, the smash burger made with pork jowl bacon and jaew sauce may be the best patty in the city.

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 on warm days, perhaps best enjoyed on the recently constructed outdoor street patio.

This upscale but approachable restaurant on East Pike specializing in Southeast Asian cuisine has won over diners with items such as chili cumin pork ribs, fried master stock chicken, crispy duck rolls, and turmeric rockfish. In addition to reopening for dine-in, it’s 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 typically pack a punch.

Star chef Shota Nakajima Osaka-influenced street food spot has drawn fans in droves for its well-seasoned, twice-fried karaage, available as nuggets and wings, or as part of the playful “Fuckit Bucket” assortment. The lively bar also has fun punk rock vibes, as well as an assortment of Jell-O shots and some potent kegged cocktails, boilermakers, and highballs.

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 alternative milk), and sweet potato gnocchi. Takeout orders go through Toast, delivery is available via Caviar and Doordash, and there’s now onsite dining in the lovely dining room.

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.