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Discover the Best New Restaurants in Seattle

A photo of Red logo
by The OpenTable Team
Updated October 23, 2019

In a city full of icons, Seattle houses the Space Needle, the waters of Puget Sound and the cloud-draped backdrop of Mount Rainier. Don't forget the icons of Seattle's signature cuisine. Seasonal stone fruits and berries, artisan cheeses along with salmon and shellfish are all-stars on the menus of fancy and casual restaurants, from Ballard to Belltown. The best new restaurants in Seattle stand out by embracing local ingredients along with their chefs' skill and creativity. But where do the savviest Seattle foodies go when they want to eat somewhere new? This is the Tastemaker 20. We pulled data covering thousands of restaurants to determine the top spots among OpenTable's smartest, most experienced diners. These 20 restaurants not only boast amazing cuisine, but they also offer memorable experiences ranging from fine dining on the waterfront to sharing snacks and wines in a hip downtown cafe. It won't be long before the whole city catches on to these hot spots, so we suggest booking a table at these new restaurants in Seattle ASAP.

A photo of COMO restaurant
4.4
4.4 (1590)
$31 to $50
Italian
Kirkland
About the restaurant
COMO takes the inspiration for its vibe and cuisine from Italy’s Lake Como, drawing on the culinary traditions of the Lombardia region and evoking the magnificent setting with a lakefront location of its own. The restaurant even runs a shuttle service across Lake Washington via vintage wooden boat, an experience guests can book in advance for a not insignificant fee. Chef Gabriel Chavez’s lunch and dinner menus focus on hand-made pastas, seafood and risotto, with a couple of pizzas as well. Consider rich fare such as sweet potato gnocchi with braised oxtail and butternut squash, and pappardelle with wild boar ragu and Calabria chili. COMO also offers a list of signature cocktails starring Italian spirits and aperitifs.
Top review
JiaQi
Dined 7 days ago
The food is delicious, and the service is excellent.
A photo of Hearth restaurant
4.2
4.2 (453)
$30 and under
American
Kirkland
About the restaurant
The Heathman Hotel in Kirkland is home to Hearth, one of the best new restaurants in the Seattle area. The centerpiece of the restaurant is a hearth oven (hence the name), with its warmth defining the cozy, family friendly atmosphere of the venue. Chef Adam Johnson looks to Pacific Northwest ingredients to star in hearth-fired dishes like roasted mussels with crispy red rice and chorizo, roasted king crab legs with herb butter, and a whole “caveman-style” beef short rib for two or more. Lunchtime fare includes an array of flat breads, a fried chicken sandwich and signature burger with smoked gouda, caramelized onions and black pepper aioli. Hearth is open for breakfast on weekdays and on weekends presents a popular brunch.
Top review
Donald
Dined 5 days ago
We had a very nice dinner at Hearth. This was our first time there. Our waiter was great. We will be back soon. Since neither of us are pumpkin pie fans, we would have liked an alternative dessert offering, but we understand that due to the “bomb cyclone” causing power outages and closures throughout our area, options were limited everywhere. We were overall very pleased.
A photo of Stoup Kenmore restaurant
4.3
4.3 (281)
$30 and under
Northwest
Kenmore
About the restaurant
Late 2018 saw the opening of Seaplane Kitchen + Bar, an expansive fishing lodge-like gastropub in Kenmore with an aviation theme. Noted chef (and co-owner) Jason Stoneburner presents menus of shareable snacks, classic comfort-food entrees, creative salads, roasted vegetable sides and his signature hearth-fired pizzas. Several of those pizzas, including the Seaplane with double pepperoni, pickled serranoes and honey, and the Compass North with mushrooms and confit garlic, are on the happy hour menu as well. Augmenting the dining experience are a dozen beers on tap, many of them regional craft brews, plus hand-crafted cocktails and a wine list featuring Washington labels.
Top review
Rebavip
Dined on Jan 6, 2020
This place has been consistently good, a big plus. They have a great selection of veggies, salads and their pizza is delicious. Tried the fried chicken and was also pleased. Relaxed vibe but still feels just classy enough. TV's to catch the games if you're into that.
A photo of Fuji Steak House restaurant
4.5
4.5 (292)
$31 to $50
Japanese
Redmond
About the restaurant
Fuji Steak, on the upper level at Redmond Town Center, specializes in table-side teppanyaki, with chefs putting on a show of their knife and grilling skills while preparing custom orders. Lunch and dinner menus focus on teppanyaki combination deals, with a choice of 15 entrees at dinner and 12 at lunch. Various steak cuts, seafood, chicken and surf-and-turf options are available, all with soup, vegetables and rice included. The dinner deal includes a shrimp appetizer too. Rounding out the menu are appetizers such as tempura, gyoza and edamame, a comprehensive sushi list and an array of side dishes.
Top review
Jenny
Dined 4 days ago
This was a very fun experience with great food and service!
A photo of Violet restaurant
4.9
4.9 (722)
$30 and under
American
Capitol Hill / First Hill
About the restaurant
At Violet, an intimate, chic and airy venue in Capitol Hill, noted Seattle chef William Belickis presents a dinner menu that celebrates cooking as a creation of art. An open kitchen is within view of all 52 seats in the dining room, which charms with a calming palette of whites, blonde wood and exposed concrete. On Tuesdays through Saturdays, Violet offers a sophisticated a la carte dinner or five-course “American omakase” menu. Options might include grilled Spanish octopus with pimento, charred leek and potato, and slow roasted rack of lamb with kohlrabi puree and Violet Farm radish. A tempting array of desserts, signature cocktails and outstanding wines also ensure violet stands out as one of the best new restaurants in Seattle.
Top review
Petervip
Dined on Nov 16, 2024
Violet is consistently one of the top restaurants in Seattle. We were a party of four with two out of town guests. We ordered the American Omakase meal with vegetable, fish, and meat courses but without the foie gras. The chef easily accommodated one guest who does not eat beef. As always at Violet, the fish courses were superb--the chef has a real touch with both crude and cooked fish. Plating was lovely and creative, worthy of a starred restaurant. Service was attentive. Wine list is interesting if a little over priced. The restaurant is very loud and would not be good for anyone with hearing problems. It was perhaps worse this evening because there were some very noisy guests. We return to Violet several times a year because it is so very good. Bravo.
A photo of The Hart and the Hunter - Seattle restaurant
4.5
4.5 (177)
$30 and under
Contemporary Southern
Downtown
About the restaurant
In 2018, The Hart and the Hunter brought its modern southern-inspired cuisine to Seattle by way of Los Angeles, where the original restaurant already gained considerable fame. The newcomer is a shoe-in for a spot among the best new restaurants in Seattle, with critics and local foodies raving about the all-day eatery inside the Palihotel. Along with classics like the H&H burger, beet salad and crispy chicken sandwich are some unexpected original creations. Those include the carrot toast, topped with carrot butter, roasted carrots and toasted buckwheat, and an entrée of pork rillettes with peaches, pickles and baguette. Items with a local provenance feature too, such as Puget Sound oysters and the Washington cheese board. Don’t miss the famous butter biscuits – they’re baked to order and come with pimento cheese, maple butter and mixed berry jam.
Top review
Steven
Dined 5 days ago
Holiday pre fix was great! Food tasted better than homemade. Cocktails and wine were good. Highly recommend.
A photo of Ben Paris restaurant
4.3
4.3 (1149)
$31 to $50
Contemporary American
Downtown
About the restaurant
Ben Paris, on the ground floor of the State Hotel, is one of the best new restaurants in Seattle, yet its venue has a long and storied heritage. In the early 20th century it was home to a landmark restaurant owned by namesake Ben Paris, the noted Seattle sportsman, conservationist and entrepreneur. The spot is a stone’s throw from Pike Place Market, the source for many of the ingredients used in the kitchen. The brunch, lunch and dinner menus offer a mixture of straightforward American classics and modern versions of old favorites. Consider small plates like poutine, avocado toast, and a cauliflower and kale Caesar salad, and large plates of crab Louie, ribeye steak with Brussels sprouts and a fried egg, and pasta sheets with duck confit, radicchio and marcona almonds.
Top review
George
Dined 5 days ago
Great as always. They accommodated our stroller and one year old. It was nice that they placed us by the front and away from other guests in case he was too loud. Food and cocktails were delicious and service was awesome. You can tell that the staff got along really well.
A photo of Pink Salt restaurant
4.8
4.8 (467)
$30 and under
Peruvian
Magnolia
About the restaurant
Pink Salt stands out among the best new restaurants in Seattle by taking its major culinary inspiration from Peru. Behind the scenes are three chefs, two from Peru and one from the United States, who together present intriguing menus focusing on local seafood and charcoal-grilled meats. Ceviche made with the catch of the day and a lomo saltado with a grass-fed, pasture-raised angus beef tenderloin are among the iconic Peruvian dishes on the menu. Another is an appetizer of yuca frita with an aji carretillero dipping sauce. Note the Illuminated pink salt wall behind the bar, as well as menu items featuring the restaurant’s namesake mineral such as pink salt ice cream and pink salt margaritas.
Top review
Janetvip
Dined on Oct 30, 2024
great tasting food and wonderful service. The only negatyive was that at 12:30pm, the restaurant was a little cool. Wear a warm sweater or top.
A photo of Conversation restaurant
4.7
4.7 (354)
$31 to $50
American
Belltown / Pike Place Market
About the restaurant
The name of Conversation, the signature restaurant of the Thompson Seattle Hotel, represents a desire for diners to engage fully in the social experience around eating. In the sleek, minimalist space steps from Pike Place Market, with refined décor around slates and grays with pops of brass, each dining table features cards printed with conversation-starter questions. Chef Derek Simcik’s menus are conversation worthy as well, inspired by his world travels, family recipes and local ingredients. Consider the signature trout over potato puree with a caramelized onion broth, smoked aioli and caper puree, or the shareable split pig’s head served on a platter with ramps, kimchi apples and cherry ketchup.
Top review
Kimvip
Dined on Nov 16, 2024
Love the woman chef who runs the kitchen at Conversation! We enjoyed the Bone-in Halibut very much! Good wine list too.
A photo of Matsu restaurant
4.3
4.3 (411)
$31 to $50
Sushi
Pioneer Square
About the restaurant
The new Pioneer Square restaurant Matsu focuses on top-notch sushi and sashimi, but its dinner menu also offers an array of cooked dishes that might prove just as tempting. Among those are Korean fried chicken wings (a nod to Matsu’s popular Korean predecessor Girin), tempura, yakisoba and udon noodle dishes. Sushi aficionados might opt for an omakase experience or navigate the lengthy and comprehensive a la carte sushi menu. Happy hour offers great deals on a long list of sushi rolls and sashimi sets as well as cooked items like Sapporo braised baby back ribs and fried oysters with katsu sauce. Sakes, Japanese and local beers, and original cocktails feature behind the bar.
Top review
Lianda
Dined 7 days ago
The garlic beef dish was to die for! We had 4 people at our table order it and we couldn’t get enough! Service was great! The venue was stunning’ highly recommend
A photo of Daniel's Broiler - Downtown Seattle restaurant
4.3
4.3 (616)
$31 to $50
Steakhouse
Downtown
About the restaurant
The newest of four Daniel’s Broiler restaurants in Seattle is on the second floor of the Hyatt Regency hotel. It’s open daily for breakfast, lunch, dinner and happy hour, and presents live piano music in the evenings on Tuesdays through Saturdays. The venue is also notable for hosting the Rickhouse Whiskey Bar with its collection of over 150 whiskeys and other fine spirits. An award-winning wine list is available as well. The dinner menu stars top-quality steaks, which are topped with signature steak butter and come with a side of jumbo baked potato or garlic mashed potatoes. Also consider decadent family-style sides such as creamed spinach, roasted creamed corn and lobster or crab mac and cheese.
Top review
Thomas
Dined 4 days ago
Overall, a great experience with very good ambiance and great food. This was particularly true for Thankgiving where a buffet offered many different choices.
A photo of Deep Dive restaurant
4.8
4.8 (323)
$31 to $50
Cocktail Bar
Lake Union / Eastlake
About the restaurant
Deep Dive, inside the Amazon Spheres, ranks highly among the best new restaurants in Seattle in large part for the remarkable execution of its underwater theme. The atmospheric space is equal parts underwater grotto and steamship captain’s lounge, with every nook and cranny displayed an eye-catching collection of oddities. Dried sea creatures sit next to antique watches, with taxidermy beasts beside brass birdcages and sea-glass orbs. The drink menu comes as a leather-bound tome, with celebrated chef Renee Erickson’s snack-centric menu designed to complement creative cocktails. A pricey take on the Seattle dog is a real scene-stealer. It’s a grass-fed, hazelnut-smoked beef hot dog on a seeded bun dressed with whipped cream cheese, red onions, pickled jalapenos and pink salmon caviar, which arrives on a silver platter.
Top review
OpenTable Dinervip
Dined on Nov 25, 2024
Amazing ambience, fueled by otherworldly decor and unique cocktails. Food is light but the dishes are elevated. We tried the Halibut dip, and the Foie Mousse, which were both delightful.
A photo of Willmott’s Ghost restaurant
4.6
4.6 (687)
$30 and under
Italian
Lake Union / Eastlake
About the restaurant
Willmott’s Ghost brings a modern, upscale-casual version of classic Italian cuisine to the Amazon Spheres. Chef Renee Erickson draws inspiration from her time in Italy, with a special focus on Roman cuisine. Her Roman-style pizzas with a thick, charred crust are a highlight at lunch and dinner alike. Options include a sausage pizza with preserved lemon, a potato pizza with fennel and green coriander, and a braised greens pizza with pickled chanterelles and pink peppercorns. Other hearty fare includes a mushroom and ricotta lasagna, and coho salmon with roasted fennel, coriander and orange. There are also lighter bites, salads and snacks such as pickles, olives and burrata drizzled with olive oil. Don’t miss the olive oil cake or tiramisu for dessert.
Top review
Chris
Dined 3 days ago
Excellent food and excellent service in a great atmosphere.
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