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The Essential 38 Seattle Restaurants, January 2014

by Julien Perry Jan 7, 2014, 1:57am PST

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by Julien Perry Jan 7, 2014, 1:57am PST

10 comments / new

It's time to update the Eater 38, the answer to any question that begins, "Can you recommend a restaurant?" Not to be confused with the Eater Heatmap, this group covers the entire city, spans a myriad of cuisines and collectively satisfies all of your restaurant needs. Every quarter, we'll be adding pertinent restaurants that were omitted, have newly become eligible (restaurants must be at least six months old), or have stepped up their game. (As a reminder, these restaurants are not ranked, they're alphabetized.)

This month, four new inclusions: Gastropod, Kedai Makan, Mamnoon, and Miyabi 45th. And because we had to make room for the newbies, four eliminations: Bakery Nouveau, Blind Pig Bistro, Monsoon, and Saigon Deli.

Is your favorite restaurant not on the list? Feel free to nominate it for inclusion in the comments or send it to the tipline. Traveling? Here's the Eater National 38, city by city.

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Art of the Table

Chef Dustin Ronspies quietly runs his weekly supper club that offers a special occasion dining experience at terrific prices. He's also instituted a full bar and more casual, no reservation nights. A coveted chair at the open kitchen is the best seat in the house.

1054 N 39th St, Seattle, WA 98103

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Bar Del Corso

Bar del Corso's Jerry Corso built a reputation for himself in kitchens around Seattle and now has a place, and a pizza oven, to call his own. Crowds descend upon his Beacon Hill storefront for wood-fired Neapolitan-style pies and "cucina" with a Northwest seasonal flare.

3057 Beacon Ave, Seattle, WA 98145

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Bar Sajor

Matt Dillon's first Pioneer Square project, credited for helping to revitalize the neighborhood, is a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant that is big, bright, airy and downright gorgeous. Plates are just as pretty: chilled Dungeness crab with garlic mayo, king salmon cured in honey & camomile, and lamb leg cooked on the rotisserie have all made an appearance on the menu. Don't leave without ordering the homemade sourdough bread.

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323 Occidental Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104

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Cafe Campagne

A longtime favorite respite for locals who like to duck into Seattle's answer to Paris for a carafe of wine and some frites, this quaint Pike Place Market bistro is a little slice of baguette heaven complete with cobblestone patio for those rare sun-soaked extended lunches.

1600 Post Alley, Seattle, WA 98101

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Canlis

A full-on dinner here is definitely a blow-your-paycheck event. Thank goodness for the bar menu, which offers some moderately priced bites. You can also order a plate or two from the main menu and experience the talents of chef Jason Franey without the triple-digit tab. Though the food and service has no peers in Seattle, the cocktails from bar manager James MacWilliams are worth a trip alone.

2576 Aurora Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109

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Crush

Crush has been integral in defining that area between Capitol Hill and Madison Valley since opening Valentines Day 2005. Fitting, since diners tend to have a love affair with this place, crushing on chef/owner Jason Wilson's knack to modernize Northwest cuisine. Truffles, pork belly and foie gras are pretty standard menu items here.

2319 E Madison St, Seattle, WA 98112

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Delancey

Brandon Pettit's perfectly fired seasonal pizzas and cunningly simple sides make this a Seattle institution. Don't miss the desserts, either. Some come for the salted chocolate chip cookies alone.

1415 NW 70th St, Seattle, WA 98117

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Fonda La Catrina

One of the most common complaints heard is that Seattle lacks authentic Mexican food. This Georgetown semi-newcomer is where you should bring the complainers who can watch as their tortillas are made fresh right in front of them. The pozole and pork tamales are clear winners.

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5907 Airport Way S, Seattle, WA 98108

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Gastropod

Epic Ales' tiny brewpub in SoDo is constantly rotating their tap handles and menu. Chef Travis Kukull, formerly of Solo Bar, Elemental and Tilikum Place Cafe, cooks "out there" food, like profiteroles stuffed with nettle and ricotta; duck breast prosciutto, fennel french toast, and maple syrup; and Italian parsley tagliatelle with rabbit and cardoon ragu.

3201 1st Ave S, Seattle, WA 98134

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Green Leaf Vietnamese Restaurant

There are a lot of hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese restaurants in Seattle, but this is the spot discerning diners keep coming back to. There's something very comforting and satisfying about the food. The fresh salads, noodle dishes and spring rolls have a cult following. The portion sizes here are plentiful and cheap, so come hungry.

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418 8th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104

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How To Cook A Wolf

It's not Ethan Stowell's newest restaurant, but How to Cook a Wolf encapsulates the chef's unfussy, Italian-via-Northwest style. The wood-wrapped, copper-punctuated space also stands out as one of the most unique dining rooms in Seattle.

2208 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109

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Il Corvo

Mike Easton's hand made pasta and charcuterie has become a regular habit for lunch goers, who now have more than twice as much space to nosh in (and stand in line) with Il Corvo's new home in Pioneer Square.

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217 James Street, Seattle, WA 98104

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Joule

It may no longer be the buzziest restaurant in town (although Bon Appetit named it one of the 10 Best New Restaurants in America 2013, along with neighbor Whale Wins), but this French/Korean fusion restaurant continues to inspire. Weekend brunch is also notable: an urban barbecue format that features a communal table filled with all sorts of buffet goodies.

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3506 Stone Way N, Seattle, WA 98103

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Kedai Makan

The popular farmers market Malaysian street food outfit became a brick and mortar back in January 2013. Some describe this take-out only hole-in-the-wall as the best drunk food in Seattle, but it's good anytime the hunger pangs hit. Hearty dishes you'll want to inhale include Kedai's signature fried rice dish, Nasi Goreng, served with your choice of tofu and sprouts or roast pork, and topped with a runny egg.

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1510 E Olive Way, Seattle, WA 98122

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La Bête

Chef/owner Aleks Dimitrijevic impresses with hearty steaks, Merguez sausage and pork rinds, but exhibits that same talent with a more delicate crudo or, say, a sesaonal tomato tart. The menu feels a little French, the dining room feels a little like a fairy tale.

1802 Bellevue Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

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La Carta De Oaxaca

The only thing better than the mole, the salsa bar and the damn delicious casual Oaxacan food — how little it costs to eat yourself silly. Brace yourself for a crowd, but the end result is well worth it.

5431 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107

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La Medusa

Columbia City and its environs are rather short on dining destinations, but La Medusa offers a frequently changing market-driven menu of Sicilian fare that would be a gem in any neighborhood.

4857 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118

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Lark

Considered required eating by many a food type around town, Lark is elegant, intimate and special without being pretentious. The small plate style of dining takes the stress out of ordering, as it's protocol here to order a bunch of things and share, family-style. The menu is heavy on vegetables, grains, meat and fish: all innovative, classic, familiar and delicious.

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926 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

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Le Pichet

This French bistro possesses both a legendary roast chicken and an informal charm that makes you want to linger all afternoon with some charcuterie and cheese.

1933 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98101

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Little Uncle

Perhaps no other restaurant represents Seattle's love affair with pop-ups more than one of the original success stories. Little Uncle was founded by chefs PK and Wiley Frank (former sous chef at Lark), who started their Thai mecca as a pop-up called Shophouse. Now, Little Uncle is the go-to for some of the best Thai food in the city. And as of June 2013, the little shack on Madison now has a much larger subterranean sibling in Pioneer Square.

1509 E Madison St, Seattle, WA 98122

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Madison Park Conservatory

Cormac Mahoney has developed a cult-like following with his elegant Madison Park restaurant. The full menu is available at the bar upstairs, which has a cozier vibe than the formal dining room.

1927 43rd E, Seattle, WA 98112

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Maneki

Getting seats at this 107-year-old Japanese restaurant can be an utter puzzlement, but should you crack the code, the mind-boggling list of specials are where it's at.

304 6th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104

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Ma’ono Fried Chicken & Whisky

Every night, by reservation only, patrons who plan ahead are rewarded with Ma'ono's immensely popular fried chicken dinner. As one of the four flavor options, the Korean-style doles up crispy chicken in a tangy gochujang sauce. Aside from their chicken, the kalbi short ribs are also a tempting option.

4437 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116

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Mamnoon

Located across from the Melrose triangle, where good food is easy to come by, Mamnoon has created its own scorching hot rep with its Lebanese/Syrian cuisine. While the menu can be unfamiliar to those who have not tried this type of food, the entire thing is pretty much rock solid. You can't go wrong with any of the dips or salads - great starting points as you work your way down to more adventurous entrees.

1508 Melrose Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

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Matt's in the Market

The place hasn't lost any of its popularity since founder Matt Janke sold the restaurant to Dan Bugge in 2006. The seafood is absolutely fresh and the location overlooking Pike Place Market's famous sign is also about as Seattle as it gets.

94 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101

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Mistral Kitchen

Chef William Belickis's white-linen Mistral has been reborn as a many-nooked restaurant that offers a bar scene, plain old dinner, or a restaurant-within-a-restaurant fine dining experience. The food hasn't faltered since he opened in December 2009.

2020 Westlake Ave, Seattle, WA 98121

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Miyabi 45th

The former Chez Shea chef is producing handmade soba noodles, but the entire menu shines. Don't miss the smaller snacks (uni shooter, smoked hamachi kama) and salads. Best bet: order omakase style and let the kitchen cook for you. Always a good bet.

2208 N 45th St, Seattle, WA 98103

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Paseo Caribbean Restaurant

The messy Cuban-style sandwiches have developed an epic fan base, and a reliable line of people waiting for their fix.

4225 Fremont Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103

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Revel

The continued hype surrounding Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi's Fremont spot is well-deserved. This follow-up to the popular Joule is casual, largely Asian street food inspired and a fantastic (reasonably priced) experience for brunch, lunch or dinner. Grab a cocktail at adjacent bar Quoin after dinner.

403 N 36th St, Seattle, WA 98103

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Salumi

Braving the lines for cured meat sandwiches and hot fare like porchetta is a Seattle rite of passage. Salumi is open just a handful of days and only for lunch, so come prepared for crowds. And yes, it's worth it. At least once. And probably more.

309 3rd Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104

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Shiro's

Sushi joints are a dime a dozen in this city, but Shiro's will always be at the top of the heap. Shiro Kashiba trained under master Jiro Ono (of Jiro Dreams of Sushi).

2401 2nd Ave., Seattle, WA 98121

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Sitka and Spruce

This is about as Seattle as it gets: Chef Matt Dillon; Northwest ingredients; and dishes that seem disarmingly simple, until you realize you could never recreate them yourself. Sitka's location inside the Melrose Market is also absurdly quaint.

1531 Melrose Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

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Spinasse

Jason Stratton has made this trattoria inexorably his own with memorable pastas and Piedmont-influenced fare. Plus its recent expansion makes it (slightly) easier to get a table. Make sure to stop by the adjoining Artusi bar for a cocktail before you say, 'Ciao.'

1531 14th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

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Spur Gastropub

This Belltown destination has major cocktail credibility, but chef/owners Brian McCracken and Dana Tough make sure their crew produces food with a modernist flair that feels memorable, not gimmicky.