Skip to content

Readers' Choice 2026

Read More ›

Best Cheap Eats: Dick’s Drive-In

Customers stand in line at the order windows of a Dick’s Drive-In, a spot known for the best cheap eats, under a large neon sign.
Courtesy of Dick's Drive-In

This article originally appeared in the November/December 2026 issue of Seattle magazine.

Throw down $11 at dick’s and you can still walk away with a hamburger, fries, and a sundae. Since opening its original Wallingford walk-up in 1954, Dick’s has kept its menu tight and its prices low, all while earning a reputation for strong wages and employee benefits. Late at night, standing under that familiar glow with a bag of burgers and friends is a Seattle ritual. The lines can get long, which is part of the experience—and if you’re trying to beat one, check the live cameras online before you go. Across 10 locations, Dick’s serves burgers made with fresh, never-frozen beef sourced from a Washington ranch, hand-cut fries, and PNW-made ice cream until 2 a.m., with an 11th location coming soon to Tulalip.

Runner Up: Un Bien

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.

Best Brunch: Portage Bay Cafe

Best Brunch: Portage Bay Cafe

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,…

Best Fine Dining Restaurant: Canlis

Best Fine Dining Restaurant: Canlis

A recurring winner in the Fine Dining category, Canlis has been a Seattle staple for more than 75 years. Perched over Lake Union in a building designed by Northwest modernist architect Roland Terry, Canlis offers fine dining rooted in regional cuisine and unmatched service. Last year, the restaurant appointed a new executive chef—Seattle-area native James…

Best Food Truck: Good Morning Tacos

Best Food Truck: Good Morning Tacos

Tacos for breakfast? Absolutely. Good Morning Tacos owner Kinga Borkowski started the business as a pop-up in spring 2022 before taking the operation on the road, serving a lineup of Austin-style breakfast tacos. The Classic piles scrambled eggs, cheese, seasoned tater tots, and chipotle crema onto a tortilla, with bacon or chorizo. Better yet, there…

Best Sandwich Shop: MEAN Sandwich

Best Sandwich Shop: MEAN Sandwich

Fresh mint on a corned beef sandwich tells you everything you need to know about MEAN Sandwich. It’s playful, creative, and not particularly interested in doing things the expected way. The Ballard shop’s namesake layers thick-cut griddled corned beef with house- made yellow mustard, pickled red cabbage, and mint. There’s also a Hama Hama oyster…