North Seattle: Restaurants, Bars, and Cafes
Price Categories
Prices for a three-course dinner per person with half a bottle of wine:
$ = under $20
$$ = $20–45
$$$ = $45–60
$$$$ = over $60
American
Essential Baking Co.
1604 N 34th Street. Tel: 206-545 0444. www.essentialbaking.com Open: B & L daily. $
This Fremont bakery is always crowded, with folks stopping by for coffee, pastries, and wonderful sandwiches.
Belgian
Brouwer’s Café
400 N 35th Street. Tel: 206-267 BIER. www.brouwerscafe.com Open: L & D daily. $$
Beer is big here: 64 on tap and 300 by the bottle. The traditional Belgian alehouse also serves Belgian-inspired food like giant sausages and mussels.
Fish and Seafood
Lockspot Café
3005 NW 54th Street. Tel: 206-789 4865. Open: B, L, & D daily. $
This fisherman’s dive by Ballard Locks is famous for breakfasts, fish and chips, and an appearance on the TV show Deadliest Catch.
Ponti Seafood Grill
3014 3rd Avenue N. Tel: 206-284 3000. www.pontiseafoodgrill.com Open: D daily. $$$
A local favorite for more than 20 years, Ponti serves Northwest seafood in a location overlooking the Lake Washington Ship Canal and the Fremont drawbridge.
Indian
Taste of India
5517 Roosevelt Way NE. Tel: 206-528 1575. www.tasteofindiaseattle.com Open: L & D daily. $
A good selection of flavorful Indian dishes, great service, and bottomless cups of chai make this a popular neighborhood spot.
Italian
Bizzarro Italian Café
1307 N 46th Street. Tel: 206-632 7277. www.bizzarroitaliancafe.com Open: D daily. $$
This funky Wallingford joint serves good Italian fare with decor to reflect the name: bizarre.
Brad’s Swingside Café
4212 Fremont Avenue N. Tel: 206-633 4057. Open: D Tue–Sun. $$
Walk in the door of this funky Fremont bungalow and you might think you’d walked into a private party in someone’s home. Start with antipasti, and move on to pastas and specials.
Volterra
5411 Ballard Avenue NW. Tel: 206-789 5100. www.volterrarestaurant.com Open: Br Sat–Sun, D daily. $$$
Said by some to serve the best Italian food in the city: try the creamy polenta with wild mushroom ragù, or the wild boar tenderloin with gorgonzola sauce.
Mediterranean
Gorgeous George’s
7719 Greenwood Avenue N. Tel: 206-783 0116. www.gorgeousgeorges.com Open: L Wed–Sat, D Tue–Sun. $$
It’s debatable whether George is, in fact, gorgeous, but the food at this Mediterranean restaurant is undeniably delicious.
Mona’s Bistro and Lounge
6421 Latona Avenue NE. Tel: 206-526 1188. www.monasseattle.com Open: D daily. $$$
This sexy Green Lake spot is perfect for a romantic evening sharing small plates like calamari or shrimp tacos, or individual dishes like lemon roasted chicken or braised pork.
Northwest
Canlis
2576 Aurora Avenue N. Tel: 206-283 3313. www.canlis.com Open: D Mon–Sat. $$$$
Canlis is where restaurant critics spend their own money on spectacular views; elegant, understated decor and service; and top-notch food.
Vegetarian
Carmelita
7314 Greenwood Avenue N. Tel: 206-706 7703. www.carmelita.net Open: D Tue–Sun. $$$
This Phinney Ridge fine-dining locale offers seasonal vegetarian fare; there’s also a bar and a small terrace for alfresco meals.
Bars and Cafés
Babalu
1723 N. 45th Street, Wallingford. Tel: 206-547 1515. www.babaluseattle.com
Babalu is a stylish cocktail bar with mambo dancing.
The BalMar
5449 Ballard Avenue NW, Ballard. Tel: 206-486 5449. www.thebalmar.com
A sophisticated bar suited to conversation, the BalMar is a Ballard favorite.
Bastille Café and Bar
5307 Ballard Avenue NW, Ballard. Tel: 206-453 5014. www.bastilleseattle.com
Slip into this gorgeous French bar and restaurant for happy-hour cocktails and nibbles under crystal chandeliers.
Café Allegro
4214 University Way NE, University District. Tel: 206-633 3030. http://seattleallegro.com
One of Seattle’s oldest coffee shops, Café Allegro has a hippie vibe and attracts lots of students.
Caffè Fiore
5405 Leary Avenue NW, Ballard. Tel: 206-706 0421. www.caffefiore.com
All four of this local chain’s organic coffeehouses serve fantastic coffee in cozy surroundings.
Herkimer
5611 University Way NE, University District. Tel: 206-525 5070. www.herkimercoffee.com
For your coffee fix, Herkimer, with locations in the University District and Phinney Ridge, has some of the best coffee around. Cash only.