I’ve lived here for almost 15 years, which means I know which dishes you must eat in Seattle. There’s a lot of really great eats here, but there’s a few dishes that are above the rest.
For example, you know when you go to a restaurant and immediately know what you just put in your mouth will become your go-to order every time you return? That’s what these dishes are for me.
Here’s a list of all the dishes I think everyone must eat in Seattle. If you live here, consider this your foodie bucket list!
List of Dishes You Must Eat in Seattle
I’ll update this guide as I find more favorites, so save it to Pinterest!
Steak tartare at The Walrus and the Carpenter
location: Ballard | website | price: ~$20
You might remember this dish from my best steak tartare in Seattle roundup. This is seriously one of my favorite thing to eat in all of Seattle. It inspired a compulsion for finding a tartare that topped it, for crying out loud!
It’s the texture that makes this dish. Most tartares have a fine chop, but this one is creamy, as if it’s been part finely chopped and part pulsed in a food processor. When paired with the irresistible crunch of that rye toast…well, let’s just say I have yet to find a better tartare. Even their sister restaurants Boat Bar and Bateau don’t make the tartare as good as here.
Grilled sardines at The Walrus and the Carpenter
location: Ballard | website | price: ~$16
Another one of the dishes you must eat in Seattle is the grilled sardines dish at The Walrus and the Carpenter, one of the best places to eat in North Seattle and one of the best fish restaurants in Seattle. It’s a legitimate, full-sized sardine, but de-boned and de-headed so you don’t have to waste your time picking through it. It’s served with this acidic walnut-parsley gremolata that cuts through the oiliness of the fish. I haven’t had a sardine dish I like better, so be sure to give this a try.
Pro tip: The Walrus and the Carpenter is one of the best oyster restaurants in Seattle. Many people visit the more touristy Taylor Shellfish spots around the city, but I prefer Walrus because they source mostly from Hama Hama Oysters, a smaller Washington farm.
Brooklyn pie at Delancey
location: Ballard | website | price: $18
I’d been in Seattle by way of New Jersey for only a few months and was feeling the SADs because I hadn’t adjusted to how dark it is in the winter here. I was missing home and feeling bitter for there not being any good Italian-American joints like I was used to back east. And I thought pizza was a lost hope.
Then, the clouds parted. Brandon Pettit, a fellow Jersey native, decided to open Delancey. My sister, brother-in-law, and I signed up for their soft opening. When we arrived, we knew what we’d get immediately.
We always get Margherita or cheese pizzas because you can judge the quality of a pizza by this pie alone. It’s not muddled or hiding anything under toppings. It’s just the dough, the cheese, and the sauce. If you make a good cheese pie, you make a great pizza.
The moment I tasted the Brooklyn pie, my eyes grew wide and started glistening. It immediately tasted like home. The sauce was slightly sweet and the cheese was sharp and complex. That’s because east coasters known you don’t just put mozzarella on a dish and call it a day. It’s a careful blend of cheese, such as parmesan or pecorino.
This pie had all this. And that’s why, to this day, Delancey still has my favorite pizza in Seattle. And it’s also why I’ve come to celebrate my birthday here every year.
White pie at Delancey
location: Ballard | website | price: $19
It took me a while to try the white pie at Delancey. But it has since become a rule that when you go to Delancey you get both the Brooklyn and whit pies. No questions asked.
I’m not sure how I ended up trying the white pie for the first time. I think maybe my dad ordered it. Or it might have been we had it when I took the pizza-making class at The Pantry. Whatever the reason, I’m thankful I did.
On some days, the white pie surpasses my beloved Brooklyn pie. I don’t know how this is possible. I love cheese pizza. Like love it. I’ve never loved white pies as much because it doesn’t have the sauce. But Brandon at Delancey converted me.
The pie is just SO complex and flavorful. The creaminess from the ricotta paired with the intense garlic flavor and sharpness of some kind of harder cheese speaks to me on another level.
I’ve literally moaned eating this pizza. Anything that causes moaning is an absolute Seattle must eat.
Peanut butter cookie from Dahlia Bakery
location: Downtown | website | price: ~$4
I like peanut butter cookies enough, but they aren’t my favorite. I reserve that for oatmeal.
Yet, somehow Tom Douglas’ Dahlia Bakery has created my favorite cookie. And it’s not one peanut butter cookie. It’s two.
Peanut butter cookies tend to be crumbly and, in my opinion, often dry. Not Tommy D’s. He actually makes a peanut butter cookie sandwich that bends as you break it apart, not crumble. The cookies are buttery with a thin layer of peanut butter and honey between.
What’s best is the intense peanut butter flavor without that, “Oh, my god, I need milk right now because I’m choking,” feeling. It’s probably because of all the butter.
Seriously, eat this cookie right when you get it because if you see the grease that seeps through the bag after a few hours you might think twice before getting this cookie again. It’s seriously one of the best cookies in Seattle.
And that would be a shame, because I bet you’ve never had a peanut butter cookie as good as this one. If you’re exploring downtown Seattle in 24 hours, make sure to stop in for one (or three!) of this must eat in Seattle. It’s become my go-to restaurant in Seattle whenever the sweet tooth hits!
Vanilla custard doughnut from General Porpoise
locations: Capitol Hill, SLU, and Pioneer Square | website | price: ~$5.50
I’ll be the first to admit I’m not the biggest doughnut fan. I grew up with Dunkin Donuts, so I think my impression of what makes a doughnut trained me to have an extremely high bar (that, to be clear, Dunkin does not meet).
I say all this to let you know that if I find a doughnut that I think is a must eat in Seattle, everyone should listen up.
That’s what General Porpoise doughnuts are for me. This is another Renee Erickson establishment (see The Walrus and the Carpenter above), and like all Renee Erickson establishments you can expect some of the cutest decor of any Pacific Northwest restaurant and steeper-than-normal prices. You will pay more than $5 all in for a doughnut. But you will not be disappointed (especially if you avoid doing the math).
General Porpoise specializes in stuffed doughnuts. They’re all great, but the vanilla custard one holds a dear place in my heart. This surprises me, because I usually always pick curd as my ride-or-die. But the vanilla custard at General Porpoise surpasses the curd ones in my mind.
That’s because you can see the vanilla beans right in the custard. It has an intense, natural vanilla flavor in the lightest of creams. When mixed with the sweet, brioche doughnuts (much better than cake, I think), it’s like this flavor explosion in your mouth.
I could eat at least 3 of these in one sitting if no one was watching. Summary? This is a one of the dishes you must eat in Seattle.
Lemon curd Greek yogurt at Ellenos
location: Most grocery stores | website | price: ~$4
About 8 years ago I decided I needed to eat more Greek yogurt. So I went to the food store and grabbed one of every single one that I hadn’t tried before and did a taste test. There were a few that were just ok, but I always felt unsatisfied. I decided then that I just didn’t really like yogurt.
Little did I know a few years later Ellenos would change my mind. I was walking around Georgetown when I stumbled upon their headquarters, where they used to serve yogurt in pints to people who passed by (they don’t at this location anymore). I tried the lemon curd because that’s my favorite thing ever invented, and I was immediately hooked.
I’d never had a creamier Greek yogurt in my life. It’s not tart like a lot of Greek yogurts, but thick and milky. Mixed with the lemon curd, it’s straight up decadent…almost like ice cream!
I can guarantee you haven’t had a better Greek yogurt in the US, so this is one of the dishes you must eat in Seattle…or back home, because they ship all over the US!
Carbonara from Stoneburner
location: Ballard | website | price: $23
Stoneburner is owned by the same folks that own Sabine across the street, one of the cutest restaurant in Seattle. I remember the first time we went. They had just opened and we passed by while looking for a place to have brunch in Seattle. It was empty, so we went right in (you know…fed up with the wait lines for brunch in this city).
I typically order savory breakfast dishes at brunch. I don’t quite understand those folks who order a lunch dish at brunch. So I’m sure I ordered one of their egg dishes during that first visit.
Lucky for me, my nieces love pasta. So when they learned there was a carbonara dish on the menu, obviously that’s what they ordered. As the official taste tester to make sure their food isn’t too hot, I was lucky enough to get the first bite of this carbonara.
Let me tell you it’s the best carbonara I’ve had in the US. It’s depth of flavor still blows my mind.
It’s salty from the pancetta, creamy from the runny egg, umami-filled from the Parmesan, and sweet from the caramelized onions. Eating it brings me back to Rome, where the carbonara is made using starchy water, cheese, and egg, no heavy cream.
It’s one of those dishes I now always order when I go to brunch at Stoneburner, if only to take me back for just a few moments to my time spent in Italy. This is a must eat in Seattle, so don’t let the breakfast items lure you away!
Pro tip: The carbonara menu sometimes comes off the menu, but they usually always have a similar style of pasta that has a lot of the same flavor profiles. If that’s the case when you go, get that.
Carnitas tacos at El Camión
location: Ballard | website | price: ~$3.00
The first time I had El Camión was when they first opened up outside the Mud Bay in Ballard. My sister had bunnies, so we often went to Mud Bay pet store to pick up litter. We noticed this food truck surrounded by people one day, so we decided to try it.
That’s what started my quest to find a better carnitas taco. I was so impressed with the depth of flavor of the carnitas. You can tell it’d been cooked for hours until tender, but then pan-fried so there’s bits of crispiness with every bite.
I didn’t believe that some of the best Mexican food I’d ever had could be found in Ballard, so I started ordering carnitas tacos everywhere I went. Other places in Seattle. Places in California. Even driving 10 minutes outside of Mexico.
I haven’t found carnitas tacos I like better, so this is one of the dishes you must eat in Seattle. In fact, they’re some of the best street tacos in all of Seattle.
Caribbean roast sandwich at Un Bien
location: Ballard | website | price: ~$12.50
Un Bien vs. Paseo has been a hot topic. Paseo is a cult-classic Caribbean sandwich joint that went through some drama that caused them to close down. They’re open now, but their original crew went on to start Un Bien in Ballard.
I’ve had both multiple times and I can say Un Bien’s version is better. The sandwich in question has marinated roast pork, large grilled onions, jalapeño, cilantro, and a mayo-based sauce. Both sandwiches are gut busters and extremely messy, but the Un Bien pulls ahead with its better filling-to-meat ratio and flavors.
Do your own side-by-side comparison of this Seattle must eat…I bet you’ll agree!
The chilaquiles at El Moose
location: Ballard | website | price: ~$18
I’d never had Mexican food for breakfast before I moved to Seattle. But now, all I think of is Mexican breakfast when I think of El Moose!
There are two dishes I always get when I go to El Moose. The chilaquiles with carne asada, runny egg, and green tomatillo salsa is one of them.
These are so good. The nachos are a mix of crunchy and borderline soggy in some places (in a really good way!). There’s tang from the tomatillo salsa and this oozy, creaminess from the egg yolk and sour cream. I’ve had chilaquiles at other places and they just taste so bland…like stale tortilla chips. But not at El Moose.
Promise me if you come here for breakfast, you will get this dish! If you’re with a crowd and need another must eat in Seattle dish, get the machaca con huevos (the other dish I always order).
A Seattle dog
Another must-try dish in Seattle is this famous gourmet hot dog with cream cheese, onions, mustard, and kraut. It may sound weird, but it is truly a revelation the way the heat of the dog slightly melts the cheese in the most satisfying way. Just as it’s important to do touristy things like visit the Space Needle and International District or eat at Pike Place Chowder and Sushi Kashiba sushi restaurant, so to is getting this quintessential Seattle food.
The best way to experience a Seattle dog is by trying one from the various hot dog stands in Downtown Seattle or Capitol Hill. If it makes you nervous scouring the streets, head to Dog in the Park for a great version.
More to Try in Seattle
Once you make it through this list of dishes you must eat in Seattle, try these other local restaurants around the city:
- Self-Guided Seattle Food Tour
- Best Cheap Eats in Seattle
- Quintessential Seattle Food
- Wine Tasting at Seattle Urban Wineries
- Best Mediterranean Food in Seattle
- Where to Eat Great Burgers in Seattle
- Best Fine Dining in Seattle
