Down along Lake Union at Wallingford’s southeast corner, the showpiece of the Ivar’s seafood chain serves a menu of tried-and-true classics, highlighted by the cedar plank salmon. The setting, in a replica longhouse, is half the fun, and in summer happy hour on the lakeside deck is a quintessential Seattle experience.

If Ivar’s is too staid for your taste, head a few stops west along the shore of Lake Union to its antithesis, Westward — Wallingford’s hippest restaurant. The nautical décor is tongue-in-cheek, but the Mediterranean-themed menu is serious about its creative seafood dishes.

This old-school diner slings hash like it's the 1950s. Pancakes and Mexican-themed breakfast dishes are the strong suits.

Cantinetta captures the Tuscan knack for simple yet refined cuisine, with housemade pasta the star attraction.

The menu at this local chain offers a standard lineup of Middle Eastern fast food — gyros, falafel, shawarma — but the quality and freshness are a cut above typical fare.

The first home of Seattle’s favorite fast-food burger hearkens back to another era — the company only started accepting credit cards in 2016. The joy of devouring a bag full of Dick’s never gets old.

Seattle's most surprising phenomenon is this takeout poke bar amidst the racks of candy and chips at a convenience store. With delicious, diverse bowls of Hawaii's raw fish salad at enticing prices, it's small wonder this was the readers' choice in the 2016 Eater Awards for Poke Bar of the Year. Just get in line and see for yourself what the fuss is about.

Ezell's may no longer be using its original recipe since co-founder Ezell Stephens walked away with it to start Heaven Sent, but his namesake chain still makes some fine, Oprah-approved fried chicken — along with less common goodies like fried gizzards and okra. To the uninitiated: always order the spicy, which isn’t especially spicy, but is especially flavorful.

Among the numerous Japanese restaurants along 45th St, Yoroshiku winningly fills a niche as a classy place for ramen and izakaya. Prices are higher than down the street at Issian, but in return you get greater attention to detail and a warmer, less frenetic ambiance.

Curried goat, jerk chicken, callaloo, fried plantains — the Trinidadian cuisine at Pam’s is rich, spicy, earthy, and decadent. The location is one of the biggest dining rooms in Wallingford, where previous restaurants have struggled to fill seats. After more than a year here, Pam’s seems to be making it work.

The vegan prix fixe menu at Harvest Beat is arguably Seattle’s finest meat-free meal. Dishes change with the micro-season and are consistently creative and delicious.

Issian specializes in ishiyaki — meat skewers grilled on a hot stone, a Japanese tradition — but its wide-ranging menu includes sushi and a variety of izakaya as well. The place’s greatest appeal is its youthful buzz. It’s usually packed with college-age diners sharing plates of grilled pork belly and pitchers of Sapporo.

Atmosphere is everything here: The two-story building is decorated with remnants of a century-old house that were shipped over from Thailand, and the result is elegant and transportive. The food is pricier than Wallingford’s Thai competition and can be hit-or-miss, but the distinctive pad thai wrapped in banana leaf is unusual and tasty. If nothing else, stop in at the downstairs bar to take in the ambience.

This tiny sushi bar has the biggest cult following of any restaurant in Wallingford. Day in and day out diners wait patiently for their chance to indulge in chirashi bowls and substantial nigiri at bargain prices.

The wacky décor is part-flea market, part-artist’s studio, but the menu is serious Italian, mixing comfort food with a touch of sophistication. Your uncle from Rome and your aunt from Des Moines will both find things to like here.

This Taiwanese gem, hidden away on a residential block, may be Wallingford’s most hotly debated restaurant. It’s regularly packed with UW exchange students happily chowing down on stinky tofu and oyster pancakes, while the food may be more weird than wonderful for some western palates.