A Feast at Every Price Point

Even amid a recession, Seattle is eating out. There are empty rooms around the city, as well as layoffs and closures; there are also grand openings and hourlong waits for tables. For many of us, dining out remains both a priority and a great pleasure. That’s partly because we are living in a halcyon age. The Puget Sound is seeing more, and better trained, chefs using amazing ingredients with greater creativity and precision. The Dow hasn’t yet diminished this surge.

That stated, no one plans a meal out without considering the size of the check. This year, we divided up our 50 favorite restaurants (plus others worth mentioning) by the price of a meal there—roughly a dish and a drink for the cheap eats, and at the pricier ones, an entree, a shared appetizer or dessert, and a glass of wine. Eat well, drink well, and just as important for your future happiness, tip well.
-- Jonathan Kauffman

Cheap, Fast, and Under Control

> $10

Green Leaf
Paseo
Tacos El Asadero
Pho Bac
Salumi

Gabriel's Fire
Skillet Street Food
Veraci Pizza
Mike's Noodle House
Pike Street Fish Fry

Budget-Friendly and Satisfying

$10-$20

FareStart
Jade Garden
Saba Ethiopian Cuisine
Curry Leaf
Tamarind Tree
Kingfish Cafe

Flying Squirrel Pizza Co.
Circa
Señor Moose
Oddfellows Cafe & Bar
Catfish Corner

A Step Up for Special Dates

$20-$30

Bamboo Garden
Crow
Quinn's Pub
Bistro Turkuaz
Cafe Campagne

Chang Ahn Jung
May Thai
Le Pichet
Maneki

Fine Dining for the Flush

$30-$50

Carmelita
Chiso
Palace Kitchen
Poppy
Spur

How to Cook a Wolf
Joule
Trellis
Branzino
Tilth
Union

A Serious Splurge

$50+

Brasa
Spinasse
Crush
Harvest Vine
Lark

Rover's
Nell's
Restaurant Zoe
Spring Hill