A self-proclaimed “shellfish deli,” the Capitol Hill outpost of this PNW bivalve institution is the Hill’s definitive seafood destination. It’s the place to be if you’re looking for oysters, especially on weekdays between 2 and 4 p.m., when they’re $2.50 each during happy hour. This is a great spot to initiate out-of-towners in the ways of Seattle seafood; the Salish Sampler includes a dozen oysters, half a Dungeness crab, rockfish ceviche, a can of smoked oysters, and the crown jewel, an order of geoduck sashimi. 

Informed by the cuisines of North Africa, the Levant, and the Arabian Gulf, this tiny nook in Melrose Market packs an outsize punch. This is a menu that lends itself to ordering a bunch of stuff and sharing due to plate sizes and the fact that every item is good enough to inspire serious FOMO. Behind the counter, Chef Ahmed Suliman works alongside Marc Papineau, formerly of Bar Ferd’nand and London Plane, whose wine bar Cantina Sauvage shares the compact space with Cafe Suliman. If the expertly paired glass pours (which include a cool selection of sherries) aren’t enough, there’s a retail space along the back wall where you can shop for bottles and choice pantry staples like harissa and nice olive oils.

Colorful, vibrant dishes fill the menu at the late Seattle culinary legend  Tamara Murphy’s farm-to-table restaurant, from the pan roasted morel mushrooms with grilled asparagus and duck egg to the roast pig with manila clams. There’s paella on Mondays, an excellent brunch on the weekends, and a partnership with the Food Is Love Project to feed those in need. Those who are able to nab a seat on the lush rooftop are in for some great scenery, too.

While the Seattle area is starting to get its fair share of Korean barbecue joints, Capitol Hill’s Meet Korean Barbecue is the destination for those looking to enjoy high-end meats in the KBBQ style. The restaurant offers all kinds of American and Japanese wagyu and Kurobata pork cuts, as well as dry-aged USDA Prime steaks and sides like Korean beef tartare with pine nuts and Asian pear.

Hiding inside Capitol Hill’s Hillcrest Market, this Mexico City-style taqueria is a true gem, with a full-fledged restaurant on First Hill now. Among the highlights are the campechano, featuring chorizo, steak, and potato, and a satisfying vegan taco with mushrooms, refried beans, and guajillo chili. Carmelo’s will add a third location at Broadway and Denny where the Starbucks used to be.

The bakery and cafe formerly known as Piroshki on 3rd is a newcomer to the nabe, but it’s been around since 1994. Chef Aly Anderson took over in 2016, and the new space in Capitol Hill opened in January 2024. Anderson has stuffed the traditional Eastern European pastries with Filipino flavors like chicken adobo and pork sisig, and on “Filipino Fridays” you can order bulalo alongside the usual borscht. Besides piroshki, other baked goods like seasonal tarts, croissants, and babka crowd the pastry case, and there are daily rotating lunch specials that range from kare kare (stewed short ribs in peanut sauce) to stuffed cabbage rolls.

La Dive is the only place in Seattle (or probably in any city) where you can down a champagne bong (chambong) full of French brut or sip on a glass of local pet-nat while snacking on a lavash quesadilla with spicy carrot relish or gnocchi with pancetta and sage brown butter. Just like the neighborhood around it, this bar is eclectic, hedonistic, and refined all at the same time.

Vegans and vegetarians may initially find Life on Mars a somewhat overwhelming dining experience due to the sheer novelty of being able to order everything on the food menu at a bar. This vibey homage to vinyl understands that plant-based food need be neither virtuous nor restrained, and comfort food favorites like chick’n tenders and cauliflower wings, paired with one of the playful cocktails, are the perfect start or end to a night out.

Omakase counters can be a bit stuffy, but Ltd Edition keeps things loose. Chef Keiji Tsukasaki, a former DJ, can simultaneously sip a beer, chat up his guests, and guide them through a too-many-to-count-course meal, plus a carefully curated sake pairing. Everything on the seasonal menu is good, but one standout recently was the monkfish liver, served near the end of the meal — smooth, deep, and rich, it’s a surprising but totally welcome way to do dessert.

Renee Erickson’s Frenchified steakhouse is a prime destination for meat lovers, with a dedication to whole animal butchery and local sourcing. The airy, Parisian bistro vibe is also a welcome departure from the stodgy steakhouses of the past, and neighboring Boat Bar (formerly called Bar Mesuline) is not a bad spot to grab a pre- or post-dinner drink.

This Galician tapas bar offers gorgeous, gussied-up takes on classic Spanish dishes. The owner, Grayson Corrales, was the pastry chef at JuneBaby before spending a couple of years training at a two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Spain. The menu includes Spanish cured meats and cheeses, a rotating selection of entrees that are literally bursting with creative uses of pork (scallops served with candied pork jowls, squid stuffed with Iberico pork, even a whole Spanish suckling pig set was in the mix at one point)  , and of course, patatas bravas and croquettes. The wine comes from Spain and Washington, the cocktails are intricate, and Estrella Galicia beer flows from the tap. MariPili now has a mini-outpost at the Frye Art Museum serving sandwiches, salads and small plates.

This bustling homage to breaded and fried meats is first-come-first-serve (except for large parties) so there’s frequently a line spilling out onto the sidewalk. But any memories of a wait will quickly be obliterated under an onslaught of perfectly crisped panko coating and sauce well worth getting lost in. This is a choose-your-own-fried-meat-adventure situation, where you can pick from an array of fried pork, chicken, and prawn preparations paired with a curated lineup of sides. 

This neighborhood bar is old enough to vote, and over its nearly two-decade tenure, its skilled bartenders have consistently delivered some of the city’s best cocktails and, more recently, NA beverages. But they also have really good sushi. Originally just a creative capitulation to the Washington state law requiring bars to serve food, Liberty’s sushi menu has evolved into a cult favorite over the years, and it’s still relatively affordable, with many of the rolls hovering around $10. The kitchen is open until 12:30 a.m. on weekends, which makes this one of only a few spots on the Hill where you can get something besides a hot dog or pizza after midnight. 

Laotian dishes shine at this Capitol Hill restaurant from three chefs, Sydney Clark, Khampaeng Panyathong, and Jenessa Sneva. Items such as thom khem and chicken laap utilize produce from local farms and a whole-animal approach to butchery, and the Lao pork sausage, fragrant with lemongrass and lime leaf, is not to be missed. Meanwhile, the smash burger made with pork jowl bacon and jaew tomato sauce may be the best patty in the city. (That burger is also available at Ox Burger, Taurus Ox’s spin-off, and you can find Panyathong’s Laotian spin on pizza at Ananas Pizzeria in First Hill.

Monsoon, with locations in Capitol Hill and Bellevue, is one of the best Vietnamese restaurants in Seattle for a special occasion. It sources meat from local ranches and serves Chinese-influenced Vietnamese dishes not commonly found in the area. Excellent appetizers include fluffy steam buns stuffed with duck confit and pickled vegetables or a perfectly balanced green papaya salad. The catfish clay pot, simmered in fresh coconut juice and topped with green onion, is worth rushing to catch before it sells out, and the grilled pork belly is a perennial favorite. Check out sister restaurant Ba Bar, closer to the center of Capitol Hill, for a more casual experience and a satisfying oxtail pho.