Sustainable sushi is at the core of this West Seattle spot. Although founding chef Hajime Sato stepped away from the restaurant in 2019, he left it in good hands, with a staff that carries on the ethos of carefully sourced fish with an emphasis on traceability and responsible farming practices. The seasonal menu offers a top-notch selection of sushi, sashimi, and nigiri with sometimes unconventional offerings like boar.

Star sushi chef Ryuichi Nakano opened up this Edmonds spot downtown in 2019, and it has quickly gained a loyal following. It’s now offering a wide variety of well-crafted rolls, nigiri, and sashimi for pickup through online preorders, or onsite dining (both indoors and outdoors). Nagano also offers omakase nigiri and sashimi platters. There’s to-go beer, sake, Japanese whiskey, and wine available as well.

Although titular star chef Shiro Kashiba stepped down from his post here years ago, the venerable Belltown sushi spot remains an excellent sushi destination. Besides the a la carte menu, there’s the option of ordering a takeout “spring platter,” loaded with some of the best spring fish from Tokyo’s Toyosu Market for $150 (orders have to be put in 24 hours in advance) or a dine-in omakase. The restaurant also serves popular crispy rice sushi burgers made with fried rice patties sandwiching ingredients like smoked salmon, tempura shrimp, tofu, and fried chicken with vegetables and sauce.

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 does chef Kashiba, who is credited for bringing edomae-style sushi to Seattle and has opened some of the city’s best-respected sushi restaurants, including the self-titled Shiro’s Sushi Restaurant in Belltown. 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.

Some of Seattle’s most exciting sushi is served at this new Pioneer Square Peruvian restaurant. Japanese people first settled in Peru in the late 1800s and have since formed a cuisine called Nikkei, which blends Peruvian ingredients and Japanese cooking techniques, resulting in delicious dishes like toro nigiri drizzled with fruity, spicy, aji amarillo sauce and sprinkled with toasted quinoa. Beyond nigiri, the restaurant also serves a variety of sushi rolls employing pairing fish and rice with tangy acevichado sauce, Andean corn sand, and other Peruvian ingredients and flavors.

Hidden in Tangletown is one of the best neighborhood restaurants in Seattle. There’s a short list of signature rolls (the Green Lake Roll with salmon, asparagus, and flying fish egg is a highlight), as well as excellent sashimi and nigiri. Kisaku also offers two separate tasting menus which incorporate ingredients from other cuisines — like a raw hamachi dish oranges and Thai chilis. It offers a takeout-only lunch and takeout and dine-in for dinner.

Located in Japantown’s thriving sushi corridor that features the likes of Maneki and Fuji Sushi is a small family-owned restaurant without a sign. On the other side of a red-framed glass door that simply says “515” is an intimate, small dining area and a plentiful sushi menu. Tsukushinbo typically fills up fast, so it’s ideal to place a reservation beforehand. The restaurant is closing this summer to make way for two new restaurants (one focused on sushi) from the second-generation owners of Tsukushinbo.

Renowned chef Taichi Kitamura (a 2018 James Beard Award semifinalist) provides a wide variety of fantastic meal options at his Eastlake destination restaurant. It has a full sushi menu, as well as a nigiri omakase, which includes 12 pieces of seasonal selections, and brunch on the weekends. Sushi Kappo Tamura sources its seafood from Pacific Northwest producers like Taylor Shellfish and Skagit River Ranch and has a rooftop garden that provides produce for some of its dishes.

Lake City’s best kept secret is this casual, family-owned sushi restaurant. Besides its reliable menu of specialty rolls and sashimi, Toyoda also serves an incredibly satisfying plate of seared hamachi tuna that shouldn’t be missed. Toyoda offers takeout only Thursday through Sunday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Orders can be texted to (206) 383-8182 before 1 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Accepted forms of payment are cash, check, Zelle, and Venmo. The restaurant is hoping to reopen for dine-in next year.

This lovely, upscale restaurant has been thrilling Madison Park diners since 1995. Small plates, sashimi, and exclusive omakase dinners all get rave reviews and make regulars out of neighbors and destination diners alike. Though the menu is focused on traditional Japanese fare, there are also creative dishes on the menu like “new style sashimi” made with seared shiromi, arugula, and olive oil and toro tartare with white sturgeon caviar.