Readers' Choice 2026
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Best Brunch: Portage Bay Cafe
This article originally appeared in the November/December 2026 issue of Seattle magazine.
At Portage Bay Cafe, ordering pancakes or French toast comes with a decision: how high to pile the toppings. The cafe’s signature toppings bar, stocked with berries, other fruit, and organic whipped cream, lets diners fi nish their plates exactly as they like. There’s plenty for the savory brunch crowd, too, with benedicts, scrambles, hashes, and huevos rancheros among the offerings. Across its four Seattle locations, Portage Bay emphasizes local, organic, and sustainable ingredients sourced from Pacific Northwest farms and distributors—a longstanding approach that helps explain why it remains one of the city’s most recognizable names for brunch.
Runner Up: Sabine
About Readers' Choice 2026
Once a year, we turn the tables and ask our readers about their favorite local spots. The neighborhood café with the best coffee, the restaurant you book for every special occasion, and where you send out-of-town guests for top-tier cocktails. Seattleites have opinions, and they shared them with us. This year, we received more votes than ever before, with some familiar favorites returning and plenty of new names making the list.
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