Putting together an annual dining guide in a city where new restaurants and bars (and bakeries and breweries and coffee shops and, and, and) are opening at a dizzying pace is incredibly exciting—yet daunting. As I began thinking about how to sum it all up, it occurred to me that maybe the big picture really lies in the details. After all, a delicious meal, a charming restaurant, a sublime cocktail all come down to details, don’t they? To that end, we’ve zeroed in on—deconstructed, if you will—some key aspects of the dining scene. We’ve talked to five chefs not about their grand vision or even their favorite dish, but rather about a single, out-of-the-box ingredient they’re particularly passionate about (including one that was transported from Vietnam and is currently growing in a jar in a very dark room). We teamed with Seattle architects to give you an insider’s look at just what goes into creating a great dining space, with lots of fascinating anecdotes about local restaurants they’ve designed. We’ve also honed in on a style of wine that’s making its way onto many a Seattle drink menu, one that’s truly a sum of its parts. And of course, there’s our list of more than 100 favorite local restaurants—a gargantuan feat by our food contributors and Seattle Weekly staff that means not every place we like makes the cut. With so many new establishments opening since last year’s guide, we simply had to let go of some. So though you won’t see some standard-bearers like, say, Canlis or Dahlia Lounge here, it’s not because their chefs aren’t holding the bar high (they are); we just needed to spread the love.
I hope this guide will surprise and delight you—and most important, inspire you to get out there and eat!Cheers,Nicole SprinkleFood & Drink Editor, Seattle WeeklyThe Features
Five Local Chefs, Five Favorite IngredientsTrend of the Blend: How to Order These Increasingly Popular Varietal MashupsMaking a Restaurant: Seattle Architecture Firm Atelier Drome Shows Us How It’s DoneOur 103 Favorite Places to Eat and Drink
Asian / Bakeries / Bars / Breweries / Brunch / Cajun & Creole / Food Trucks / French / Italian / Middle Eastern & African / Mexican & South American / New Pacific Northwest / Pizza / Seafood / Southern & Barbecue / Sushi / Vegetarian
