Explore the Best Women-Led Restaurants in Seattle for 2019

March 8th is International Women’s Day. In celebration, we created a list featuring some of the most exceptional women in Seattle’s culinary scene. This coastal city isn’t just the birthplace of our coffee fixation, it boasts the freshest seafood, greenest surroundings, and champions nature’s best ingredients. Next time you’re in town, we invite you to celebrate women (and eat something delicious) at one of these top spots.

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Updated January 29, 2021

The Whale Wins

$$$$

American

Wallingford

4.7

744 reviews

Having lived around Seattle her entire life, Chef Renee Erickson has an intimate relationship with the sea and land — and it shows up in all of her dishes. She is co-owner of The Whale Wins and other local restaurants, but her title of restaurateur first began in 1998 after she acquired the ownership of Boat Street Cafe from Susan Kaplan. Erickson earned the 2016 James Beard Award for Best Chef: West. Additionally, two of her restaurants — The Whale and the Carpenter and The Whale Wins — appeared in the Bon Appétit Top 10 Restaurants in America list, in 2011 and 2013, respectively. She is considered a leader for her cuisine and her commitment to redefining the restaurant industry. The Whale Wins features a mixture of European and Northwest influences, where the menu changes with the season.

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Capitol Cider

$$$$

Contemporary American

Capitol Hill / First Hill

4.5

831 reviews

As original investor, Julie Tall assumed full ownership of Capitol Cider after her son stepped down in 2014. From the outset, though, Tall’s influence was everywhere — from the paintings on the walls to the period architecture and gluten-free menu. Gluten-free herself, Tall wanted an inclusive place where people could dine without worry. She elevated the menu and introduced cider flights displaying the extent of their on-tap offerings. Yet Tall wasn’t ready to stop there; she added the Ballast Bar downstairs for live music, board games, and art-focused programs. Eclectic Capitol Cider earns its name for its range of hard ciders, spirits, and gluten-free pub fare. This place is a gluten-free haven, and utterly delicious!

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Poquitos - Capitol Hill

$$$$

Mexican

Capitol Hill / First Hill

4.4

505 reviews

Courtney Fox fell in love with the notion of running a restaurant, and in 2011, she teamed up with husband Eric and friends Matt Fundingsland and Dustin Watson to open Poquitos in trendy Capitol Hill. They later opened Bavarian restaurant Rheim Haus in 2013. Along with partner-designers James Weimann and Deming Maclise, the group created an authentic Mexican restaurant sourcing both local ingredients and unique Mexican culinary items. The handmade Talavera tiles from Pueblo, Mexico, add bold color, while the hanging sign adds intrigue. Stop by during lunch and enjoy the many flavors of their hand-crafted tacos — your taste buds will thank you!

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Terra Plata

$$$$

Farm-to-table

Capitol Hill / First Hill

4.5

3452 reviews

Tamara Murphy has a lengthy culinary history, having worked in several New York City restaurants before making the move to Seattle in 1988. She made waves on the West Coast as well, earning the 1995 James Beard Foundation award for Best Chef in the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii. Murphy opened Terra Plata in 2012, where her long-term love of local harvest features prominently; this is a place where the closer the ingredients, the better. Along with a rooftop edible garden, Capitol Hill’s Terra Plata sources its ingredients from local producers around Washington, impressing guests with a variety of earth-to-plate offerings.

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The Tin Table

$$$$

Northwest

Capitol Hill / First Hill

4.8

600 reviews

Does ballroom dancing have anything in common with casual eats? Hallie Kuperman, owner of The Tin Table, firmly believes so. That’s why she owns both businesses and situated them across the hall from one another in the historic Oddfellows Building. In between teaching dance students the art of swing, salsa, and more, she works hard to inspire a safe, inclusive space for members of the LGBTQ community. The Tin Table offers a relaxed atmosphere with exposed beams, brick walls, and a sustainable menu featuring everything from traditional to eclectic pub fare.

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Joule

$$$$

Steakhouse

Wallingford

4.8

1086 reviews

Chef and co-owner Rachel Yang had an unconventional start, stepping away from her urban studies and visual art degrees to head to culinary school in New York City. With her husband, she opened Joule in 2007, which had wide success, and then reopened it in 2013 as a modern take on the Korean steakhouse. Bon Appétit magazine took notice, naming it one of the Best New Restaurants in America. The James Beard Foundation likewise nominated Yang for Best Chef: Northwest four years in a row. Fremont’s Joule focuses on inventive dishes with bold flavors and colorful combinations.

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FlintCreek Cattle Co.

$$$$

Contemporary American

Greenwood

4.8

1529 reviews

The success of seafood-centric RockCreek led co-owner Christy Donnelly and her chef husband to open FlintCreek in 2016. The converted Greenwood industrial building serves as the perfect backdrop for a menu offering a range of ethically-raised steak and game meats, along with some vegetarian dishes. As Operations Manager, Donnelly keeps tabs on the daily ins and outs, greeting customers and inviting everyone to enjoy a meal in a bright spot in Greenwood.

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