Skip to content

Readers' Choice 2026

Read More ›

Best Steakhouse: Vista Prime Steaks & Seafood

A seared wagyu steak garnished with a radish and a yellow squash blossom, served with two small copper bowls of sauce.
Courtesy of Vista Prime

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

There are plenty of ways to order steak at Vista Prime Steaks & Seafood. A Washington ribeye flight puts grass-fed, dry-aged, and domestic wagyu cuts side by side, while Japanese A5 wagyu includes Miyazaki filet, Hokkaido snow beef ribeye, and Saga Prefecture New York strip. For a little tableside theater, the 42-ounce Australian wagyu tomahawk is among the cuts carved in front of you. The dining room overlooks the Snoqualmie Valley, and a wine list running more than 450 selections deep gives all that beef plenty of company. Every steak also comes with a choice of sauce and side, from Béarnaise and chimichurri to broccolini and truffle fries.

Runner Up: The Met

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…