The Top Restaurants by Cuisine in Seattle

ITALIAN: There’s no shortage of great Italian restaurants in Seattle, but Spinasse consistently shines as one of the brightest. Come here for superlative dishes like hand-cut tajarin with butter and sage; lamb agnolotti en brodo; and cavatelli with morel ragu.

AMERICAN: There’s a reason The Whale Wins is one of Seattle’s most acclaimed and talked-about-restaurants: James Beard Award–winning chef Renee Erickson’s food is some of the best in town. This is seasonal, hearth-driving cooking at its finest, with an ever-changing menu that never ceases to delight.

JAPANESE: It’s easy for sushi restaurants to feel serious, quiet, austere. Not Sushi Kappo Tamura. Here, it’s clear that chef Taichi Kitamura and the rest of the staff are having a great time, and you certainly will, too; this is some of the best sushi in Seattle, with ingredients that are prepared thoughtfully and elegantly, blending Seattle’s incredible bounty with Japanese tradition.

FRENCH: Smack in the middle of Pike Place Market you’ll find Cafe Campagne, a classic French brasserie that’s been churning out duck confit, beef tartare, and steak frites since 1994. The space is warm and inviting, the banquettes are comfortable, and the waitstaff is always friendly and attentive.

STEAKHOUSE: Yes, Joule has a section of the menu dedicated to steak, but that doesn’t make it your average steakhouse. This is chefs Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi’s take on a Korean steakhouse, with dishes like kalbi with grilled kimchi, chuck flap steak with harissa, and rib eye with spicy peanut oil. The rest of the menu is just as exciting as the beef, especially the crispy eggplant, spicy rice cakes, and black-sesame noodles.

MEDITERRANEAN: For excellent Greek food in a comfortable-yet-upscale environment, head to Omega Ouzeri, a restaurant in Capitol Hill from the team behind Vios Cafe. Order a bunch of mezzes for the table—we particularly love the grilled octopus, saganaki, and briam pita, a savory vegetable pie—and then dig into whatever weekly special is on offer.

VEGETARIAN/VEGAN: Whether or not you’re into the “woo-woo” stuff that accompanies a meal at Harvest Beat—yes, they ring a gong before dinner—you will certainly be into the food, which is a set menu of deeply delicious vegetarian cooking. Each dish is layered and complex, with combinations of vegetables and spices and acid that will leave you thinking about your meal well after heading home for the night.