In its third year, Matt in the Market’s “Planes, Trains, and Traveling Chefs” continues to bring some of the very best chefs from outside Seattle to cook a six-course dinner (with wine pairings) with Matt’s chef Shane Ryan. The format is great: Each month throughout the summer and fall, the two chefs alternate courses and team up on one. This year’s lineup includes heavyweights like San Francisco’s Chris Costentino, winner of Top Chef Masters and competitor on the Next Iron Chef, as well as others from Portland and Memphis. I love that these chefs come to learn about how to use Seattle’s ingredients in their cuisine, and that the spirit is one of collaboration rather than Iron Chef-style competition. Plus, the food is typically divine, and the view—well, it’s one of Seattle’s finest.

94 Pike St., #32, 467-7909, mattsinthemarket.com

Read all of our picks for Food & Drink, and explore the rest of this year’s edition of Best of Seattle.