Restaurants Overview

Seattle has been a culinary capital since the influx of Microsoft money created a demand for a more expansive and creative restaurant scene. The city's reputation among foodies owes as much to its thriving ethnic communities -- particularly Japanese, Chinese, and Thai -- as it does to its access to wonderful local produce, organic meats, and, of course, seafood. It seems as though half of the restaurants in the city are Pan-Asian and the other half are Pacific Northwest fusion; however, far from creating gimmicky food, chefs here create great things when they blend styles.

Seattle is a great place to splurge on higher-end restaurants. No matter how sophisticated the tastes of its diners get, Seattle is still a small, informal city, and warm, personable service is the norm, not the exception. Also, unlike in New York or Los Angeles, where waitlists for the top restaurants are often laughable, you might actually get to eat in the places you read about.