Eat & Drink
Best Places to Get Oysters
Best spots to slurp and sample your way through our regional bivalves
Taylor Oyster BarsA seagoing version of farm-to-table dining, three Taylor Oyster Bars are supplied by Shelton-based Taylor Shellfish’s oyster beds, ranging from British Columbia to California. Oysters are slurped raw here, but are also available baked and stewed, along with other regional shellfish, including geoduck, clams and mussels. Capitol Hill, 1521 Melrose Ave., 206.501.4321; Pioneer…
A Field Guide to Pacific Oysters
Few of our outstanding regional foods reflect a taste of place quite like oysters do. Because these bivalves filter many gallons of water daily, they literally take on the taste of their home, thanks to specific nutrients, minerality, brininess and other characteristics of the water they inhabit. And holding that craggy, rough shell—which may carry…
Where to Find the Best Seafood in Seattle
The definitive guide to finding the freshest catch of the day, every day
Seattle is a seafood town—but it’s not only because we’re surrounded by water. Think instead of local fishers braving icy seas to bring in the freshest catch; world-class chefs crafting innovative marine cuisine; and an unwavering commitment—by purveyors, restaurateurs and fishers—to sustainability. Whether you’re going crabbing, oyster-bar hopping or tucking into our epic sushi scene,…
15 Minutes with Shaker & Spear Executive Chef Carolynn Spence
Shaker & Spear executive chef talks pet peeves and her "Spence-centric" cuisine
After a decade at Los Angeles’ famed Chateau Marmont hotel, Carolynn Spence packed up her three pixie-bob cats (a Washington breed) to lead the kitchen of the Palladian Hotel’s Shaker & Spear downtown, a position recently vacated by Tulio’s Walter Pisano. Here’s what makes her tick. » Los Angeles to Seattle. Why? The geography, the…
A Forager’s Gem: Washington’s Abundant Sea Beans
A harvest of sea greens awaits at the beach
On a lazy summer day at the beach, we dug clams and cooked them on a camp stove as the sun tracked across a cloudless sky. Sitting in the sand, staring across the bay, we almost missed a seasonal goody within arm’s reach, right behind us: a carpet of edible greens running the length of…
Down to Her (Southern) Roots: Chef Lisa Dupar Talks Hometown Cooking
The Pomegranate Bistro owner and chef will host FareStart's Guest Chef Night on June 30
Sponsored by FareStart Chef Lisa Dupar would be content with a plate of fried chicken and a glass of champagne. “I was raised in the South, and my grandparents had an oyster bed on Edisto Island [in South Carolina],” she says. “Our family culture was to cook, eat, talk about food, fish, crab, shrimp and…
Entertaining Expert Heather Christo Debuts Cookbook of Allergen-Free Recipes
Local cookbook author gets creative with alternative ingredients
In 2014, caterer and entertaining expert Heather Christo and her two young daughters were diagnosed with severe food allergies following years of unresolved health problems. For a classically trained chef and food blogger (heatherchristo.com), it was a strange situation. “I had built a career on goopy cakes and creamy pastas,” recalls Christo during a recent…
Heartwood Provisions is a New Jewel in Downtown Seattle
Summer ingredients and pistachios shine in this spin on a classic refreshing cocktail
The Cocktail With a refreshing and slightly luxurious mingling of flavors, the What’s New Pussycat? cocktail is really a variation on the sour: that large and historic family of drinks usually containing a base spirit, lime or lemon and a sweetener. Here the base is Rhum JM rhum agricole blanc (rhum is a cousin of…
Where to Get the Best Soft Serve Ice Cream in the City
Coneheads are swirling with a plethora of creamy soft-serve treats
Sweet-toothed Seattleites have no shortage of options when it comes to fulfilling a craving for ice cream. But the newest take on the dairy freeze is not about the Molly Moons, Full Tilts and Bluebirds in the city. It’s not about gelato. It’s definitely not about fro-yo. No, this is our ode to the unsung…
Curry On: A Seasonal Spin on South Asian Dining
New Pioneer Square restaurant puts a modern twist on Indian cuisine
I love the concept behind Nirmal’s, a 6-month-old Indian restaurant near Occidental Square. Instead of the typical buffet with butter-bomb curries, you’ll find a rotating seasonal menu of regional Indian specialties using fish, pork, beef and other ingredients rarely seen in Indian restaurants. As a nod to the menu’s modern leanings, first-time restaurateurs and Seattleites…
Food We Love: Buddha Bowl at Sweetgrass Food Co.
An everything-and-the-kitchen sink salad with a delectable dressing
I’m a kitchen-sink salad eater. None of this simple romaine-and-tomato-only business for me. Instead, I crave a big bowl with bright, beautiful vegetables and bits of crunchy surprises, topped with a fork-licking-good dressing. I recently found just that when I tried the Buddha bowl ($9.50) at Sweetgrass Food Co., a cheery café in the Denny…
New Ballard Outpost Celebrates Beer-Friendly Bites
Ethan Stowell's gastropub Bramling Cross features micro-local brews and unique dishes
There are lots of reasons to like Bramling Cross, Ethan Stowell’s new 50-seat gastropub located within a few blocks of sister restaurants Ballard Pizza Company, Staple & Fancy and Marine Hardware (formerly Chippy’s). Let’s start with the interior: Imagine white faux taxidermy and vintage encyclopedias sharing shelf space above booths lit by library lanterns. Then,…
Join The Must List
Don't miss a thing.
Get Seattle's best events,handpicked
and delivered to your inbox weekly.