Seattle’s Best New Restaurants Of 2023
Nov 15, 2023
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Seattle’s Best New Restaurants Of 2023
Nov 15, 2023
Seattle continues to nail the art of casual dining. The kind of casual where Birkenstocks are welcome, and you’ll likely run into four people you know from your neighborhood’s buy-nothing Facebook page. And yet, the food proves to be anything but—whether we’re talking about salt and pepper tofu at a strip mall Vietnamese spot, a subdued Mexican restaurant's already iconic carnitas, or burrata-topped pizza at a slice shop. Here are the 12 best new restaurants in Seattle. Looking for the best places to eat in Seattle, full stop? Check out our guide to the 25 highest-rated in town.
photo credit: Nate Watters
The Moment We Knew We Loved It
As we plopped the chipotle shrimp onto a chorizo fundido-drenched tortilla chip.
A Perfect Order For Anyone Who Likes Great Food
Chorizo fundido, camarones mojo de ajo, roasted pork tacos, and a slab of key lime pie.
The Best Time To Go
On a Wednesday, when waits are short, parking isn't catastrophic, and sincronizada leftovers can become Thursday's lunch.
Collective team visits
7
The Moment We Knew We Loved It
As we plopped the chipotle shrimp onto a chorizo fundido-drenched tortilla chip.
A Perfect Order For Anyone Who Likes Great Food
Chorizo fundido, camarones mojo de ajo, roasted pork tacos, and a slab of key lime pie.
The Best Time To Go
On a Wednesday, when waits are short, parking isn't catastrophic, and sincronizada leftovers can become Thursday's lunch.
photo credit: Nate Watters
The Moment We Knew We Loved It
After one bite of takeout grilled chicken so extraordinary it made us shout, “Oh, come on!” while alone at home in pajamas.
A Perfect Order For Three Pals Looking To Leave With Leftovers
Salt and pepper tofu, tamarind beef salad, garlic butter chicken wings, crispy taro rolls, grilled chicken rice bowl, phở sa tế, and phở hà nội.
The Best Time To Go
Any time they aren’t closed.
Collective team visits
10
The Moment We Knew We Loved It
After one bite of takeout grilled chicken so extraordinary it made us shout, “Oh, come on!” while alone at home in pajamas.
A Perfect Order For Three Pals Looking To Leave With Leftovers
Salt and pepper tofu, tamarind beef salad, garlic butter chicken wings, crispy taro rolls, grilled chicken rice bowl, phở sa tế, and phở hà nội.
The Best Time To Go
Any time they aren’t closed.
photo credit: Nate Watters
The Moment We Knew We Loved It
Between our second glass of sake and third cut of tuna.
A Perfect Order For Everyone
There’s really only one option. Luckily, it’s also the best option.
The Best Time To Go
4:30pm on a weekday—it’s the easiest reservation slot to snag, and you’ll be in bed full of raw fish by 8pm.
Collective team visits
2
The Moment We Knew We Loved It
Between our second glass of sake and third cut of tuna.
A Perfect Order For Everyone
There’s really only one option. Luckily, it’s also the best option.
The Best Time To Go
4:30pm on a weekday—it’s the easiest reservation slot to snag, and you’ll be in bed full of raw fish by 8pm.
photo credit: Nate Watters
The Moment We Knew We Loved It
When we began strategizing how much kimchi pimento cheese to swipe on each cracker without wasting precious dip.
A Perfect Order For A Drinks-And-Snacks Night
Kimchi pimento cheese, Korean meatballs, soy-braised beef rice bowl, Carrot Gold N’ Arms, and more kimchi pimento cheese.
The Best Time To Go
Between 8 and 10pm, so that Polaroid flashes from the Pisco & Paparazzi cocktail turn more heads.
Collective team visits
4
The Moment We Knew We Loved It
When we began strategizing how much kimchi pimento cheese to swipe on each cracker without wasting precious dip.
A Perfect Order For A Drinks-And-Snacks Night
Kimchi pimento cheese, Korean meatballs, soy-braised beef rice bowl, Carrot Gold N’ Arms, and more kimchi pimento cheese.
The Best Time To Go
Between 8 and 10pm, so that Polaroid flashes from the Pisco & Paparazzi cocktail turn more heads.
photo credit: Nate Watters
The Moment We Knew We Loved It
They had us at the first cheese-stuffed rice ball.
A Perfect Order For Two
Four onigiri to share, and a side of pork gyoza for each.
The Best Time To Go
Do whatever it takes to be there right when they open at 12pm—take PTO, drop your kid off at the park, or move in next door.
Collective team visits
5
The Moment We Knew We Loved It
They had us at the first cheese-stuffed rice ball.
A Perfect Order For Two
Four onigiri to share, and a side of pork gyoza for each.
The Best Time To Go
Do whatever it takes to be there right when they open at 12pm—take PTO, drop your kid off at the park, or move in next door.
photo credit: Brooke Fitts
The Moment We Knew We Loved It
Five minutes into snapping enough pictures of The Notorious P.I.G. to load up a scrapbook.
A Perfect Order For A Solo Green Lake Picnic
A pile of spuds, one tuna sandwich stuffed with BBQ chips, and a malted macadamia nut cookie.
The Best Time To Go
Any day but Sunday. You’ll miss the hungover crowd and the hoards of Green Lake runners.
Collective team visits
4
The Moment We Knew We Loved It
Five minutes into snapping enough pictures of The Notorious P.I.G. to load up a scrapbook.
A Perfect Order For A Solo Green Lake Picnic
A pile of spuds, one tuna sandwich stuffed with BBQ chips, and a malted macadamia nut cookie.
The Best Time To Go
Any day but Sunday. You’ll miss the hungover crowd and the hoards of Green Lake runners.
photo credit: Brooke Fitts
The Moment We Knew We Loved It
As soon as we heard the pork sisig sizzling.
A Perfect Order For A Chebogz First Timer
The Island Combo with little bites of longanisa, butterfly shrimp, sticky inihaw pork ribs, pancit, and lumpia.
The Best Time To Go
When that weeknight meal prep you made looks a little sad and you want takeout instead.
Collective team visits
5
The Moment We Knew We Loved It
As soon as we heard the pork sisig sizzling.
A Perfect Order For A Chebogz First Timer
The Island Combo with little bites of longanisa, butterfly shrimp, sticky inihaw pork ribs, pancit, and lumpia.
The Best Time To Go
When that weeknight meal prep you made looks a little sad and you want takeout instead.
photo credit: Nate Watters
The Moment We Knew We Loved It
During a midnight drive, taken just to smell the lingering pizza fumes.
A Perfect Order For A Family Of Four
Arancini balls, caesar salad, cheese pie, Normie Macdonald pie, and as many ice cream cups as possible.
The Best Time To Go
A Saturday afternoon when plans include nabbing a stack of pies for a party or a solo sidewalk slice.
Collective team visits
3
The Moment We Knew We Loved It
During a midnight drive, taken just to smell the lingering pizza fumes.
A Perfect Order For A Family Of Four
Arancini balls, caesar salad, cheese pie, Normie Macdonald pie, and as many ice cream cups as possible.
The Best Time To Go
A Saturday afternoon when plans include nabbing a stack of pies for a party or a solo sidewalk slice.
photo credit: Nate Watters
The Moment We Knew We Loved It
When we confused video footage of the pak mor being made for an HBO original docu-series.
A Perfect Mid-Week Takeout Order For One
The guay tiew gaeng, a khao soi-esque dish with rice noodles. And add a sweet pink milk which is in fact, very sweet and very pink.
The Best Time To Go
At 6:30pm on a weekday, after you’ve ransacked the skincare aisle at Uwajimaya across the street.
Collective team visits
4
The Moment We Knew We Loved It
When we confused video footage of the pak mor being made for an HBO original docu-series.
A Perfect Mid-Week Takeout Order For One
The guay tiew gaeng, a khao soi-esque dish with rice noodles. And add a sweet pink milk which is in fact, very sweet and very pink.
The Best Time To Go
At 6:30pm on a weekday, after you’ve ransacked the skincare aisle at Uwajimaya across the street.
photo credit: Nate Watters
The Moment We Knew We Loved It
Upon realization that pork katsu and tikka masala are meant for each other.
A Perfect Order For A Double Date
Kaname salad, hamachi crudo, tikka tonkatsu don, loco moco scotch egg, and risotto in any form.
The Best Time To Go
Over the weekend, on the off-chance that Soju the pup might be there.
Collective team visits
8
The Moment We Knew We Loved It
Upon realization that pork katsu and tikka masala are meant for each other.
A Perfect Order For A Double Date
Kaname salad, hamachi crudo, tikka tonkatsu don, loco moco scotch egg, and risotto in any form.
The Best Time To Go
Over the weekend, on the off-chance that Soju the pup might be there.
photo credit: Nate Watters
The Moment We Knew We Loved It
Once our brains processed that a place personified by blacklights and blaring EDM produced legitimate pizza.
A Perfect Order For Pizza-And-Natural-Wine Snobs
A margherita, Princess Bianca, BBBQ, and cans of sparkling picpoul from Two Shepherds.
The Best Time To Go
During Tuesday night trivia, when the pies fling out fast and the questions are easy.
Collective team visits
5
The Moment We Knew We Loved It
Once our brains processed that a place personified by blacklights and blaring EDM produced legitimate pizza.
A Perfect Order For Pizza-And-Natural-Wine Snobs
A margherita, Princess Bianca, BBBQ, and cans of sparkling picpoul from Two Shepherds.
The Best Time To Go
During Tuesday night trivia, when the pies fling out fast and the questions are easy.
photo credit: Nate Watters
The Moment We Knew We Loved It
After tasting the soy curls al pastor and scanning the room to make sure we weren't being Punk’d.
A Perfect Order For A Walk To T-Mobile Park
Something handheld, like a jackfruit carnitas burrito or a torta stuffed with seitan carne asada.
The Best Time To Go
Any time you want incredible Mexican food but also have enough patience for Pioneer Square’s parking situation.
Collective team visits
5
The Moment We Knew We Loved It
After tasting the soy curls al pastor and scanning the room to make sure we weren't being Punk’d.
A Perfect Order For A Walk To T-Mobile Park
Something handheld, like a jackfruit carnitas burrito or a torta stuffed with seitan carne asada.
The Best Time To Go
Any time you want incredible Mexican food but also have enough patience for Pioneer Square’s parking situation.