Craving fresh dining ideas during the dog days of summer? Don’t sweat it — the past several weeks have seen a deluge of restaurant + food-centric bar debuts in the Seattle region thanks to long-planned projects finishing their fine tuning and some welcome surprises.
From big-time gastropubs to rockin’ lobster, there should be something for every local gourmand who’s looking for a hot new dish. Loosen up those belts as we dig in.
❤️ Date night
- Bar Sur Mer | Mediterranean | Average main: $15-25 | This intimate spot is the fishier sibling to Flintcreek Cattle Co. next door in Greenwood with a variety of small, shareable plates. We’re eyeing the wood-fired Spanish mackerel and charred octopus.
- Chiho Bistro | Chinese | Average main: $12-22 | The dumplings at this Belltown newcomer are out of sight — City Editor Alina vouches for ‘em — but you can also fill up on larger plates like mapo tofu + five spice braised brisket.
- Khushi | Indian | Average main: $10-15 | The owners of the critically acclaimed Nirmal’s in Pioneer Square now have a bright, casual street food spot in Bellevue. It serves dishes from four different Indian regions — and those dosas look killer.
- Sparrow | Contemporary PNW | Average main: $30-50 | Juanita’s new, upscale dining destination boasts a lamb quesabirria as a shareable app, but also features an interesting spin on surf + turf with scallops and pork belly in a fig sauce.
🎉 Lively locales
- Benbow Room | Pub grub | Average main: $10-15 | The old pirate vessel vibe is the main attraction here. But owner Mark Fuller has major culinary chops — his famed Ma’ono fried chicken pops up occasionally, along with a robust list of hot dogs.
- Kamp Social House | Southern/Caribbean | Average main: $15-25 | Bar bites go to the next level at this trendy Capitol Hill joint with honey citrus glazed pork belly + confit jerk spiced duck leg alongside kid-friendly fare like grilled cheese.
- Hatback Bar & Grill | Pub grub | Average main: $15-30 | This week, the Mariners debut their fan-friendly spot, which serves the usual pregame lineup of burgers, wings + pizza, alongside fancier fare like halibut with pickled Rainier cherries. Grab a beer from Métier Brewing at the adjacent Steelheads Alley taproom.
- Tio Baby’s | Pub grub | Average main: $5-15 | The former party-hearty pop-up is all grown up into a full-fledged restaurant with a love of food that goes well with booze — think loaded nachos + a fancier version of the McDonald’s McRib.
🥪 Lunchables
- BOCA Bakery and Pizzeria | Argentinian | Average main: $10-15 | You can try pizzas Italian style or the way they do them in Argentina — basically, with huge, delightfully gooey chunks of cheese. On the sweeter side, there are cakes by the slice + tarts.
- Maria Sabina Restaurant and Bar | Mexican | $15-25 | South Lake Union, meet your newest taco specialist — although don’t sleep on some of those larger entrees, particularly the chicken mole. The drinks list leans heavy into mezcal.
- Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls | Seafood | Average main: $18-22 | One of the East Coast’s most prominent crustacean franchises has landed near Pike Place with its well-crafted rolls, bisques + even some super decadent lobster mac + cheese.
- Voi Cà Phê | Vietnamese | Average main: $10 | There’s a lot of competition for banh mi in this town, but Georgetown’s new cafe has already received kudos for its enticing sausage patty take + mint toppings.
Bonus: While not completely new, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention Gold Bar‘s new Capitol Hill location + longtime favorite Simply Soulful, which is settling into a larger new space in the Central District and planning a mid-September grand opening.
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