Readers' Choice 2026
Read More ›
Best Fine Dining Restaurant: Canlis
This article originally appeared in the November/December 2026 issue of Seattle magazine.
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 Huffman, who has committed to ultra-local sourcing while maintaining the menu’s quality and sense of heritage. Whether you choose the six-course dining room route or stop into the bar for an impromptu cocktail and live music, Canlis delivers an elevated experience to every single guest.
Runner Up: Vista Prime Steaks & Seafood
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.
Follow Us
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 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
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…
Best Tacos: Tacos Chukís
Born from one man’s love for the street tacos he ate growing up in Tijuana, Tacos Chukís started in an upstairs space on Capitol Hill, where guests lined up to snag cheap, no-frills tacos loaded with marinated pork (topped with a slice of grilled pineapple), steak, or pollo asado. The taco empire has grown to…