Best Cocktail Bar: Roquette
By Seattle Mag November 10, 2025
This article originally appeared in the November/December 2025 issue of Seattle magazine.
Behind its beautiful blue façade, Roquette finds balance as a chic must-stop lounge for special occasions and a neighborhood watering hole. Dark and moody, with green velvet banquettes and Art Deco-inspired lighting, this Belltown bar has received a number of accolades, including a nomination as a semifinalist for the 2025 James Beard Award in the Outstanding Bar category and a spot on North America’s Top 100 Bars list. Serving up French-inspired cocktails—with an emphasis on spirits like Cognac, Calvados, Benedictine, and Chartreuse—Roquette is the type of bar created by industry folks for industry folks (owner Erik Hakkinen used to work at Zig Zag Café), and the rest of us are lucky that we’re invited, too. Low-and-no-ABV options, beer, wine, and bar snacks are all available, and if you’re feeling particularly flush, the Horns of Plenty (Osetra caviar, Bugles, and crème fraiche) is a splurge-worthy high-low indulgence.
2232 First Ave., Seattle | info@roquettesea.com | roquettesea.com
About Best of the Best
Everyone loves a winner. And when it comes to Seattle favorites, there’s no shortage of opinions on which places, spaces, and bites deserve top honors. This year, we did things a little differently—our staff weighed in, debating and voting to determine the best of the best across the city. We also ran our annual Readers’ Choice poll for comparison (and yes, there was overlap in just one category). Here’s to celebrating all the winners, no matter who cast the vote.