Pinehurst’s charming Jewish deli and bakery is the versatile, comfort food spot that every neighborhood should have. Owner Josh Grunig offers baked goods from family recipes, plus smoked meats galore, full meal pop-ups, and some of the best bagels in town. There’s still no onsite dining at the moment, but the takeout menu is robust and delivery covers most of the city.

Kirkland’s Northern Italian fine-dining mainstay recently reopened its warm, modern dining room for the first time in more than a year. Chef Holly Smith and her team have crafted several excellent tasting menus (including pescatarian and vegan options), as well as an exhaustive wine list. But the restaurant continues substantial takeout service, including cook-at-home braised lamb sugo and handcut tajarin.

This Ballard restaurant’s food, with influences from owner Rajah Gargour’s Lebanese background, is a vegetarian’s dream. The small plates of lentils ground with roasted garlic, house labneh, and sweet pears in savory tahini always impress. Patrons should also check Instagram for seasonal items that keep the menu vibrant, and the romantic dining room recently reopened.

From a farmers market favorite to a permanent spot north of the city, this popular Mexican spot from founders Osbaldo Hernandez and Dennis Ramey (with Hernandez’s parents helping to run the operation) serves some of the most satisfying, lovingly-made tamales in Seattle. The salsa roja pork version is a must-try, best washed down with the shop’s wonderful agua de horchata.

This no-frills spot in the U District has been slinging some of the city’s best biang biang noodles — made from scratch every day — since it opened five years ago. The simplicity of hot chili oil showcases the dish best, though meat toppings are also available, with spicy cumin lamb is a notable option. Open only for takeout and delivery at the moment.

Seattle’s only Native American-owned food truck opened its first restaurant in 2019 at the Burke Museum in the U District. Its menu is also as vibrant as ever, offering fluffy fry bread tacos topped with 12-hour smoked pulled pork, braised bison, or vegetarian chili, plus wild rice bowls. Diners can order on the official website for takeout and delivery; no onsite dining at the moment.

Star chef Mutsuko Soma makes magical soba at this Fremont destination, which an Eater Best New Restaurant in 2018. Soma serves the noodles in classic styles, including seiro (cold with dipping sauce) and nanban (bathed in warm broth), alongside gratifyingly crunch tempura dishes in an intimate space. One can make a full night of it by sampling some sake and snacks at next door sibling bar Hannyatou, before heading over for dinner.

After building a strong following as a pop-up inside Fremont’s Pomerol, the contemporary Indian tasting menu specialist Meesha became a full-fledged restaurant in 2020. Among some of the can’t-miss dishes from chef Preeti Agarwal are rarah keema pao with expertly prepared ground lamb, the fried Amritsari fish, and the paneer in cardamom tomato fenugreek sauce. Takeout is still an option, but the gorgeous dining room and patio are also open for business.

Chef Renee Erickson’s former full-service restaurant in Fremont transformed into a fast-casual counter spot and grocer in 2020, but hasn’t lost its charm. Customers can find charcuterie, cheese, wine, and fresh pasta, as well as a selection of full made-to-order meals, including Alaskan halibut with aleppo pepper crust and gnocchi with foraged mushrooms and snap peas.

In March 2020, Brian Canlis — co-owner of the 71-year-old Queen Anne icon — said “fine dining is not what Seattle needs right now.” Since then, the restaurant wasn’t afraid to try out a host of different looks, including a burger drive-thru, but has now returned to full indoor service with new executive chef Aisha Ibrahim at the helm. The past year of creative endeavors, and a much-welcome new perspective from Ibrahim, has re-energized a classic.

Vietnamese siblings Trinh and Thai Nguyen— who came to the US as refugees — explore the food of their childhood at this excellent modern Bainbridge Island restaurant, with ingredients sourced locally. Those flavors find their way into succulent Viet-Cajun plates, such as King crab boil and a crawfish etoufee, alongside coconut lemongrass mussels and Rock Point oysters.

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 a robust 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.

More than ten years in, and this romantic trattoria on Capitol Hill 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 from chef Stuart Lane is memorable. After a satisfying dinner at Spinasse, one might want to head over to next door sibling bar Artusi for a digestif and dessert.

Expertly-made Laotian dishes shine at this Capitol Hill 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. Meanwhile, the smash burger made with pork jowl bacon and jaew tomato sauce may be the best patty in the city.

This upscale but approachable Capitol Hill restaurant 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.

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 longtime Capitol Hill bistro from renowned restaurateur Donna Moodie serves a variety of memorable dishes that support local farms, such as the burrata with grilled pear and rhubarb compote and roasted yam tacos (not to mention the sublime steel drum plantains). In warmer weather it’s a good idea to secure a spot on the romantic outdoor patio, surrounded by greenery.

Diners have long flocked to the upscale Pike Place restaurant to watch master sushi chef Shiro Kashiba at work, with seats at the bar among the most coveted. Its meticulous attention to detail remains a big draw, as the restaurant reopens for onsite dining. First-timers should choose the omakase option and embrace each seasonal offering, although Kashiba’s popular black cod off the a la carte menu is also stellar.

This longtime Pike Place wonder from chef Daisley Gordon is well-regarded for its dedication to classic Parisian fare, served in a warmly lit dining room. Ingredients from the market go into preparations for the restaurant’s most popular dishes, such as the crispy duck leg confit and beef bourguignon. The quiches (available at lunch) also earn raves, and the chocolate cognac mousse is a delightful end to any meal.

Pioneer Square’s Indian food destination restaurant serves soups, biryani, and curries from a variety of regions, and happily caters to pescatarians and vegetarians with items like paneer-stuffed bell pepper with spicy tomato sauce. Owners Oliver and Gita Bangera have always made sure the takeout service is as robust as the dine-in experience — although seeing the gregarious Oliver in person usually adds a sparkle to the meal.

Seattle’s oldest sushi bar has been open since 1904, and remains as resilient as ever. The Japantown restaurant offered online takeout orders for the first time on its large menu of sushi rolls, udon, and sukiyaki dishes, and will soon resume dine-in service. A revamp of the beloved tatami rooms, as well as other recent upgrades, should be a treat for newcomers and longtime customers alike.

The Pham family’s Pho Bac “boat” restaurant was a pioneer in the Vietnamese dining scene — and the more modern Pho Bac Sup Shop continues its legacy with aplomb in LIttle Saigon. Tenderized slow-cooked beef chunks fall right off the bone for a spiritual Seattle pho experience, and the restaurant also has an excellent bun bo hue. Chilling at the bar with a steaming bowl of noodle soup, washed down with any number of the terrific cocktails or wine, is the way to go.

Since opening in early 2020, Beacon Hill’s innovative Filipinx restaurant from star chef Melissa Miranda has developed a dynamic menu with items such as succulent short rib kare kare, adobong baboy, arroz Valenciana, and smoked oysters. The homey space makes diners feel like they’re eating in a beloved family member’s living room, and Miranda has also stepped up big time to help those in need, launching a community kitchen.

Acclaimed chef Mike Easton turned the historic Alki Homestead into a classic Seattle dining experience, with his famed pastas and pleasing entrees, such as the coveted seared ribeye. Easton also recently added Roman-style pizza to the menu, and aims to make the restaurant more accessible with a new “aperitivo hour” that doesn’t require reservations, as well as a patio. But the main dinner service continues to be one of the more sought-after tickets in town.

Chef and owner Jerry Corso’s expert Neapolitan-style pizzas are the primary draw for this Beacon Hill hideaway, thanks to their light, airy, and slightly salty crusts. The garlic mussels, baccala fritters, and grilled octopus with corona beans are also exceptional, and reservations often go fast — although the restaurant recently added some additional sidewalk seating, great for people watching on Beacon Avenue.

Hillman City’s acclaimed Philippine fine dining restaurant recently restarted its intimate tasting menu dinners, known for their ingenuity, storytelling, and passion. Husband-and-wife team Aaron Verzosa and Amber Manuguid execute wonderfully inventive dishes that weave the narrative of their personal journeys growing up in the area, and that of Filipino immigrants to the Pacific Northwest, combining a meal and a compelling history lesson in each 10-to-12 course sitting.

Many Seattleites likely have their own preferred banh mi destination, but it’s hard to beat this South Seattle spot for its perfectly flaky baguettes and juicy grilled pork (though the fried catfish version is a favorite as well). No sit-down service here — Tony’s is a small deli and market, but many of the other prepared foods (like steamed hum bao) are worth a look for a takeout feast, washed down with any of the boba tea options.

This enormously popular food truck in White Center (with two locations in the neighborhood and one in North Seattle) has been a steady presence for years that gives a lot of bang for the buck. Plates pile up with carne asada, adobada, and lengua versions, and a special request for extra grilled mini-onions and spicy Serrano peppers is key. There’s also a small covered patio next to the truck that provides a comfortable place to dig in while the plates are piping hot.