Food & Drink
10 Best New Year’s Eve Dinners 2018
Ring in the new year with options for every palate
By Emma Franke December 17, 2018
Everyone knows New Year’s Eve should be enjoyed with a plate of fabulous food and a festive drink in hand. We found the best places to dine while you reminisce on the wild ride that has been 2018. Party hats and noisemakers optional.
Chips and dip at home can be fun, but if you’re looking to take it up a notch, try Itto’s for some Spanish-Moroccan flair. There will be two prix fixe seatings with vegetarian options available; five delectable courses will take you through the offerings of this tapas bar rooted in family tradition. 5 p.m–9 p.m. $65. Capitol Hill, 601 Summit Ave. E; 206.325.0470; email ittostapas.ch@gmail.com for reservations
The Herbfarm is aiming high with their New Year’s Eve fare with its menu, “The Moon and the Stars.” Take part in the luxury of this nine-course meal and its accompanying wine pairings; the locally grown ingredients keep you grounded while the live Spanish guitar music fills you with holiday spirit. 12/28–12/31. Call for times. $245–395. Woodinville, 14590 145th Street; 425.485.5300
The dramatic view of Shilshole Bay at Ray’s Boathouse is the perfect accessory to a glamorous New Year’s Eve. Choose something from the dinner menu or one of the surf and turf specials. Plus, stop by the morning of New Year’s Day for Ray’s famous Bloody Mary. 5 p.m.–9 p.m. Prices vary. Ballard, 6049 Seaview Ave NW; 206.789.3770
Dine like royalty at Goldfinch Tavern by making your way through four luxe courses from Chef Joe Ritchie. The second seating will have a live DJ, and extra course and a Moët & Chandon toast at midnight. Try grilled rabbit with spiced dates, rosemary jus and pot roast vegetables, or a rich farro risotto with aged Quillisascut curado. 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. $95-$125. Four Seasons Hotel, downtown, 99 Union St; 206.749.7070
One of Seattle’s best Argentine restaurants is toasting the New Year with a special featuring cold smoked oysters, coal roasted crab and porchetta. When made on the open grill that anchors Patagon’s space, the meal becomes an immersive experience from start to finish. Times and prices vary. The Charter Hotel, downtown, 1610 Second Ave; 206.256.7520
Take to the skies in the Fog Room, the 16th floor bar and lounge at the Charter Hotel with stunning views of Puget Sound. Indulge in a lavish list of plates, from white sturgeon caviar to Dungeness crab cakes and black truffle arancini. Don’t forget to sample a hand-crafted cocktail (or two!). Times and prices vary. The Charter Hotel, downtown, 1610 Second Ave; 206.256.7525
Lark, one of Seattle’s most well-known restaurants, is going all out for the last bash of 2018. Nosh on daurade, bleu cheese-roasted beef tenderloin and truffled gnocchi as the main course, with a Meyer lemon parfait or a cookies and cream semifreddo finishing off the meal. You can always trust James Beard Award-winning Chef John Sundstrom with your New Year’s Eve revelry. Times vary. $130. Capitol Hill, 952 E Seneca Street; 206.323.5275
If you’ve been craving a trip to western France, Loulay might be the perfect New Year’s Eve retreat, nestled right in downtown Seattle. The menu, inspired by Chef Thierry Rautureau’s hometown in the French countryside, includes a butternut squash soup, roasted squab with foie gras and butter-poached ling cod. Times vary. $95–180. Downtown, 600 Union Street; 206.402.4588
Sometimes, you just have to treat yourself. What better occasion to splurge than the night before all those healthy resolutions start? Heartwood Provisions’ five-course prix fixe menu comes with optional wine pairings and a truly indulgent meal of lobster that finishes off with a divine-sounding yuzu mousse. 5 p.m.–11 p.m. $95–170. Heartwood Provisions, downtown, 1103 First Ave; 206.582.3505
Celebrate the last hours of 2018 at Ivar’s with live entertainment and dancing, a champagne toast at midnight, and, most importantly, a view of the fireworks. Chef James Somerville’s dinner buffet starts at 9 p.m. and lasts until just after the clock strikes 2019. 9 p.m–12:30 a.m. $95. Ivar’s Salmon House, Wallingford, 401 NE Northlake Way; 206.632.0767
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